Summer is here and so are cherries! This wonderfully healthy fruit is very versatile and can be used a million different ways. This chilled cherry soup is incredibly simple to make but looks fancy and tastes more complicated than it really is.  This recipe will impress your guests and can be served as a starter or as dessert. Yes, you read that right! YIELD: 4 servings Recipe Development and Photography By: Williams-Raines INGREDIENTS Chilled Cherry Soup 2 cups fresh dark red cherries, pitted, plus extra for decoration 2 cups rose wine 1/2 cup sugar 1 cinnamon stick 1 tsp cornstarch 1 [...]

Yield: 8 toasts (4 servings)  INGREDIENTS Topping: 2 cup chopped heirloom tomatoes 1 cup chopped cherries 2 tablespoons basil Toasts: 4 slices bread, cut in half and toasted 1/2 cup ricotta cheese 1/4 cup goat cheese black pepper 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar salt DIRECTIONS Toss tomatoes with cherries and basil and set aside. In a small bowl, mix together the ricotta cheese with the goat cheese until well blended. Season with black pepper. To assemble, spread about 1 tablespoon of cheese on each toast half and top with heaping spoonful of tomato/cherry mixture. Drizzle with olive oil [...]

YIELD: one 32 oz. mason jar or two 16 oz. jars Recipe Development and Photography By: Williams-Raines INGREDIENTS 2 cups red wine vinegar 1/2 cup water 1 cup granulated sugar 1 tablespoon black peppercorns 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt 1 pound dark red cherries, rinsed and pitted 1 small orange 1 bunch of fresh thyme (about 5-8 sprigs) METHOD With a vegetable peeler, remove the outer peel of the orange in stripes, careful not to get any of the white pith with it. Set aside. Combine the vinegar, water, sugar, peppercorns, salt and 2 or 3 stripes of orange peel. Bring [...]