Cook This: 3 Czech food preservation recipes from God Is a Pickle, including cherry compote

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Working on the book gave Otevřel Camrdová and Bartoš a new appreciation for Czech food preservation. It’s a skill many Czech people don’t know they have, says Otevřel Camrdová. When they went to take photographs for the book, their subjects often said they didn’t have anything special to show them.

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“Then they opened their kitchens, and we saw hundreds of preserves, and many types,” says Otevřel Camrdová. Bartoš was also struck by the variety, saying of the culinary tradition, “We’re sitting on a real treasure.”

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They wanted to highlight the human side of food preservation in the book — the people behind the filled jars, their emotions, memories, stories and family traditions — and authenticity was important.

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Bartoš’s photographs depict people in their natural habitat — whether cottages, homes or gardens. “It’s in our veins, so I wanted to be honest, authentic,” he says. Bartoš adds that, as Czechs, food preservation is close to their hearts. “A lot of people go into the woods to pick mushrooms, to collect apples, to collect pears. It’s like you don’t even think. You wake up on the weekend, jump in the car, go to the woods, pick the mushrooms, dry them, whatever. It’s like it’s part of us.”

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CHERRY COMPOTE

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This cherry version is “the definition of compote,” says Šárka Otevřel Camrdová. “It’s very traditional.” Photo by Marek Bartoš

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Makes: 4 canning jars (16 oz/500 mL each)

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2 1/4 lb (1 kg) ripe sweet cherries (about 7 1/4 cups)
4 1/4 cups (1 L) water
1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cups (300-350 g) granulated sugar

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Step 1

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Sort the cherries and discard any bruised or damaged ones. Remove the stems from the cherries, then wash well under running water and let drain. You can also pit the cherries if you prefer. The best way to do this is by using a cherry pitter. However, the cherries will keep their shape better if left unpitted.

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Step 2

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Mix the water and sugar in a saucepan (adjust the amount of sugar to the sweetness of the cherries) and bring to a boil, then let simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves completely. Remove the syrup from the heat and let cool slightly.

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Step 3

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Fill sterilized canning jars with the cherries, leaving a gap of about 3/4 inch (2 cm) below the rim. Carefully tap the open jars on the work surface to compact the fruit, so that as much as possible will fit into each jar. Pour the hot syrup over the cherries, close the jars tightly, and process in a water bath. Let the jars rest for at least 2 weeks so the cherries can soften and absorb the sweetness.

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Tips: You can also preserve sweet or sour cherries in rum. For this, you will need to arrange the cherries in layers inside the jars, sprinkling each layer with sugar. Adjust the amount of sugar according to the sweetness of the fruit. Fill the jars with high-quality rum to completely cover the cherries. Seal the jars tightly and let the fruit mature in a cool, dark place for about 2 months. The cherries will be infused with the sweetness and aroma of the rum.

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You can use these cherries to make bublanina, the traditional Czech fruit cake (recipe follows), among others.

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BUBLANINA

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Bublanina is a classic Czech fruit cake. In summer, make it with fresh fruit, and in winter, use fruit compote or frozen fruit. Photo by Marek Bartoš

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Czech Fruit Cake

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Makes: 1 deep rectangular cake pan (12 by 8 inches/30 x 20 cm)

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1 1/2 cups (400 g) Cherry Compote (see recipe)
1 1/2 teacups all-purpose, pastry or cake flour
1 1/2 teacups of wheat semolina, plus extra for dusting
1 teacup granulated sugar
2 1/2 tsp (12 g) baking powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 vanilla bean (pod)
1 pinch of salt
1 teacup milk
1 teacup canola oil, plus extra for greasing
2 eggs
Powdered (icing) sugar, for dusting

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Step 1

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Place the cherry compote in a strainer or sieve and let drain. Preheat the oven to 350F (180C/Gas Mark 4).