Cherry

Cherry pie is traditionally made with hard-to-find tart pie cherries. In this version, fresh Bing cherries combine with dried tart cherries, preserved Morello cherries, and whole spices to create a deep red, intensely flavored pie. Look for Morello cherries in light syrup at Trader Joe's markets and online at amazon.com.

Either bittersweet or semisweet chocolate will give great results, but bittersweet will pack more intense chocolate flavor.

With Lidia by your side, this showstopping dessert is foolproof. You'll need to start preparing the dough and filling at least one day ahead.

This over-the-top cake has impressive looks and moistness. Start the cherries ahead: They soak in brandy for a week and then in syrup for at least two days.

Toast St. Patrick's Day with our drink that combines the quintessential Irish spirit with a classic American cocktail. Serve it on the rocks to better balance the Irish whiskey's peaty note. If you prefer it a bit drier, make the vermouth portion half sweet and half dry.

Because fresh fruit was once scarce in Sweden during the winter, compotes stewed from dried fruits (mixed with a little alcohol to take the nip off the cold) are traditional at Christmas julbord. Here, dried cherries simmered with red wine and Port are subtly spiced with cinnamon and black pepper. This compote partners beautifully with cheese, which is how Magnus Ek serves it; we've also found that it complements the rice pudding in place of warm milk and sugar.

Get two of your daily fruit servings with this diet-friendly dessert from Annie Clemmons, pastry chef at Cyrus in Healdsburg, California.

This dessert is easy and indulgent.

A light syrup, laced with the refreshing lemony-floral taste of verbena, and a scoop of cassis sorbet amplify the tug-of-war between sweet and tart in a bowl of mixed summer fruits.

Clafouti is a rustic, simple French dessert that's a cross between a pancake and a custard. You can use other fruits, but cherries are traditional — and this is the month they're at their best.

To get the cleanest slices of foie gras, dip a heavy sharp knife in water, then wipe it dry before cutting each slice.

Personal chef Bernie Guzman — he's cooked for Jada Pinkett-Smith and her husband, Will Smith, for almost five years — doesn't limit his low-fat culinary talents to the grill. His fruit tartlets have a cheesecake-like richness despite few calories. Topped with cancer-fighting antioxidant players such as berries and cherries, this pastry is one you can feel good about polishing off.

A hint of whisky and tart cherries in the filling, plus an almost cakey crust, make this comforting pie unique. Serve with heavy cream for drizzling or some vanilla ice cream.

Chef Michael Presnal of The Federal Restaurant in Agawam, Massachusett, writes: "The recipe here was featured on one of my first menus as a chef, before I got into the kind of complex cooking I do now at The Federal. That was over ten years ago, but I still love making this dish at home. It calls for just a few fresh ingredients and takes only a couple of steps." A French country dessert that's like pudding and tender cake all in one.

This is a classic recipe for a Midwest favorite. For a flavorful filling, it's important to use sour (or tart) cherries, rather than sweet.

Editor's note: This recipe is adapted from Justin Rashid of American Spoon Foods in Petoskey, Michigan. To read more about Rashid and the northwestern Michigan cherry harvest, click here. "This is a fresh, colorful salsa that I make at home — a nice alternative to cooked versions like the cherry-peach that we sell at American Spoon Foods," says Rashid. "Feel free to substitute sweet cherries such as Bings — you'll just need to reduce the sugar to 2 tablespoons."

Editor's note: This recipe is adapted from Justin Rashid of American Spoon Foods in Petoskey, Michigan. To read more about Rashid and the northwestern Michigan cherry harvest, click here. "In northwestern Michigan, we have more cherries than we know what to do with, so everyone cans to preserve the summer harvest," says Rashid. "I usually make this conserve with our local Schmidts, which are very black and sweet. But regular Bings, or any sweet variety, can be substituted. Be sure they're ripe, but not overripe — plump, glossy, and firm." The conserve is great on toast, croissants, or biscuits, or with bagels and cream cheese. It can even be thinned with a little red wine and used to glaze a roasted duck.

Spear fruit with skewers and dip it into the butterscotch, then dip into the nuts and crème fraîche.

Look for fresh sour cherries at farmers' markets. Or use Bing cherries instead and add 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice to the filling.