Fresh Cherry Salsa

the tried and true wins again

A little confession to start: we tried a cherry compote for this one first, and it just wasn’t it. Too runny, too fussy, not the thing we actually wanted on the table. So Mom went back to the standby we should have trusted from the start, this fresh cherry salsa, and it was exactly right.

That’s the lesson we keep relearning. The tried and true recipe is tried and true for a reason. Sometimes the move isn’t to reinvent it, it’s to make the thing you already know works and let it shine.

This one comes together in one bowl. Sweet summer cherries, a little jalapeño for heat, cilantro, lime, and a pinch of smoked paprika to round it out. It’s bright, it’s a little unexpected, and it’s beautiful on a table.