The Scented Kitchen: A Rustic Sweet Cherry Crumble & the Scent of Summer

There's something satisfying about this time of year. Before filling the freezer with this season's harvest, it's time to see what treasures are still tucked away from last summer.

As I started digging through ours, I was reminded just how much produce we put away each year.

We live about 25 minutes from a large Amish community that seems to grow just about everything imaginable. Every Tuesday they hold a produce auction, and it's become one of our favorite places to stock up on fresh fruits and vegetables, that we don’t grow ourselves.

Last summer I sent David to buy one box of green beans and one box of Anaheim peppers. He returned with one box of green beans, two boxes of Anaheim peppers, and four boxes of red and green bell peppers!

Needless to say, my afternoon plans changed in a hurry.

The green beans were snapped and canned. The Anaheim peppers were roasted until the skins blistered, peeled, and canned as well. Then came those mountains of bell peppers. We set up tables in the living room, cleaned peppers for hours, chopped until our hands were tired, and finally celebrated when we filled our thirteenth gallon-size freezer bags. It was a lot of work, but every time I toss peppers and onions into a recipe, I'm thankful we took the time.

Hidden behind those peppers was another forgotten treasure—a bag of dark sweet cherries.

I knew immediately they deserved something special.

After combining a few recipes and making a few adjustments of my own, this Rustic Sweet Cherry Crumble became the result. It's simple, comforting, and lets the cherries shine.

But before I ever preheat the oven, there's one thing I always do.

Before I ever measure the first ingredient, I like to create an atmosphere that makes cooking even more enjoyable. One of my favorite ways to do that is with the beautiful home fragrance products from The Gift of Scent. Whether I'm preparing a weeknight dinner or baking a special dessert, filling my kitchen with fragrance turns ordinary cooking into something that feels just a little more special.

For this recipe I reached for my Belle Aroma® ScenTrio Petite® Wax Warmer paired with a Belle Aroma® No-Mess Fragrance Tart® in Cherry Noir.

The rich cherry fragrance instantly transformed the kitchen into a cozy space that felt ready for baking. While the crumble baked, the fragrance continued filling the room with beautiful notes of black cherry, cherry cordial, black currant, cognac, delicate dogwood blossom, and honeysuckle. It was the perfect complement to a cherry dessert—but honestly, I'd enjoy it even when nothing was baking.

One of the reasons I reach for the ScenTrio Petite so often is its versatility. It works beautifully with Belle Aroma No-Mess Fragrance Tarts, fragrance oils, and essential oils, giving you multiple ways to fragrance your home throughout the year. Adjustable heat settings and convenient timer options of 4, 8, 12, or 24 hours let you customize the experience, and because there are no bulbs to replace, it's wonderfully easy to use. Mine is the Blue Gourd, but it's also available in Diamond White, Taupe Fluted, and Mocha Fluted to complement nearly any decorating style.

The Belle Aroma No-Mess Fragrance Tarts have become one of my favorites because they truly live up to their name. Unlike traditional wax melts, they're specially engineered to provide long-lasting fragrance without leaving melted wax behind, making cleanup practically effortless while filling your home with beautiful fragrance for hours.

Cherry Noir is especially delightful. With notes of Dogwood Blossom and Honeysuckle layered over Black Currant, Cognac, Cherry Cordial, and Black Cherry, it creates the same warm, inviting feeling as fresh baking—even on the days when you're simply relaxing with a cup of coffee and a good book.