There’s your musical theater reference to kick off the month. Do you know what show has that song in the score? (Rogers and Hammerstein’s “Carousel” in case you’re wondering.)

Last Saturday we were bundled in the stands watching big brother’s track meet. Today, one week later, it was 93 degrees in the shade of the stands.

The month of June will feature a post a day on the blog here. It’s part of a blogathon over at the Word Count site run by Michelle Rafter. http://michellerafter.com/

We’ll focus on dining ideas, recipes, and cooking tips. It’s also time to celebrate farmers’ markets. And the garden season is in full swing. 

We’ll get things started with this photo of a genius piece of kitchen equipment. Do you know what this is?

June is the month for cherries. Bing cherries start arriving in the farmers’ market. They’re delicious for dinner ideas and desserts. Before you get to enjoy them, the pits need to be removed. And that’s when a cherry pitter is your go-to tool.

The cherry is placed in the pitter. A simple squeeze of the handle and the spike is driven through the fruit. The pit is extracted. Be sure and check the cherry, when you remove it from the pitter, to make sure the pit is gone. Sometimes it can get left behind.

When selecting cherries, look for plump cherries with a firm outer skin. If the cherries are slightly mushy, they’re past their prime. The tangy flavor makes it a favorite fruit to use for a topping for grilled pork chops. The cherry is the symbol of summer, in a pie, with a lattice top. 

Here’s your helpful tip for working with cherries. The beautiful ruby color of the cherries will make for a colorful warm weather dish. But, it will stain your wooden cutting board.

Remove your cherry pits over a dinner plate. And cut them on the plate too. All the juice stays on the plate and is easily rinsed off.

This is the season for buying cherries. Extend your time working with them. Rinse and dry some cherries and place in a plastic bag. They can be frozen and used when the calendar no longer says June. Don’t limit the cherry season in your kitchen. More ideas for working with cherries tomorrow. Stay tuned all month. Here we go!