The time of the year for buying fresh cherries is happening right now. Prices are affordable and supplies are abundant. But, before you know it, the season will pass and unless you act quickly, you could miss out. That’s happened to me before — but this year, I promised myself that just when prices got as close to being the best they would be, I would buy cherries in quantities sufficient to take on the canning project planned for last year.

If you have not yet tried your hand at making cheese because last week’s recipe for homemade mozzarella looked too involved, or you couldn’t get hold of good cheesemaking milk, then this recipe for Fresh Ricotta Cheese offers another opportunity to have a go at it. Although it is not made in the traditional way — with the leftover whey from other cheesemaking endeavors (such as from making mozzarella cheese) — it is every bit as delicious, dependable and versatile. (In Italian, ricotta means “twice-cooked,” or “re-cooked.

I never really considered making chicken pot pies for the Fourth of July holiday, but after success with Tovolo’s Petite Pie Mold and their recipes for fruit pies, I decided to give Tovolo’s recipe for Savory Pie a try, and I liked it a lot. Enjoying the concept of mini pies, and liking the rustic, patriotic look of an indestructible cast iron skillet, I decided to blend the two for the Independence Day buffet table. Not only are the pies delicious, but use of some store-bought products, such as pre-made piecrusts and gravy make them “easy as pie” to assemble.

Charlotte Ward, a resident of Hilton Head Island, has shared recipes with us many times before. If you’ve tried them, you know they are always keepers, and Charlotte’s recipe for Asian-Style Grilled Marinated Pork Tenderloin, coming just in time for the grilling season, is no exception. Flavorsome and visually attractive, Charlotte’s dish is easy to prepare and kind on the wallet. Her recipe, designed for use with a 1 to 1½- pound pork tenderloin to serve two, is easily multiplied to accommodate heartier appetites, or a larger family.