Good Things by David

Every year, toward the end of June, I scour the farmers markets for sour cherries.  These incredibly delicious fruits have such a narrow window of opportunity at the market, that I waste no time in buying some whenever I spot them.  My favorite Amish farmstand near my home brings them in during the last two weeks of June.   Sour cherries fresh from the farmstand. In years past, I have made sour cherry pies, galettes and tarts, but I've never had the pleasure of making hand pies out of them.  I remember as a child how much my older brother and I used to love the Hostess hand pies which came in several flavors.  Apple and cherry were our go-to favorites, so I wanted to give my little desserts a bit of that nostalgia from childhood. Tea and a handpie. These are nothing like the very sweet, prepackaged variety found at the supermarket.  Made with a tried-and-true pate brisee crust, and a precooked sour cherry filling (this is key to making ...

My favorite lemons of all time come from my father's trees in California.  I eagerly anticipate these winter trips to the west coast not only to see the extended family and good friends, but to partake of the bounty of lemons at mom & dad's.  For dad to climb up a ladder and pick the best lemons for me to take home is all in a day's work, but to me, it really is something special.  It means everything in the world to be able to bring these fruits back to Pennsylvania.  Although I have to have lemons in my kitchen at all times, with no exceptions, there is nothing like having dad's lemons sitting in one of my bowls or platters. Thin-skinned and very juicy, the lemons get used for both savory and sweet preparations.   With stems and leaves still attached to some of these fruits, I absolutely love the variety of sizes.  It's not like what one finds in the stores; all the same size, the same color and perfectly waxed until they shine.  Th...