One simple tool makes cherry tart easy

Sometimes a tiny tool can transform your relationship with food. Take fresh cherries. We adore them, to the point of cherry saturation during the short seasonal peak. But cooking with fresh cherries is the pits.

Not so with today's tiny tool: the cherry pitter. This inexpensive gadget looks like a stapler, and with one quick punch, it shoots the pits straight through the bottom of the cherry. Suddenly, an impossible task is practically fun. Beverly's sister-in-law Liza, an accomplished cook, says her cherry pitter is the best gift that Beverly has ever given her.

As an example, consider today's glorious Chocolate Cherry Tart. Without a cherry pitter, so not worth it. We simply would never make it.

But with the pitter, prepping a pound and a half of cherries takes less than 10 minutes. This, plus a little microwave-melted chocolate and a refrigerated piecrust, and you've got an elegant dessert.

KitchenAid and Oxo make the most inexpensive pitters ($10 to $13). The best place to look for them is stores that sell a lot of cooking tools, such as Bed Bath & Beyond. Or you can do a quick search on Amazon.com to order by mail.

For more tips on how to use cherry pitters, visit our website at kitchenscoop.com.

• Beverly Mills and Alicia Ross are co-authors of "Desperation Dinners! Write them at Desperation Dinners c/o United Media, 200 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10016 or tellus@kitchenscoop.com.