It's that time of year.
Farmer's Markets are exploding with great spring fruits and vegetables. My favorite among them is cherries. If this were prime time television, the cherry would be a superstar, hosting its own variety show in the best time slot possible. Like a Saturday night bookended by very special episodes of The Love Boat and Fantasy Island. Both of which would guest star Adrienne Barbeau.
It's been a while since I've watched television.
Well, I've taken to cherries again this year like I always have , but this time, I am looking at them through Hungarian eyes. With the possible exception of the cucumber, whenever a Magyar is faced with a piece of fresh produce, he or she does what comes most naturally to them-- they boil the hell out of it. Or pickle it.
There's an dish I have always been meaning to try from our dear, goulash-eating cousins, and that's Meggyleves, or Sour Cherry Soup. The only problem was that I didn't have immediate access to sour cherries. I wanted it now, so I had to make do with the local ones instead. Since I wasn't going for authenticity, I thought I might as well just appreciate the recipe for its inspiring qualities and move on.