So, the asparagus season here in Germany is dwindling down but I am not too terribly upset because fresh cherry stands are starting to take their place at the farmers market. These little red gems were not something I ate too much while living in Virginia. They were always awfully expensive since, most of the time, they were shipped in from the west coast. Here in Germany it’s a different story, I got these beauties this morning for 50 euro cents per 100 grams (about $2.50 per pound). So in translation: dirt cheap. Especially when I was used to seeing them about $7 per pound back home.

About 95% of my extended family lives in Michigan and one of my favorite memories from visiting them when I was a kid was the cherry tree in my aunt’s front yard. I remember one summer she had this long rod with scissors on the end so you could snip the cherries that were too far to reach. I ended up eating so many I got sick, but of course it was worth it. Cherries are one of those things that or just incomparable when fresh. Canned and artificial cherry flavored foodstuffs are disgusting to me, and do no justice to what they long to be.

Another jewel I found at the market were fresh red currants. All throughout pastry & culinary school…heck, even working in a fancy hotel…I had never seen a fresh currant. I remember glossing over European fine dining cookbooks with these little ruby sphere’s adorning gorgeous plated desserts, but never being able to actually taste one. When I found them at the Farmers Market for the first time it was like seeing a unicorn. I’m pretty sure Alex rolled his eyes and laughed about how I was nerding out over them. They are like juicy tart little beads that pop when you bite them.