What to do with heaps of cherries?

And here's how to hack a tart pan for the above-mentioned tart, when a "real" tart pan isn't available, and all you have is sand in your shoes on a late summer day:
http://food52.com/blog/3500-hacking-a-tart-pan

I just made this tart, originally posted for peaches, with just under a pound of pitted cherries. It is about the easiest crust in the world.
Depending on size of cherries, you might need more or less than 1 lb.
http://food52.com/recipes/14217-peach-tart

I made a cherry-blueberry marmalade last summer that was just heavenly in the dead of winter . . . . That said, 1.5 pounds of cherries would last about two hours in this house, in the summer (the young men being home from college), so not having a pitter, and ideas of how to use them, would be quite beside the point. "Heaps" of cherries here means 6 - 8 pounds. Or maybe ten. ;o)

If they are sweet, I completely agree in the sense that sweet cherries are not for cooking if sour cherries are around :) I do nothing with sweet cherries except eat them fresh.

Am I the only one who thinks you should just eat them? I just received two pounds of beautiful, sweet red cherries and I am quite sure that the will be gone after the weekend. :D Seriously, if they are sweet and delicious in their natural state then set aside a handful for snacking.

Cherry chutney with cardamom = amazing. I made this one last summer, and found a jar last month, which I opened, and it's still incredibly flavorful: http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-cherry-chutney-120952 Warning, though: the cardamom tends to be strong, so next time I'll be cranking it down a bit, as I've learned that in chutneys at least, not everyone loves a bold cardamom.

Cherries in brandy with a vanilla bean, left until December = also amazing. No recipe necessary. Cover with booze and no processing is necessary, either. Use the vanilla bean for vanilla sugar when the cherries are gone. Use the boozey cherry liquid for cocktails. Both, wonderful. ;o)

I just found this in my files, looking for ideas for my own cherry stash. I remember that they're delicious but pretty spicy, so adjust the number of peppers if you like.
Cherry Bombs - spicy pickled cherries from putsup.com:
http://www.putsup.com/2009/06/cherry-bombs-pickled-cherries-are-weird.html
Also a recipe on this page for tarragon pickled cherries.

Correction: http://food52.com/recipes/22911-cherries-flambe

Cherries jubilee. Sitting on the back step and pitting cherries is a summer tradition 'round here like husking corn. The flambé version of Jubilee is nice on a summer night... goes with fireworks and fireflies. I will try to dig out my Mom's classic recipe.

You actually don't need a pitter. In fact, I find it's faster to pit without one. Make a small "nip" with a paring knife on the stem end, and gently pinch the pit out. I learned this from an active 98-year-old who has a sour cherry orchard.

I'm lucky to live near Opal's cherry orchard and whenever there's a good crop I'll pick gallons and gallons to put up. I always just freeze mine-- tossed into a ziplock bag with the air pressed out-- though I love the ideas here! We put the cherries in pies (cherry blackberry is our favorite) or smoothies--they add a really nice depth to smoothies. We also just throw some unpitted in the freezer and use them for a bright, tasty snack throughout our cold, monochrome winter (I live in Wyoming)-- just lightly defrost in the microwave and eat like you would fresh cherries. (Of course, the unpitted cherries are usually a result of pitting fatigue after hours spent pitting cherries.)

Cherries are great baked in muffins and quickbreads. Maybe with a little orange zest or chocolate chips? I'd also recommend taking a baking sheet and laying them out and sticking them in the freezer and once they've frozen putting them in a ziplock bag in the freezer. They keep well in the freezer and this trick keeps them from being a frozen block when you go to use them

Sounds yummy, Rebecca. I might have to do a little research on those!

I love cherry sorbet and also pickles cherries ( you don't have to pit them)

Rebecca V, what is a shrub?

cherry crostata, pie, or tart. ice cream, cherries dipped in chocolate. make a jam and use it to top yogurt, ice cream, oatmeal, a PB sandwich, pudding. a fool.

http://www.marthastewart.com/316058/fruit-tart
http://food52.com/recipes/5274-cherry-amaretto-clafouti-tart-with-almond-praline
http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2008/06/sweet-cherry-pie/
http://food52.com/recipes/5281-cherry-chocolate-malt-pudding-cups
http://food52.com/recipes/5237-cherry-brown-sugar-fool-with-honey-almonds

Get a cherry pitter. then put those babies in brandy. They'll keep indefinitely and you can use them for so many things.

I love cherry clafoutis - really easy and delicious. Traditionally the cherries weren't pitted (supposed to add flavor) but mostly I've seen it made - and made it - with pitted cherries. Here's Dorie Greenspan's version: http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/food/dishing/2010/07/best_summer_des.html

Pit them, mix 2/3 cherries with 1/3 sugar. Put in a sterile jar and cover with rum. Wait one year. Use cherries over ice cream or in a martini. Cherry rumtoft.

I made cherry-meyer lemon jam with my last batch. Delicious!

hacking a cherry pitter: http://food52.com/blog/3795-hacking-a-cherry-pitter

i bought 12lb sour cherries a week ago bc i missed the season last year and was going to make sure i got enough this time... i made a granita, a shrub, mostarda, put some in a jar w maraschino for cocktail cherries, put some in a jar w grappa, dried two pounds on a baking sheet with parchment paper in a low oven for a few hours... i pitted them all, though. using the pits to make amaretto. cherry pitter is a good tool to have, you can also use for olives as paseo said. if anything above sounds interesting am happy to give more info!

Put them in brandy or liqueur after pitting over a bottle (pop the pit with a chop stick) Enjoy come winter and have the boozy part as a drink or however you would like (could be heated and used to make the cherries a sauce.)

Here is a link to a great dessert to try now: http://food52.com/recipes/17832-cherry-clafouti-great-for-father-s-day

Sweet or sour cherries? Best to get a cherry pitter (use for olives too) and make a cherry sauce (sugar, water & lemon juice) which you can freeze. Would taste lovely in January.