A bowl of chilled cherries is the best thing to have in the midst of a scorching summer. Their heart-shaped bodies sparkle at me in a variety of rosy shades, as well as dark, striking colors. Their taut, firm skin is surrounded by perfectly balanced sweet and tart juices. My favorite cherry-filled memories are many, but my most powerful one is from a night at the beach late in July. The hot day was packed with so much activity that it would have lasted for a week. As the sun set, we just wanted to relax. The golden light seemed to be a final effort of the sun, allowing us to enjoy this wonderful day. After dinner that night, we built a fire and shared a large shallow bowl filled with almost too many cherries. As we talked and listened, we stemmed the cherries and pitted with our teeth. We sipped on cold sparkling rosé wine and remained there, sipping and stemming, until the bowl was empty and filled with something akin to an ice bath strewn with cherry stems. As if to beckon us to bed, the stars now hung close as we…
