We all have our favorite 4th of July traditions. We’ll barbeque, we’ll drink PBR, we’ll light our leg hair on fire.

Aside from all of that frivolity, though, I’d like to suggest that this year, you take it up a notch and for 4th of July celebration, adopt a theme. I suggest cherries. A) Cherries are in season right now. B) Cherries are really cute. C) They totally fit, color-wise. D) There is all manner of adorable cherry fabric and accessories out there, if you’re so inclined to go that way.

I have always been a sucker for a good firework, but in my old age (read, fat and slow), I am not so big on the “light M-80’s and run” brand of pyrotechnic fun. In honor of the firebug deep within, though, I bring you Cherries Jubilee. What could be better than lighting your very FOOD on fire, for 4th of July thrills?

Pyrotechnic Cherries Jubilee

1 pound fresh cherries (You can pick them yourself at Fieldstone Orchard in Overbrook! Or, use canned — I won’t tell.)
ice cream (I recommend homemade)
1/2 stick of butter
2 T lemon juice (I always recommend fresh)
1/2 C sugar
1 T lemon zest
1/2 cup Kirsch (cherry-flavored brandy. Regular brandy will also do.)

For garnish:
Whipping cream
Extra (non pitted) cherries
Mint leaves

Step 1
Pit your cherries. You’ll need one of these.

http://worldonline.media.clients.ellingtoncms.com/img/blogs/entry_img/2009/Jun/30/cherry_pitter.jpg

Step 2
Scoop your ice cream into bowls. It’s important that the ice cream be frozen pretty hard. My homemade, fresh out of the freezer, is usually pretty soft-serve, so I recommend making it ahead and freezing it for an extra couple of hours for this application.

Step 3
Melt the butter over medium heat and add in the sugar, stirring until it dissolves – about 2 minutes. Then add the cherries and lemon juice/zest, and saute for several minutes, until the cherries start releasing juice and get soft. Don’t over do this or you’ll just have cherry mash.

Step 4
Here’s the fun part, so make sure people are watching. Pour your alcohol over the cherry mixture and light it on fire with a long-tipped match or one of those big grill lighters. While the flames are still lit, pour the cherry mixture over the ice cream, and then exinguish.

Note: If you toss a little cinnamon on the fire, you’ll get sparks.

Step 5
Hear the ooh’s and ahh’s of the gawking crowd.

Step 6
Garnish with fresh whipped cream, a couple of whole cherries, and a mint leaf, if you’re so inclined. I usually forget about this sort of detail, and just start eating immediately.

Since you made the trip to Fieldstone to pick cherries, and you invested in a whole bottle of Kirsh, you might as well whip up a…

Fruit salad

1 Canteloupe, sliced in large-ish sections
3 Fuji apples, sliced in large pieces
1 lb cherries, pitted
12 oz blueberries
1 C Kirsch
1/3 C sugar
3 T lemon juice
1 T cinnamon
1 T nutmeg

Step 1
Over medium heat, combine the Kirsch, lemon juice, and sugar, and stir until the sugar is dissolved. If it’s too thick, add a little water. At the end, add in the cinnamon and nutmeg. Remove from heat.

Step 2
In a clear glass bowl (this is too pretty to hide), put all the fruit. I think it looks coolest if the canteloupe is in long smiley-face shaped strips, and the apple pieces are large and rustic.

Step 3
Pour the “dressing” over the fruit, and stir it around vigorously. The heat and sugar from the dressing will help the fruit release its own juices into the mix. Divine.

Also, we can’t let the cherry pie go without mention. Remember the pie crust tutorial? Go make a batch. I can get two pies out of the batch, because I use the pieces I cut off the edges to do a lattice top, saving me from needing an extra crust for a lid. Smitten Kitchen’s recipe is a total winner, in my book. Plus, you have all that homemade ice cream on hand, and it’s going to need something else to go with, besides your burning cherries of love.

Here’s wishing everyone a very cherry and happy 4th of July. Blow something up for me, will ya?