      Recipes > Recipe Archive > Cherries 
If life is just a bowl of cherries, as the song says, then get ready to live it up. A bumper crop of this beloved fruit is anticipated this year, and June is the peak season across most of the United States. If you’ve been eagerly awaiting the first harvest, now is the moment to indulge, because before you know it they’ll have disappeared for another year. The (only) problem with cherries is that the growing season is too darn short. The trees thrive where winter temperatures are not too severe and summer heat is moderate, so growing areas are limited. Cherries are believed to have originated in Asia Minor, near the Balkans and the Caspian Sea, but no one knows for certain. What is known is that they’ve been cultivated in the Mediterranean for more than 2,000 years. The early colonists brought cherries to the New England in the early 17th century, and French settlers from Normandy later planted cherry pits throughout the Midwest. Commercial production of both sweet and sour cherries began in the mid 19th century, and today the US is the world’s leading cherry producer. Cherries fall into two basic categories: sweet and sour. Sweet cherries are further differentiated by color: dark and light. The Bing is the undisputed king - the most popular and well-known variety in this country. Characterized by its large size and very dark purple-black flesh, the Bing is exceptionally sweet and wonderful for eating out of hand. Other commercial varieties include Lambert, a red, heart-shaped cherry similar in taste to the Bing; Royal Ann, used to make maraschinos; and Ranier, a sweet cherry with yellow or blush-pink flesh and skin. Sour cherries, like Morello and Montmorency, are too tart to eat raw, but are excellent for cooking. The majority of the commercial crop is canned or frozen, so these cherries are rarely found fresh outside of Michigan, which grows 75% of the sour cherry crop. Sweet cherries, while mostly eaten fresh, are very versatile and can take a starring role with their sweet-tart flavor in both sweet and savory preparations. When choosing cherries, look for large, glossy, plump and firm specimens. Generally, the deeper the skin color (according to variety), the riper and sweeter the fruit. If possible, always select cherries that still have their green stems attached, as these will be the freshest and will last the longest. Warm temperatures are detrimental to both the flavor and texture of cherries, so make sure the fruit is cool at the time of purchase. At home, store unwashed cherries in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Cherries bruise easily so handle them gently and always removed spoiled or moldy fruits so that these don’t trigger decay in the remainder. When you have a choice, buying organic is an excellent idea: commercial non-organic cherries are coated with a fungicidal wax to prolong their shelf life, and this does not wash off. Cherries are deliciously addictive, but they’re also good for you. Particularly rich in cancer-fighting antioxidants, they are low in calories, high in fiber, and a good source of vitamin C and potassium. Organic cherries are sweet and healthy in more ways than one, since they’re grown without all the pesticides used so widely on non-organic cherries, which are among the produce items that are found to have the most pesticide residues. Choose organic cherries and youll get nothing but delicious cherry sweetness. Fresh cherries – so tantalizing, juicy, and vibrantly flavored – are one of the sweet joys of life, made especially so by their very short growing season. If the thought of cherries make you giddy, don’t waste another moment. Unearth your cherry pitter, check out our featured recipes for novel ideas, and enjoy every cherry that you encounter! TIP: To freeze cherries, rinse and drain thoroughly. Remove the stems and the pits, if you wish. Spread the fruit onto baking sheets in a single layer and place in the freezer until solidly frozen. Transfer frozen cherries into zip-lock freezer bags and keep frozen for up to 6 months. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight before using. |