(Credit: Christopher Baker)

Stone fruits. So hot right now. But when the pie is out of the oven and the sangria's been served, we're left with a heap of pits. And that's when the guilt sets in--our waste-nothing sensibilities want to use the WHOLE fruit, pit and all.

Two chefs beat us to the punch (to the pit?): "There's a bad myth about stone fruit pits being poisonous, and they look like they're not usable," says chef

Brad McDonald of Governor in Brooklyn. "They actually infuse very well into any kind of fat. It's a matter of crushing them--they give a similar flavor as almond extract." And

Jamie Bissonette of Toro and Coppa in Boston uses pits to infuse bourbon and vinegar with a peach flavor. "I realized that the pits had this great peachy aroma. So we let it infuse into the liquor and the vinegar, and it tasted so much better than when we'd used the whole fruit."

Find those recipes and more below, and next time you make a cherry pie or pork chops with peaches, give the pile of pits another look.

Stone Fruit Pit Vinegar

by Jamie Bissonnette of Toro and Coppa in Boston

INGREDIENTS

1 cups stone fruit pits (cherry, plum, apricot, peach all work well)

4 cups Champagne vinegar

PREPARATION

Place pits in a clean glass jar, cover with vinegar and shake before securing the lid tightly. Leave at room temperature in a dark place, sealed, for 3 weeks. Use in everything from salad dressing to a simple sauce, spooned over fish.

Store in refrigerator for up to 6 months.

Stone Fruit Simple Syrup

by Jamie Bissonnette of Toro and Coppa in Boston

INGREDIENTS

1 cup stone fruit pits (plums, peaches, nectarines, cherries)

2 cups sugar

PREPARATION

Place all ingredients and 2 cups water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let cool. Transfer to a bowl and and cool overnight in the refrigerator. Store with the pits in the syrup; strain before use. Use in cocktails or compotes. Can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

Cherry Pit Glaze

by Brandon McGlamery from Luma on Park in Winter Park, FL

INGREDIENTS

9 pounds cherry pits

1 cup red wine

1 cup sugar

Handful of tarragon or basil (optional)