3 1/2 C. flour
1 heaped t. baking soda
1 t. salt
4 T. sugar
2 T. butter, cut into pieces
1/2 C. dried sour cherries
1/4 C. semisweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 to 2 C. buttermilk

Preheat oven to 450�F.

Into large bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, salt and sugar. Add butter and blend with fingers or pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse oatmeal. Add cherries and chocolate and stir with wooden spoon to blend; add buttermilk, starting with 1 1/2 cups and adding more as needed, to form a soft, sticky dough.

Turn dough into a well-buttered 9-by-1 1/2-inch round cake pan. It should resemble a rough haystack (don't worry, it's part of the character of the loaf). Sprinkle with flour and bake in middle of oven for 10 minutes.

Reduce heat to 400�F. and bake an additional 45 to 50 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven.

Cover one hand with clean kitchen towel. Flip bread from pan onto towel. Loaf should sound hollow when tapped on bottom. Wrap in towel and cool on wire rack.