The founding fathers didn't plan it this
way, but the nation's birthday celebration occurs smack dab in
the middle of fresh sweet cherry season. Even though young George
Washington apparently had an ax to grind with the tree itself,
other colonists worked long and hard to develop cherry orchards
in their adopted land.
Fresh Cherry Jubilee is a great way to
celebrate the Fourth of July. This easy, but elegant dessert
creates fireworks of its own when warmed brandy is poured over
the sweet cherry, orange juice and cornstarch base and then ignited.
When the flames die down, the sauce is ladled over scoops of
rich vanilla ice cream. All the sweet cherry varieties work well
in Fresh Cherry Jubilee, although dark cherries offer a more
dramatic color contrast with the ice cream. Enjoy the Jubilee
while you can, because fresh cherry season is brief. They arrive
in markets beginning in June and are gone by mid-August.
Fresh Cherry Jubilee
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup each water and orange juice
3 cups pitted Northwest fresh sweet cherries
1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel
1/4 cup brandy, optional
1 quart vanilla ice cream
- Combine sugar and cornstarch. Blend in
water and orange juice. Cook and stir until thickened and smooth.
Add cherries and orange peel; return to boil and simmer 10 minutes.
- Gently heat brandy, pour over sauce and
flame, if desired.
- Serve over ice cream.
Makes 8 servings.
Nutritional Analysis Per Serving: 204 Cal.,
2.5 g pro., 7.1 g fat (31% Cal. from fat), 29.6 g carb., 30 mg
chol., 0 g fiber and 58 mg sodium.
Recipe and photograph provided courtesy
of Washington State Fruit Commission.
