Cherry Soup

[RDNKJ]

Good looking cherries are in the stores, and it is hot out. This is a good, refreshing dessert soup.

2 lbs cherries*
3 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1 1/3 cups water
2 cups sweet rose wine
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Grated zest from 1 orange

Wash and pit all the cherries. Put aside a cup of the pitted cherries and a small handful of the pits. Crush the reserved pits with a hammer or meat tenderizer. They don't have to be crushed into little bitty pieces, well cracked will do. Tie the crushed pits the cloves and cinnamon stick in some cheesecloth. You don't have to use the cheesecloth, but if you don't then you have to strain the soup later.

In a pot on the stove combine the bag of pits and spices, the cherries (remember to save 1 cup), water, wine and sugar. Bring it to a boil, stirring frequently. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 25-30 minutes, until the cherries are very soft.

Put the cherries and 1 cup of the liquid in a food processor/blender. Puree.

Stir the pureed cherries back into the pot. Add the 1 cup of reserved cherries, orange juice, lemon juice and orange zest.

Simmer over low heat about 7-8 minutes until the cherries begin to soften and it just begins to boil.

Put in the refrigerator until thoroughly chilled. Serve cold with a spoonful of sour cream.

*About the cherries. Sour cherries are the best, but just about any cherries will do. They should be fresh or frozen. You can use unsweetened canned cherries, I have, but it doesn't come out nearly as well. Do NOT be tempted to use cherry pie filling!

[2lineCarrandMorgan]

sounds like a winner ,

[OLChemist]

Put aside a cup of the pitted cherries and a small handful of the pits. Crush the reserved pits with a hammer or meat tenderizer. They don't have to be crushed into little bitty pieces, well cracked will do.... In a pot on the stove combine the bag of pits....

Indeed the pits will give an almond flavor -- from the cyanide containing compounds extracted from the pits. While the use of apricot, cherry, and other fruit seed kernels is not unheard of in Middle Eastern, European, and Native cooking, caution must be employed to prevent a toxic dose, especially for children. Levels of the cyanogenic glycosides in the pits vary depending on species, growing conditions, and so on. Also amounts extracted will vary with surface area, heat, acidity, and so on. Old-time cooks drew on much experience to know when things were done right, experience often lost to modern cooks.

With cyanide discretion is the better part of valor. I would recommend omitting the pits and substituting a few drops of almond extract, added after removing the soup from the heat.


Yes, Apple Seeds and Cherry Pits are Poisonous

[wyo_rose]

Wow, does cooking affect that?

How about with crushed chokecherry seeds? Does the drying process affect the toxicity? Do different types of cherries/chokecherries have varying amounts of the poison?

The is recipe looks great and I think I'll make it this weekend since I don't have any chokecherries for goetsaap...I mean wojapi.

[RDNKJ]

...With cyanide discretion is the better part of valor. I would recommend omitting the pits and substituting a few drops of almond extract, added after removing the soup from the heat.

What's a little cyanide between friends?

Good point, OlChemist. I tend to be a "purist" when it comes to food, but I've also been making this for years (G-Grandma Wilhemina's recipe) so I tend to go by taste and sight.

If you do substitute almond extract, don't use much. This should only have a "hint" of almond flavor.

Also, for those who don't want to use alcohol, fruit juice can be substituted for the wine. I've used cranberry juice with good results. Apple juice can be used, too. The substitutions do change the nature of the soup, though.

[RDNKJ]

The is recipe looks great and I think I'll make it this weekend since I don't have any chokecherries for goetsaap...I mean wojapi.

If you do try it, let me know what you think!

[Asmajol]

YAY! Thanks For sharing =)

Cant wait to make this for my friends and family (now i just have to scrounge up money for ingredients )

[wyo_rose]

I gotta sub something for the wine. Gonna hunt down a fruit juice - low in sugar and would pair good with the cherries.

[rez_hopper]

Just got back from the Sun Dance in OK. Had Strawberry Wojapi that somebody from up North brought to the camp. Really good.

[OLChemist]

Wow, does cooking affect that?

How about with crushed chokecherry seeds? Does the drying process affect the toxicity? Do different types of cherries/chokecherries have varying amounts of the poison?

Chokecherry seed kernels contain similar glycosides and produce hydrogen cyanide. Children have died from eating too many pits. The wood and foliage also contain toxic compounds.

Levels of the compounds vary seasonally. IIRC, levels are highest in the spring and summer. Hydration effects levels in the greenery, it might in the seeds too.

Some folks say cracking the seed pits, cooking and/or drying break down some of the toxic compounds. I could see the acid from the fruit liberating at least some of the cyanide which would outgas.

As a kid I remember my great aunt making patties of lightly crushed, dried chokecherries. These later got cooked. I don't recall how much, if at all the seeds got broken up. The info on the MI ag extension site about cooking with chokecherries discourages breaking the seeds.

It would be interesting to quantify the levels of cyanide remaining after traditional prep. I'm not sure what extraction method would be best. You'd need to compare to un-processed.... Anyone looking for a senior chem project?

Here are some links:

Using Minnesota's Wild Fruits

Prunus virginiana, chokecherry

http://www.gaspesielesiles.upa.qc.ca...e%20Cherry.pdf

Choke Cherry - Prunus virginiana

[OLChemist]

I have been reading another book by my undergrad bio prof: American Household Botany:A History of Useful Plants 1620-1900 by Judith Sumner (Timber Press, 2004). The book covers the use of New World and Old World plants in Euro-American households.

There is a discussion of the genus Prunus of which peaches, cherries, almonds, chokecherries, plums, and apricots are members. The seeds contain amygdalin, a cyanide release glycoside. This compound gives the almond taste and flavor -- as well as poison -- to the seed kernels inside the endocarp.

"When digested, amygdalin releases highly toxic prussic acid (hydrogen cyanide), a compound also present in apple seeds. Poisoning occurs the cellular level when cyanide inhibits the activity of the enzyme cytochrome oxidase in the mitochondria... affected cells can no longer use oxygen, resulting in their death." -- p 114

[wyo_rose]

Just great! And I like the crushed seeds in my chokecherry gravy. You can tell when you don't use any pits.

Is there a different between native and domesticated chokecherries? Does the crushing and drying really remove or reduce the poison?

Is there a better way to crush the pits? I know pounding used to be the thing. My mom used a food grinder. I use a blender.

One time we sieved out most of the seeds cuz the blender didn't do a great job, and it tasted way better.

[OLChemist]

Is there a different between native and domesticated chokecherries? Does the crushing and drying really remove or reduce the poison?

Honestly, I don't know.

This really would be a great project for a high school science student. I suspect some deal could be worked out with a college lend some guidance in appropriate analytical techniques. The standard colorimeteric methods would be swamped by the pigments from the berries, but there are ways to separate these things.... Sorry nerd musings.

[eyesrbrown4areason]

Olchemist I'm staying away from the pits! lol

[wyo_rose]

I'm on a mission. If NDNs can figure out how to leach out the toxins from acorns and nixtamalize corn, I'm sure they figured out how to eat chokecherries with no adverse effects.

Maybe out university outreach office can help with testing.