UNITED STATES—I have many fruits that I enjoy, but if there is one fruit that propels to the top of my list it’s the cherry. It’s a fruit that is so seasonal I literally can’t wait until the summer months when the fruit becomes available for purchase. It’s important to note that the best time to purchase cherries is late June/early July when they are at their peak.
Some people ask time and time again how do you know a sweet cherry when you see it? There is one thing you should look for: color. The darker the cherry the sweeter it is likely to be; don’t go for the bright red cherries, they are not ripe and they are not likely to be sweet. The problem with the fruit is that it doesn’t have a long shelf life; I’d say around 5-7 days max.
The one problem with eating cherries is that small pit that sits in the middle of the fruit. It can be a pest for people that eat the fruit. Think of it like eating a piece of watermelon and having to discard the seed. If you didn’t want to bother with the seed, you can always purchase a cherry picker to easily remove it. In North America, several states are responsible for producing sweet cherries including Washington, California, Oregon, Wisconsin and Michigan. Traverse City, MI is known for being the cherry capital of the year and holds an annual cherry festival where all things cherry are put into the spotlight.
The fruit is high in dietary fiber and Vitamin C and contains phytochemicals. Calcium, phosphorous and potassium are also important nutrients found in cherries. Cherries are commonly used in pies, tarts, donuts and even as a side topping for cheesecakes. Cherries are unique because they contain a stem which allows people to hold the fruit.
By LaDale Anderson
