In our online feature, In Season, we highlight seasonal fruits and vegetables throughout the year. What they are, the different varieties, their health properties, and how to incorporate them into your cooking.

CHERRIES

Cherries are in season for a relatively short time each summer (a few weeks), so stock up while you can! They’re equally at home in sweet and savoury dishes, either whole or pureed. We highly recommend a cherry pitter, as it’s an inexpensive tool that makes preparation much easier (Plus: you can use it for olives!).

Varieties: So many! From sweet cultivars such as Bing and Via, to sour varieties such as Morello and Montmorency, find your favourite and use for everything from salads and appetizers, to pies and cakes, to sauces and pickling.

Health properties: Cherries are a great source of antioxidants, vitamin A, vitamin C, and fibre. We’ve read that drinking sour cherry juice or eating sour cherries after a workout can help reduce inflammation due to the fruit’s antioxidant properties.

Plays well with: Other stone fruits, such as peaches and plums, berries, dark chocolate, cheesecake, ice cream, duck, balsamic vinegar, soft cheeses such as goat cheese, almonds.

Simple ways to use: Pit cherries and add them to a salad, or top yogurt with them for a delicious breakfast. Brandied cherries make an excellent addition to a Manhattan. We also love them in a fruit crumble, mixed with other fruit such as plums or strawberries.

Storage and how to prepare: Cherries start to degrade quickly at room temperature, so get them into the fridge asap. Don’t wash them until just before using them. If you wish to freeze cherries, either with their pits or without, place them in a single row on a baking sheet in the freezer for an hour or until they’re firm, then put them in a zip-lock bag.

Get cooking with cherries!

Cherry crumble coffee cake

Cherry onion bruschetta

Summer cherry gazpacho with creme fraiche

Cherry cake with marzipan roses

Peach and cherry clafoutis

Cherry barbeque sauce

What’s your favourite way to use cherries? Let us know in the comments below!