Cherry Blossoms In DC

This week is the peak for cherry blossoms in Washington DC.

The cherry blossoms were first gifted to the United States from Japan in 1912, as a gesture of friendship to cultivate goodwill, cultural exchange, and mutual appreciation.  In Japanese culture—cherry blossoms represent the beauty and transience of life. They have been that for me for most of my life.

My family came when I was a kid, driving from upstate NY to meet my cousins from MI.  We rarely got the timing right.

For many years I lived in downtown DC, and every year we went to see the cherry blossoms. In our 20s after a night out, we decided to just stay up and go watch the sunrise over the blossoms. We had the place to ourselves in 1994 and it was magnificent. Pink blossoms across the horizon with pink skies behind them were breathtaking in a way no camera could capture.

The breakfast at dawn became a habit. The circle of friends that came got wider. The picnics became completely overboard to a level that would have made Martha Stewart and Ina Gardner smile. Then kids came along and we got a bit more sporadic. We began brunching in the suburbs. One year we planted a cherry tree in a friends yard so we could just meet there.

Lovely yes, but there is nothing like the ethereal pink cloud when you get the visit timing right. I went to the tidal basin Saturday. It was 65F and mobbed with people, of course. It was 3 days too early. Pretty but not quite sublime yet. Last year I went in the rain with a friend from college who has since moved away; I miss her. The blossoms were gorgeous even in the rain. My uncle, who first inspired my parents to come see DC, died years ago. The spring cherry blossoms are a joy and also a cascade of memories I treasure each year.

If you are feeling ambitious, here is my grandmother’s delightful recipe for cherry brownies that I also make every year. Initially I made them as she did, with maraschino cherries, and they come out a light peach color that looks amazing. I decided the dye isn’t great for you and I switched to Trader Joe’s jarred bing cherries from Italy. Now I make a keto version.

This is the recipe my grandmother gave to me, formatted in the way they did 100 years ago, so read the whole thing before you start so you don't miss anything. It is one of the few recipes I didn’t have to determine what “until it looks right” quantities mean.

I hope you can find some cherry blossoms near you and go immerse yourself, maybe even with friends.

Best wishes,

Rose

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Grandma’s Cherry Brownies

Mix with an electric mixer:

3/8 lbs butter (1.5 sticks)

1.5 cups sugar

2.25 cups flour

1.5 tsp baking powder

0.75 tsp salt

3 eggs + 2 egg yolks (save the whites for the topping)

3 tbsp of cherry juice from the jar

1.5 tsp vanilla

Spread the mixture out on a greased 11”x17” cookie sheet. (large).

Beat the 2 egg whites until stiff and spread over the mixture.

Sprinkle abundantly with brown sugar and chopped walnuts

Bake 350F for 30 minutes.

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