From the Blacksburg Farmer’s Market, buy:
- one Weathertop Farms pastured chicken
- five cups of sweet cherries
- one loaf of sesame and wheat bread
- one head of leaf lettuce
Spatchcock/butterfly the chicken, brine it with garlic, sugar, pepper, and rosemary. Chuck it in the refrigerator for the afternoon.
Clean and pit the cherries. Add a little lemon juice, cornstarch solution, almond extract, and butter. Cheat and buy a couple pie crusts from the store (I hate making pastry dough). Pour in the cherries and cover with the second crust, cutting a few slits in the top. Throw it in the oven for about an hour.
Fire up the grill and drain the chicken. Baste it with an olive oil and rosemary mix and throw it on the grill (the half that isn’t on), breast side down and legs toward the hot center (dark meat needs to cook more). Close the lid. Flip and re-baste it every 15 minutes until done. Remove from grill and let stand 10 minutes before carving. Eat with a fresh green salad and tasty bread (not pictured, because by the time they were ready, we were too hungry for pictures).
The pie should be cooled enough to cut by the time you’re done with dinner.
Today, on this father’s day, my creative work is dedicated to my father; he taught me that doing is fun, and that I can learn to do anything.
