Any other year this entry would have been posted by now... but no bother. July has arrived, and with it the produce necessary to create what I consider the perfect June dessert: Cherry Apricot Crisp.
Strawberry Rhubarb. Maple Apple. Nectarine with Blackberries and Chopped Ginger. Huckleberry Pear. Peach. Blueberry. Raspberry Plum. The thing about crisp is that it can be quickly assembled before serving dinner and pulled from the oven as plates are cleared (especially if extra topping is kept in the freezer, waiting to accommodate a farmstand splurge). As it bakes the juices thicken, flavors concentrate, and the house fills with the perfume of fruit and buttery crumbles.
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Cherry Apricot Crisp
Topping
3/4 c AP flour
1/4 c cornmeal, rolled oats, or toasted chopped almonds
1/4 c white sugar
1/4 c brown sugar
small pinch of cinnamon
pinch of salt
1/2 c plus 2 tbl unsalted butter at cool room temp, cut into pieces
Combine everything except butter. Work the butter in with your fingers until all is blended, with chunks no larger than 1" or so. Chill until ready to use.
Filling
2 lbs apricots, pitted and cut into chunks (include the soft spots, they will turn into sauce)
3/4 lb of your favorite cherries, stemmed and pitted (or leave the pits in for a mild almond flavor- just warn your guests!)
2 tbl sugar, or to taste
1 1/2 tbl minute tapioca (omit for a runnier but brighter-tasting dessert)
pinch of salt
Combine ingredients and pour into a baking dish/casserole/pie plate with a 6 cup capacity. Cover with topping and bake at 400 degrees for 45 minutes, or until the topping is browned and the juice around the edges is bubbling. 
Serve hot with ice cream, cold for breakfast, or en plein air at an holiday potluck!
Thank you! I now have another use for the mountain of cherries that I'm trying to scale. I love cherries but we're inundated ... and you know I don't think I've ever actually made a crisp!
Posted by: Ivonne | July 01, 2006 at 07:01 PM
I love cherries so the crisp sounds good to me .iallso like a good cherry pie. With icecream or whipcream on it. ann
Posted by: Ann | July 02, 2006 at 10:13 AM
All your combinations sound so delicious, I don't know where to start! I love crisps!
Posted by: Anita | July 03, 2006 at 04:45 PM
Perfection!
Posted by: Jessica | July 04, 2006 at 08:32 AM
how did I miss three entries? I'm sorry, last week was a bad week for me.
Anyway--just the name of this recipe made my mouth water. Sounds delicious.
Posted by: Mitzy | July 10, 2006 at 04:02 PM
All the combinations are mouth-watering. I liked this. I am surely going to try for christmas!
Posted by: ps3 manette | December 31, 2009 at 02:57 AM