Compact, juicy, and colorful, cherries are nicely supplied with nutrients, notably pectin, vitamin C, and beta-carotene, with some potassium. Cherries are also high in a number of phytochemicals, including: anthocyanins, which may have anticancer properties based on their antioxidant activities that defend cells against harmful carcinogens; and quercetin. Click here for some great Cherry recipes

Varieties

Bing: There are many commercial varieties of sweet cherries, but the leader is the Bing, a large, round, extra-sweet cherry with purple-red flesh and a deep red skin that verges on black when fully ripe.   Brooks: Brooks Cherries are sweet, firm, and juicy with a rich flavor.   Chelan: This round, crisp cherry variety is a bit lighter in color when compared to the bing cherry, yet the Chelan is not quite as sweet.   Lambert: The second most popular variety is the Lambert, a smaller, heart-shaped red cherry similar in taste and texture to the Bing.   Lapin: One of the largest cherries offered, Lapins have a sweet taste with a red-mahogany color.

Rainier: The Rainier, a sweet cherry with yellow or pinkish skin, is grown in limited quantities and is milder and sweeter than the Bing.   Skeena: Dark red to near black in color, Skeena cherries are typically large, firm, and have a very dense texture.   Sweetheart: Named for its shape, this heart shaped variety is quite firm and yields a mildly sweet flavor.   Tieton: This large cherry displays a glossy finish over mahogany colored flesh. Very firm and mildly sweet, this cherry is one of the most desirable.   Tulare: Tulare cherries are not as sweet as Brooks cherries. This variety is distinguishable by its pink blush color.

Care and Handling

Availability - Green Giant® Fresh Cherries are available year round.

Selection - Buy cherries that have been kept cool and moist, as flavor and texture both suffer at warm temperatures. Take just a few cherries at a time in your hand and select only the best. If circumstances allow, taste one. Good cherries should be large (an inch or more in diameter), glossy, plump, hard, and dark colored for their variety (good Bing cherries, for example, range from a purplish-mahogany color to nearly black). Reject undersized fruits or those that are soft or flabby.

Storage - Loosely pack (to minimize bruising) unwashed cherries in plastic bags, or pour them into a shallow pan in a single layer and cover with plastic wrap. Store them in the refrigerator. Fresh cherries in good condition should keep for up to a week, but check them occasionally and remove any that have begun to go bad. You can extend the cherry season by freezing them. Rinse and drain the cherries thoroughly, then spread them out in a single layer on a cookie sheet and freeze. Once frozen, transfer the cherries to a heavy plastic bag. They'll keep for up to 1 year. When freezing fruits, vegetables or any other food, it's a good idea to label and date the bag, that way you'll know what you have on hand and how long you've had it. Preparation- When serving fresh cherries, simply rinse them under cold water and drain; they're most attractive with the stems intact. To pit cherries for cooking, halve them with a paring knife and pry out the pit with the tip of the knife, or use an inexpensive cherry pitter (found in any kitchenware shop), which works like a hole punch. A partially unbent paper clip (or an old-fashioned V-shaped hairpin, if you can find one) will also do the job.

Cooking - If cooked for just a few minutes, sweet cherries retain their firm texture, and their flavor develops a depth and richness. Try poaching them--this gentle cooking method preserves their texture. Stem and pit the cherries, then drop them into a small amount of simmering water or a combination of water and wine (about 1 cup of liquid per 2 cups of cherries) and cook until the fruit is slightly softened and heated through--about 1 to 3 minutes. If you like, you can season the simmering water with a cinnamon stick, a little ground allspice, or even a hint of pepper. Cherries can also be sauteed in a small amount of butter and sugar and served in crepes, atop pancakes or waffles or over frozen yogurt.

Freezing - To freeze cherries, wash and pit fruit, dry, and spread out on cookie sheet. Place sheet in freezer until cherries are firm. Remove cherries from sheet and store in an air-tight freezer bag.