Choose Cherries

Main players

There are an estimated 1000 different varieties of cherries. They fall under two species, sweet and sour. (In Ontario, they don’t like to call them sour but Red Tart). Sweet cherries are further divided under tender and hard categories. Bing is considered king by most sweet cherry connoisseurs. It is large, meaty, sweet and firm with a rich, crimson-purple colour. You will also find bright red and yellow sweet cherries.

Ontario Red Tart Cherries

– These sour cherries (or pie cherries) grow in Niagara Peninsula and in southwest and central Ontario.
– The season commences in July but you have to order them. Speak to your supermarket produce manager.
– Ontario Red Tart cherries are sold (sweetened, chilled and already pitted) in 5 kg pails. It is recommended that you use them immediately and/or freeze them in 2-4 cup quantities.
– These cherries are highly perishable with only a four-day fridge life. Eat or freeze ASAP
– Avoid any sticky cherries… they are overripe and leaking their juices!
– Good colour is important. A sweet cherry should have a deep red or yellow colour.

Storage

– Refrigerate as soon as possible.
– Pick through your cherries and discard any crushed ones. (Their juice can spoil the fruit around them).
– Store in a plate or bowl lined with paper towel. Cover loosely.
– Chilling not only preserves cherries, but improves their falvour, too.

Cherry it up!

– Ontario Red Tart cherries are too tart to eat on their own. Put them in pies, jams, sauces or pancakes. Pair them up with sweeter fruits like peaches or apricots and make a crisp or cobbler. Try them in chutney or salsa.
– Sweet cherries can be eaten out of hand, sprinkled into pancakes, tossed into muffin recipes or even made into a sweet, could soup.

Healthy attributes

An American study found cherry juice to be a potent antibacterial agent in the fight against tooth decay
The study showed that cherry juice could block up to 89 per cent of the enzyme activity leading to plaque formation.