Actually, they should be riper than that for best flavor, IMHO. I wait until they're almost a burgundy color. You could experiment and see how you like them, though.

I found a pretty easy method, actually, a lot better than trying to pit by hand. I wash, then put into a kettle with maybe an inch of water in the bottom, bring to the boil, turn back to a simmer, cover, and let cook about 10 minutes until mushy. Then, I have a colander with holes just the right size, the pits won't go through. I use a wooden or plastic spoon to press the entire mass against the sides until all flesh is extracted. Set the entire colander into a large bowl to collect the flesh and juice.

denni,
Oh yes,I'm going to wait a bit longer.I wanted to have a plan though when the time comes.Thanks,Brady

Waiting until the fruit is truly ripe is absolutely crucial for cornus mas. Many, many people have gone from "I hate this fruit/inedible!" to "I really like this fruit", when they wait until they're ripe. I gently shake the tree and pick up what falls. I have to do this a few times during the harvest season. Picking them from the tree usually results in not ripe enough fruit. I eat some fresh, but freeze most for the winter when I don't have much fruit. They fight against colds and flus.
John S
PDX OR

A few fruits fell off the other day and they tasted okay,somewhat astringent.I'm sure they will make good preserves a little later.Thanks,Brady

Brady how did you do with your C. mas harvest? You can see my blog post if you'd like. My experience is outlined there....

Here is a link that might be useful: Cornus Mas harvest 2012

wildforager,
I did get a small crop,plus I went to the nursery that it was originally bought from and received permission to pick up the fruit off the ground from their other plants.That gave me a couple more pounds.
I used denninmi's method of preparing them.It was kind of difficult separating the seeds,but it tasted great with a little sugar.Very good with vanilla ice cream.
Thanks for your post.I'll have to look into the Victorio Strainer. Brady

Good idea to connect with the nursery! The Victorio Strainer is indispensable in our kitchen. We put a lot of different berries through it. The first one I bought was on ebay. Then on our annual trip to Lopez Island, WA I found one at the free store. What a score!

The ripe Cornelian cherries make an excellent jam. This year I tried pickling the unripe fruit in brine and the taste was like olives.

Hey Abbie, Thats cool! I've heard that the unripe fruits can be cured like olives. Did they cure in a similar way? Did the cured pulp come off the stone like a regular olive?

Today I roasted some C.Mas seeds in the oven and ground them into a coffee. Cornus coffee isn't quite as good as dandelion or chicory but it is unique. It has kind of a nutty flavor. I might try a stronger brew next time. My first cup was a bit weak.