fortification fridays - cold cherry soup

It's no secret that I love Hungarian food. This soup is a wonderful, simple way to either start a summer meal or end one. I've also been having fantasies about using it as a sauce over, say, crepes. There is an even better variation with sour (morello) cherries, and more traditional, complicated ways to make the soup (using more spices, cream, an egg yolk, etc.), but this one does in a pinch. And in the middle of the summer, doing in a pinch is good.

Cold Cherry Soup

Serves: 6 in tiny cups (it's rather rich)
Kitchen needs: A stovetop or hotplate

1 lb. pitted, halved cherries (bing are prettiest, but you may also use sour cherries)
1/2 cup Syrah or other intense red wine (Hungarian Bulls' Blood is perfect)
1/2 lemon, sliced and deseeded
4 T. sour cream, mixed with 1 T. powdered sugar
pinch cloves and a few shakes cinnamon, optional

Place cherries in saucepan and barely cover with water. Add lemon slices, wine, and spices to boil, then simmer until cherries soften but don't discolor. Whisk in sour cream and powdered sugar mixture. Simmer until slightly thickened, watching carefully so it doesn't boil, then chill before serving. Cold is crucial. Serve with whipped cream and cinnamon.

Image courtesy of a blog that makes me really sad I don't read Hungarian.