Effortlessly Pit Cherries In A Flash With A Genius Chopstick Hack

If you're a cherry fanatic, you might frequently buy cartons at the farmers market or visit a local orchard to pick buckets full for homemade liqueur, pies, and maraschino cherries — a must-have for the best old-fashioned cocktail. All of these treats require pitting the cherries, as you don't want to accidentally swallow a pit or two. However, pitting by hand can be a laborious and messy process that leaves your fingers sticky and stained.

Thankfully, there's a simple solution that doesn't require buying another kitchen gadget or trying to figure out some viral social media trend. All you need is a chopstick and an empty, rinsed-out beer, soda, or wine bottle. Simply place a cherry on top of the mouth of the bottle, pluck the fruit's stem, and use the indentation where the stem was to guide the chopstick through the cherry. The pit will fall into the bottle for easy cleanup. We recommend using the narrower part of the chopstick for this job, but if you happen to have very large, plump cherries you can use the wider end.

The secret to successfully using a chopstick to pit cherries is in how much pressure you apply to the chopstick when you push it through the cherry. You don't want to jam it in too hard and risk shoving out all the flesh and juice along with the pit. It only requires a quick push with a little bit of pressure. Similarly, you don't want to squeeze the cherry too tightly with the other hand that's holding the fruit.

A reusable straw will also work if you don't happen to have chopsticks handy. Once you get the hang of using a chopstick to pit cherries, you'll be able to make swift work of your cherry haul with no fuss and no muss. And before you toss the cherry pits, consider making cherry-infused whipped cream by simply soaking a handful of the pits in heavy cream overnight, then removing the pits, and whipping the cream. It will go nicely with a homemade pie with a fresh cherry filling.