I don't know about you guys, but I don't own a cherry pitter. For the most part, this means that I just don't bother pitting cherries or concocting much of anything out of them; instead, I just eat them.

However, sometimes you just need some pitted cherries.

So you don't have a cherry pitter. Do you have a paper clip? If so, you can go ahead and pit your cherries with wild abandon. Well, not too much abandon--you don't want cherry juice stains all over the kitchen. But you can pit your cherries with moderate abandon at least.


First, bend your paper clip into an S.

(Actually, first wash your paper clip and then bend it into an S. Washing not pictured.)


Insert the larger end of your paper clip into the stem scar of a cherry. Then just scoop around with the curve of the clip to dig out the pit.


Repeat until you've pitted all your cherries. Voila!

Now you can use your cherries in baking, blending, mixing, freezing or muddling--all without the threat of the pit.


Personally, I just pitted a few cherries to put in my pre-holiday beverage.

Cherry vodka tonic

3 pitted sweet cherries
vodka of your choice
tonic water
ice
lemon wedge

Muddle your cherries in the bottom of a cocktail glass. I think collins glasses are usual for vodka tonics, aren't they? Add several ice cubes, a shot (or your preferred amount) of vodka, and top with tonic. Squeeze a lemon wedge over the top before dropping it in. Mix gently and consume at your leisure.


I don't know about you, but my leisure is going to be pretty great this week. Tomorrow we're flying out to Portland for a few days--the only few days in the year, it seems, that Portland is going to have the exact same weather as Silicon Valley. Curses! We were hoping for some greyness after the unrelenting sun of California. On the other hand, this does mean we get to ride bikes around Portland with no need for rain gear. I hope all of you from the US have a similarly delightful holiday planned!