Cherries are a gem of early summer because they are sweet, tart, and delicately fragrant. Cherries never fail to please, whether added to a breakfast custard, used in an old-fashioned Cherries Jubilee or eaten on their own. Even though we wish it would last longer, cherry season is always relatively short, so it’s important to enjoy these fruits while they’re in season.
Cherries can be purchased fresh from the grocery store or farmer’s market because they don’t mature on the tree like bananas. When purchasing cherries, seek ones with brilliant green stems and lustrous, vividly colored skin. The best cherry should have no bruising or other symptoms of deterioration and should feel dense, firm, and plump.
What are Fresh Cherries?
A tiny, rounded, crimson fruit belonging to the Prunus genus is a cherry. Cherries have bright green stems, a shiny, slightly tough edible exterior, and a squishy, luscious interior with a central pit. They grow on cherry trees. The cherry is a drupe, or stone fruit, like apricots, peaches, and plums because of this pit. Cherry orchards are popular in the western and midwestern United States, although cherries are a global crop. There are over a thousand cherry types, with flavors ranging from tart to sweet and hues ranging from pale orange to deep purple. Two common varieties of sweet cherries grown in the US are Bing and Rainier.
Reference: A Review of the Health Benefits of Cherries
How to Store Fresh Cherries?
Although cherry blossom season occurs in the summer, cherry trees need a specific amount of chilly nighttime hours to emerge from dormancy and bloom. As a result, cherries cannot grow in tropical environments. They have a short growing season and are harvested in the summer in the Northern Hemisphere in the spring. Numerous sweet and sour cherry recipes are available due to the fruit’s appeal, especially for sauces and sweets.
Numerous sweet and sour cherry recipes are available due to the fruit’s appeal, especially for sauces and sweets.
Fresh cherries can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week, but they only last three to four days when placed on the counter. If frozen correctly, cherries can stay fresh for up to six months. Cherry rinsing should only be done before eating because the liquid will hasten the spoilage process.
5 Tips for Storing Cherries
You should handle and store cherries carefully to ensure that you can enjoy the fruit as soon as it is picked, whether you purchase them from the grocery store or the farmers’ market. Use the following advice to store cherries in the fridge and on the counter properly:
- Verify the cherries are completely dry. Avoid washing cherries since moisture will hasten deterioration. Use paper towels to pat them dry if they are moist. Rinsing with cold water should only be done just before eating or cooking.
- Eliminate any rotten cherries. Look for bruising on your cherries. Remove any that are shaped improperly from the others and throw them away.
- Keep the cherries’ stems attached. If you remove the cherry’s fresh stems, it could cause the fruit to spoil more quickly.
- Put the cherries in a clear bowl and store them somewhere dark. Put your cherries in a bowl after sorting them gently. They will survive longer in a cooler environment, such as the refrigerator, even if you can leave them out at room temperature for a few days. Ensure they aren’t in direct sunlight if you leave them on the kitchen counter because heat can turn them mush. Keep your cherries in the dark if you plan to leave them on the counter.
- You can extend their shelf life by putting cherries on a baking pan. Separate your cherries into single layers and place them on a baking sheet in the refrigerator if you want to keep them for a longer period. They won’t bruise if you space them apart, and the fridge will keep them fresher longer than the counter.
Types of Cherries
Sweet and sour cherries fall into the two primary types. As you might expect, sweet cherries have a rich, sweet flavor. In contrast, sour cherries have a tart flavor and are occasionally smoothed by adding sugar or another sweetener to baking recipes. Sweet cherries come in several varieties, including Bing, Rainier, Chelan, Lapin, and Tulare. You’re more likely to find sweet cherries in the market or stores. The English Morello, Montmorency, and Early Richmond varieties of sour cherry are among them. While red is the most common color for cherries, you can also find red-burgundy and reddish-yellow hued cherries.
In the summer, cherries are mostly grown in the Pacific Northwest and can be found therein produce sections.
Uses for Fresh Cherries
Although fresh cherries are usually delicious, using them in a gourmet recipe makes them much better. Both sweet and tart cherries frequently complement baked products like pies, tarts, and galettes. Cherries can also frequently be used to make syrup for drinks or a sweet topping for desserts. Please make the most of this gorgeous summer fruit by attempting some of our favorite cherry dishes.
- Cherry Pie Bars with a Lattice Top
- Cherries with Chocolate Covering
- Cherry Frangipane Galette from Tartine
- Blintzes of Baked Ricotta with Fresh Cherry Sauce
Benefits of Cherries
These richly colored fruits are packed with nutrients, whether you prefer them sweet or tart. Cherries are high in fiber, vitamins, minerals, nutrients, and other healthy components while low in calories. The vitamins C, A, and K, are included. Each fruit with a long stem also provides calcium, magnesium, and potassium. They also bring choline, an important vitamin, and antioxidants like beta-carotene.
Possible Brain Booster
Better memory, reasoning, and brain health have all been linked to anthocyanins, which give cherries their red color. According to one study, older adults with mild to severe dementia who drank cherry juice every day for 12 weeks improved their verbal fluency and memory. Even though it isn’t a cure, trying it probably wouldn’t be harmful.
Unlikely to be an Upper
According to certain studies, delicious cherries are uplifting. They could reduce stress-related hormones and anxiety. However, those results haven’t been replicated in subsequent investigations. Probably not; eating cherries is the best method for improving your mood.
Potential Sleep Aid
Cherries, whether sweet or sour, may promote deeper and longer sleep. According to studies, cherries have this impact within a few days. However, you must consume a lot of cherries—25 sweet or roughly 100 tart cherries daily. Consuming a more concentrated juice is the simpler way to obtain that many cherries. This may work because cherries are a good source of the hormone melatonin, which is essential for sleep.
Unclear on Cholesterol
Tart juice decreased cholesterol levels in the same research of 19 women, which may lower your risk of heart disease. However, according to other studies, neither tart nor sweet cherries can alter these risk factors in healthy persons. According to some research, the juice of these little red fruits only has this specific health effect for fat persons.
Diabetes Helper
Nineteen diabetic women participated in a small study where those who drank tart cherry juice daily for six weeks lost weight and improved their blood pressure and blood sugar levels. The tart nectar wouldn’t prevent you from developing diabetes, though. But those who already have the illness can get some small relief.
How to Store Cherries in a Tightly Closed Jar?
Use a jar that is half filled and an inch deep for the optimum storage of sour cherries. Any jar will do but always adhere to the manufacturer’s guidelines. One or two tablespoons of sugar per quart of cherries should be added after the cherries have been pitted. After adding the mixture to the jars, allowing about 1/2 inch of headspace, place them in a quart-sized freezer bag or freezer container. Seal the lids and add some tape or paper to keep the air out.
How to Freeze Cherries?
Typically, cherry harvesting takes place in the late spring and summer. Cherries may be frozen so that you can eat them year-round. For instructions on how to freeze cherries, see below:
- Select ripe, fresh cherries. Cherry bruising should not be frozen.
- Cherry-washing. The cherries should be washed and dried with paper towels. Take the stems off.
- Cherry pitting. To remove the pit from a cherry, use a cherry pitter or an unbent paper clip. To remove the pits from the cherries, you can alternatively cut them in half. The cherries are harder to pick once they have thawed.
- Quickly thaw the cherries. Spread the pitted cherries in a single layer on a baking sheet covered with parchment or wax paper. The cherries should be frozen for at least two hours or until completely solid. The cherries won’t cling together if you flash freeze them.
- Put the cherries away. Transfer the frozen cherries to an airtight container or freezer bag. To avoid freezer burn, squeeze out the extra air before sealing if you’re storing them in a bag.
Fresh cherries are preferred for eating; frozen cherries are excellent for smoothies or cooking because they will lose their form after thawing. Take the frozen cherries out of the freezer four hours before use to begin defrosting. The fruits will shed some juice after defrosting; clean those up before cooking.
When Should You Wash Cherries?
Before putting cherries in the fridge, please don’t wash them: Mold or rot will grow due to the moisture that accumulates in the hollow at the stem ends of these plants (which is challenging to dry completely). Please pick them up and remove any smashed or broken fruit before putting them in the fridge. Do not remove the stems from the cherries if they have stems until you are ready to eat the fruit.
Before eating your cherries, wash them, but only briefly. They are typically sprayed, so washing them thoroughly will help. Please put them in a big bowl of cold water and slosh them about while stroking their skin with your fingers. After that, rinse them in a colander with running water.
How can Cherries be Kept in the Fridge Fresh?
Unwashed cherries should be stored between layers of paper towels, but if that seems too much trouble, ensure they’re kept as dry and cold as possible. Cherries will keep in the refrigerator for about a week if properly stored. Consider freezing the fruits in airtight plastic bags to extend their shelf life.
How do Cherries Appear Before to Ripening?
In Not Far From the Tree, Ripe cherries are described as having various colors. When fully ripe and prepared for consumption, they can be bright red, dark red, yellow/red, black, or even yellow. The fruit should be lovely and plump, and the stems should be simple to peel away from the trees.
Do Cherries Help You Lose Belly Fat?
Both bitter and sweet, Cherries are excellent for shedding stubborn abdominal fat. They are tiny and contain even fewer calories. Only 96 calories and around 3.2 grams of fiber are found in one cup of cherries. You need fiber because it helps people lose weight in many different ways.
Conclusion
Evidence supports the claims that regularly consuming cherries or cherry juice may improve heart health, sleep quality, and inflammation. They may be especially beneficial for illnesses like gout or high blood pressure.
The most advantages of cherries come from consuming them as part of a healthy diet and lifestyle. No particular foods can treat a condition, as with all elements of nutrition. This is because a person’s health is influenced by various factors, including their general nutrition, degree of exercise, mental health, and genes.
