In the dead of scorching summer heat, I can find few things that bring greater pleasure than a bowl brimming with chilled cherries.Their adorable, heart-shaped bodies gleam at me with assorted rosy pink shades and dark, striking hues.Their taut skin gives way to firm flesh filled with perfectly balanced tart, sweet juices.

I have many favorite cherry- filled memories, but the most potent one brings me back to a summer night spent at the beach in late July.The sweltering day was filled with enough activity to last a week.All we needed was a relaxing evening as the sun began to set.

The gilded light swept over us as if depositing all its last efforts for us to savor the rest of the beautiful day.That night after dinner, we made a fire, and as the salty breeze rippled around us, we shared a large, shallow bowl almost overflowing with cherries served on ice.We sat, talked, and listened to the fire crackling away as we slowly stemmed cherries and pitted them discreetly with our teeth.

We sipped on cold sparkling roseĢ 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.The stars hung close now as if beckoning us to bed, our hearts full of lovely, golden memories and the sweetest taste of cherries still clinging to our palates.The first step to picking the most exc

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