DENOYAUTEUR

It is cherry season, and if I eat one more handful I think I am going to look like a cherry….. so I have decided to turn my attention to making jam!An enjoyable, even relaxing project, that marries well with Olivier’s love for tartines and our continued shortage of confiture! Tartine is the French delicacy of a lovely thick slice of bread with creamy butter topped with homemade confiture (jam).

However a black cloud, or should I say frustrated very red finger tips, began to settle over my little jam making jamboree, as I struggled with a paring knife in a feeble attempt to separate the clinging cherry from its pip! Lucky for me, help was not far away. While chatting with my mother, who is currently in Provence surrounded by les cerisiers (cherry trees), I recounted my sad story and she introduced me to the “Dénoyauteur“!

What you may ask is a Dénoyauteur… well, it is my new best friend! A simple little handheld machine that removes the cherry pip in one simple action. Place the cherry in the holder squeeze handles together and voila! De-piped cherry ready and willing to hop into a pie/ cake / jam, I could go on…. There are more complex devices, that are perhaps better for larger batches of cherries, but as I live in the city and storage space being at a premium, the smaller the utensil the better. Not only does this wonderful invention eliminate the red finger problem (attractive as this is at work…), decreases the de-pipping time and cherry loss, but it can be easily purchased in your local shops for about €2!! Naturally best to drop everything and run out and buy at least one if not two 🙂

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