Cherries
There are two categories of cherries: Sweet and Sour.
The sweet cherry is related to the wild fruit that was indigenous to the Black and Caspian Seas, Turkey and Iran. The sour cherry seems to be a hybrid of a wild ground cherry and the sweet cherry that grew in the central and eastern areas of Europe. Records indicate that cherries were a prized food in a region of China dating back to 600 BC - generally considered a food for royalty, but in this case because of where the fruit grew, local residents cherished them as their summer fruit.
Theophrastus in his writings around 300 BC described sweet cherries, and historians from Oxford wrote that both categories of cherries were being cultivated long before this time. The Greeks have been credited as the pioneers of fruit and vegetable cultivation, and cherries are no exception - wild cherries were enjoyed well before horticulturists became interested in developing new varieties. Pliny the Elder (Greek author) around the 1st Century described in his writings eight varieties of cherries that were cultivated in Italy, and noted that the Romans spread cherry cultivation to Britain. Serious cherry growing, however, did not start in England and Germany until the 16th century, although France was feasting on cherries during Pliny's time!
The New World received many varieties of cherries that were developed by the English who brought this fabulous fruit to New England in the 17th century. French settlers brought and planted cherry pits in the Midwest (Detroit), and it was not long before cherry trees were abundant along the Great Lakes and the Saint Lawrence River. When European explores traveled the plains, deserts and mountains of North America, they were taught by Native Americans to carry foods that were light in weight, nutritious and easy to pack in their knapsacks, so they carried wild cherries - chokecherries - on their long journeys. Chokecherries were growing in North America well before the Europeans arrived, and were used as food, as well as medicine. Remember Smith Brothers cough drops? Chokecherries were an important in- gredient in this product, and were originally used for cough medicines by Native Americans.
The first commercial sour cherry production orchard began in Michigan in 1893, and by the early 1900's, a well-established industry was in place. The first cherry processing plant was Traverse City Canning whose products were shipped to Chicago, Detroit and Milwaukee. Traverse City is today known as the Cherry Capital of the World, and 40% of the sour cherries in the US are produced there. In May, white cherry blossoms line the Lake Michigan coast, and the National Cherry Festival every spring celebrates the fabulous blossoms, drawing thousands of visitors during the July harvest.
Sweet cherry production was established in Oregon about the same time that the sour cherry was flourishing in Michigan - the Lambert variety was developed on Henderson Lewelling's farm where farmer Lewelling brought root stock of the bing variety from Iowa to Oregon. The bing is the most popular cherry in the US, and was named after a Chinese worker who was part of Lewelling's farm crew (1870's and 1880's). In 1876 Mr. Lewelling exhibited his bing cherries - they were so large that they were mistaken for crabapples!! - and sold for 3 pennies per cherry. In 1928, Royal Anne cherries were sold to Salem canning companies for 5 to 7 cents per pound, and today Bings, Lamberts, Royal Annes and Rainiers are the major varieties of cherries grown here.
Cherries contain many beneficial nutrients such as pectin - a soluble fiber that helps control blood cholesterol levels, vitamin C (sour cherries have much more vitamin C than sweet cherries), beta-carotene and potassium. High concentrations of phytochemicals - anthocyanins (pigments that are responsible for the red and blue colors of fruits and vegetables), which some researchers believe defend cells against harmful carcinogens. An anti-inflamatory antioxidant - quercetin (a flavinoid) - is believed to have properties helpful in fighting cancers, and for those suffering from gout. Although not yet identified, there seems to be some substance in cherries, especially cherry juice, that helps prevent tooth decay.
Fresh sweet cherries are juicy, refreshing, sweet and wonderful eaten out-of-hand. Sour cherries are generally used in baked desserts, and are delicious dried - J&J's certified organic dried sour cherries are a great snack, and can be added to your favorite salads, cereals, trail mixes, add to yoghurt, ice cream or sorbet!
It is cherry season - enjoy this nutritious and delicious fruit while the short season (less than three months) lasts: 70% of the cherries grown in the US (the largest producer) come from: Idaho, Utah, Oregon and Washington.