Cherries Jubilee

Blockprint Backgrounds

5x5” Pastel by Vicki Smith

Hello,

Sweet cherries are luscious to paint, with their mixture of reds and glossy surface, as well as to eat. I associate them with whimsical fabric designs on tablecloths and aprons from the 1950s, but they also became a trendy fashion element that started last spring. They are a fine dessert, all on their own, no added sugar or preparation required. And they are especially fun if you own one of those cherry pitter gadgets. Turning your cherries into cherries jubilee takes them up a notch and is a sure way to impress guests or family on a special occasion.

Cherries Jubilee is made from sweet and sour cherries, sugar, a thickener, and a liqueur such as Kirschwasser or brandy, and flambéed at the table. Most sources attribute its origin to Auguste Escoffier, a French chef, restaurateur, and food writer who simplified the traditional cooking methods of Marie-Anoine Carême, making haute cuisine more accessible. Escoffier also created peach melba and lobster thermidor. In 1897, Escoffier was the head chef at the Savoy Hotel in London, where the owner, Cesar Ritz, was hosting a dinner for Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee, sixty years on the throne. Cherries Jubilee was created. Queen Victoria was known for her sweet tooth and kept the royal kitchen busy baking cakes. The dessert became popular in the 1950s, served with vanilla ice cream. Modifications include adding citrus and warm spices such as cinnamon.

The background is important when painting a still life. You want it to complement your subject matter but not overwhelm it. I searched the house for a light blue fabric when I set out to paint the cherries. An item from the clothes or linen closet would work as a background. I remembered printing on a discarded light blue dress shirt and probably had some vision for the finished product that did not materialize. The fabric turned up in the bottom of a dresser drawer. Stamps cut from an eraser-like material and printed with ink pads made the designs on my backdrop. Sometimes, even discarded projects become useful. Making your own stamps is quite simple, and they work well for custom greeting cards, too.

A collection of small stamps, a cutting tool, and prints on paper. Vicki Smith

The recipe for Cherries Jubilee comes directly from All Recipes. If you plan on making them, I would suggest visiting the link for suggestions on the flambéing. The only changes I made were eliminating the cherry extract, and I used blackberry brandy.

Cherries Jubilee

Ingredients

½ cup white sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

¼ cup cold water

¼ cup orange juice

1 pound Bing or other dark, sweet cherries, rinsed and pitted (or use frozen pitted cherries)

½ teaspoon finely grated orange zest

3 cups vanilla bean ice cream

¼ teaspoon cherry extract

¼ cup brandy

Directions

Whisk sugar and cornstarch together in a wide saucepan. Stir in water and orange juice; bring to a boil over medium-high heat, whisking until thickened. Stir in cherries and orange zest; return to a boil, then reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes. While cherries are cooking, spoon ice cream into serving bowls.

Remove cherries from the heat and stir in cherry extract. Pour in brandy and ignite with a long lighter. Gently shake the pan until the blue flame has extinguished itself. Spoon cherries over ice cream.

Cherries Jubilee on block-printed fabric.

Thanks for reading, liking, commenting, and sharing!

Vicki