With its cheery shape and color, as well as its sensual flavor and fragrance, the cherry enjoys universal popularity for its aesthetic and culinary value. Its original name in Latin meant “for the birds” for obvious reasons, but not only birds enjoy their beautiful blossoms and versatile fruit.
The cherry is one of the oldest cultivated fruits. Records dating back to 300 BC document the first cherry crops, and cherries were growing in the wild for many years prior to those earliest orchards.
Ninety percent of commercial cherry crops are located in North America, with the Michigan town of Traverse, home of the annual National Cherry Festival, hailed as the “cherry capital of the United States.” Other prolific cherry producers include California, Oregon, and Washington.
Because of irrigation costs and the cherry’s proneness to damage from extreme weather conditions, cherries are a comparably expensive fruit. Despite their costliness, they continue to be in very high demand.
The Different Types of Cherries
While the cherry boasts myriad species, those selected for eating are typically derived from two: the wild cherry (Prunus avium) and the sour or Morello cherry (Prunus cerasus). Belonging to the rose family, the wild cherry tree is originally native to eastern Europe and western Asia. It produces the sweet cherry, while the sour cherry is commonly utilized in recipes and jam-making.
Sweet cherries are delicious on their own, although they also make great additions to recipes. They are large and heart-shaped, with colors ranging from light golden to almost black. A general rule of thumb is that the darker the color, the sweeter the cherry.
Sour cherries are smaller and rounder, with a tart flavor that makes them unsuitable for eating raw. They are commonly used in jams, relishes, and other recipes.
When selecting fresh cherries, look for clean, shiny fruit that is plump and blemish-free. (The flesh of sweet cherries should be firm but not hard, while the fruit of sour cherries should be medium-firm.) There are about 80 fresh cherries (with pits) in every pound. Fresh cherries with their stems still attached will provide a longer shelf life.
To store cherries, refrigerate unwashed fruit in a plastic bag. The flavor improves as the fruit comes to room temperature, so remove the cherries from the refrigerator a few hours prior to eating. They will last for about four days.
If you wish to freeze cherries for later use, pit them first to preserve the freshest flavor. You can freeze them raw in airtight plastic bags or add a sugar syrup. (To make the sugar syrup, mix four cups of water with three cups of sugar and add ½ teaspoon of ascorbic acid.) Use frozen cherries within one year.
Canned cherries will last up to one year; once opened, they should be used within one week. Dried cherries will last up to 18 months. Maraschino cherries (cherries that have been dipped in brine or alcohol, then soaked in flavoring, coloring, and syrup) will last up to one year in the refrigerator.
In addition to adding a delicious touch to both sweet and savory dishes, cherries provide a number of health benefits. They contain high levels of melatonin, a hormone found in all living creatures that is thought to improve immune system function and prevent heart disease. Additionally, cherries contain anthocyanins, powerful antioxidants (also found in the red pigment in berries) that help reduce pain and inflammation.
Here is a favorite cherry recipe, perfect for Valentine’s Day or any other special occasion that calls for an elegant, luxurious treat!
Chocolate Covered Cherries
Ingredients:
1 jar maraschino cherries, drained
3 tablespoons butter, melted
¼ cup evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
¼ teaspoon salt
5 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 12-ounce bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons shortening
Instructions:
- After draining the maraschino cherries, place them on a paper towel and pat dry; set aside.
- Put the sifted confectioners’ sugar into a medium bowl.
- Combine the melted butter, evaporated milk, vanilla, and salt; pour over the confectioners’ sugar and mix well.
- Continue mixing, using your hands if necessary, to form a stiff dough.
- Pinch a small amount of dough and flatten it into a disc to form around one cherry; pinch off any excess dough.
- Place the covered cherry on wax paper or parchment paper atop a cookie sheet.
- Repeat for all cherries.
- Refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Melt the chocolate chips and shortening together over boiling water in a double boiler.
- Dip the dough-covered cherries in chocolate, scraping off any excess.
- Return to the paper-lined cookie sheet and refrigerate until the chocolate hardens.
