Taken from an E mail: I was at the market over the weekend and it seems that the first of the cherries are beginning to arrive! Sweet news to my mouth. I love cherries! I often have them unadorned as a dessert...ripe sweet deep red cherries. Sometimes, if it's hot out, I'll place them on ice just because it makes everyone feel cooler...though their flavor is more profound if at room temperature, I don't care. Feeling cool is often a mind game. So I got thinking about cherries...you know I like the silly details! And cherries are no exception to the rule. I scoured my recipe file for simple but unique recipes for you...ones that go a little outside the box. Why not try something new? And the best ways to solve old problems like how to pit them and what makes a good cherry, anyway? * Fresh sweet cherries are available in the U.S. from May through August, with sour cherries ripening in June. * Sweet Cherries They are larger than sour cherries, heart-shaped with sweet firm flesh and range in color from golden red-blushed Royal Ann to dark red to purplish-black Bing. Lambert and Tart Arian are other popular dark cherries. Sweet cherries also work well in cooked dishes. * Sour Cherries Normally too tart to eat raw, sour cherries are smaller than their sweet cousins, and more globular in shape with softer flesh. The Early Richmond variety is the first available in late spring and is bright red in color, with the Montmorency soon following. The dark red Morello variety is another popular sour cherry. Sour cherries are normally cooked with sugar and used for pies, preserves and relishes. SELECTING AND STORING * Fruit should be clean, bright, shiny, and plump with no blemishes. * Avoid cherries with cuts, bruises, or stale, dry stems. You'll find stemmed cherries less expensive, but know that cherries with the stems intact will have a longer shelf life. * Sweet cherries should have firm, but not hard flesh, while sour cherries should be medium-firm. * The darker the color, the sweeter the cherry. Store unwashed cherries in a plastic bag in the refrigerator, and wash just before eating. I toss in a clean dry paper towel into the baggie before I close it up. I gently squish out all the extra air in the baggie. They stay a bit fresher and last longer. * Before eating fresh sweet cherries, leave them out on the counter for a few hours as the flavor is much better at room temperature. * Fresh cherries should be eaten within two to four days, though the paper towel trick can extend the refrigerated life of the cherries. * Allow one cup serving of sweet cherries per person, less for sour cherries. * The common cherry tree, Prunus avium, is native to the temperate areas of eastern Europe and western Asia. * Cherries are a part of the Rose family. * Its name comes originally from the Greek, and in Latin means "of or for the birds", due to the birds' obvious love of the fruit. The English word "cherry" originates from the Assyrian "karsu" and Greek "kerasos". * The cherry is one of the world's oldest cultivated fruits dating back to 300 B.C. * Cherries won the hearts of Americans many years ago. European settlers had barely set foot in the New World before they began planting cherry trees. Early French colonists from Normandy brought cherry pits that they planted along the St. Lawrence River and beside the Great Lakes. That's why Michigan is known for cherries. * In late 1800's that cherry growing and harvesting began in earnest, eventually becoming a commercial enterprise. Peter Dougherty, Presbyterian missionary is credited with getting the U.S. cherry industry started. In 1852, he planted a group of cherry trees on the Old Mission Peninsula, near Traverse City, Michigan. Dougherty's cherry trees flourished, and soon other residents of the area planted cherry trees. The area all along Lake Michigan, from Benton Harbor to north of Traverse City, proved to be ideal for growing cherries. Lake Michigan tempered the arctic winds in winter and cooled the orchards in summer. * The most popular variety is the Bing cherry, which was developed by Seth Luelling in Milwaukee, Oregon, in 1875 and allegedly named for his Manchurian foreman. * There are almost 4 million cherry trees in Michigan alone, which annually produce 150 to 200 pounds of tart cherries each. I think I must eat a tree's worth every year! I'm just a cherry hound! * There are about 80 (unpitted) cherries to the pound...so let's see, doing the math on that... that means I will eat somewhere from 12,000 to 16,000 cherries! That does seem like a lot, doesn't it? Oh, well, I like a challenge!...and a tasty one at that! * You can freeze fresh cherries, but they should be pitted first, otherwise they will take on a slightly bitter almond flavor from the pit. * Beware the juice when pitting cherries, as it will stain clothing. * Cherries can be pitted and frozen without liquid in plastic bags with all the air removed. If I've got the time and freezer space, I prefer to freeze separate cherries on a cookie sheet and then pack in bags for freezing. * To freeze sour cherries for pie filling, stir 3/4 cup of sugar into each quart of pitted, whole sour cherries. Pack in rigid airtight containers with 1/2-inch headspace or airtight bags. Frozen cherries will last ten to twelve months in the freezer. * When using cherries in baked goods, you might notice a blue discoloration around the cherries in the finished product. This is due to a chemical reaction between the cherries and alkalines such as baking powder or baking soda. To prevent discoloration, substitute buttermilk or sour cream for milk in the recipe or add an acidic liquid such as lemon juice. * Pure almond extract is a natural companion to cherries. Less than 1/4 teaspoon added to cherry mixtures really brightens the cherry flavor. So, how do you pit a cherry? There are little machines you can buy if you live in cherry country or have such a hankering that you will not be denied. Or there are three methods I have tried that work pretty well. I suggest you wear rubber gloves (I get the surgical kind at the drugstore) or else your hands will be a vicious color by the time you are done. * Push a drinking straw through the bottom of the cherry forcing the pit out the top (stem end). * Place a jagged edged pastry bag tip (tip side pointing up) on a protected countertop. Force the cherry, bottom side down, onto the jagged top of the tip. CAREFUL with this method... you can hurt your fingers! * Use your thumb to press down on the stem end of the cherry to dislodge the pit. Then with your index and thumb of your other hand, gently squeeze the sides of the cherry just below the bottom of the pit. The pit pops right out of the top. Just in case you don't have fresh cherries around, the unsweetened frozen ones from the grocer work very nicely. Get the ones that have been individually frozen (usually they are in a bag like peas). You can tell they have been frozen separately if the bag is flexible, the cherries feel like single little balls inside, and there are no big clumps of cherries in the bag. Defrost in the refrigerator. When the cherries are still just slightly frozen, that's when to start cooking with them. They will taste more like fresh by using this method. Here are a few cherry favorites. PEPPERED PORK TENDERLOIN WITH CHERRY SALSA Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. 1/2 lb. dark sweet cherries, pitted and chopped (about 1 cup) 2 t. fresh lime juice 1/4 t. freshly grated lime zest 1 T. finely chopped red onion 1 t. finely chopped seeded fresh jalapeño chili 1 1/2 t. finely chopped fresh coriander 3/4 lb. pork tenderloin, trimmed of excess fat 2 T. crushed black peppercorns 1 T. olive oil Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. In a bowl stir together cherries, lime juice, zest, onion, jalapeño, and coriander. Season pork with salt and press peppercorns into it. In a large heavy skillet heat oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and brown pork on all sides. Transfer pork to a shallow baking dish and roast in oven until a meat thermometer registers 155 degrees F., about 20 minutes. Transfer pork to a cutting board and let stand 5 to 10 minutes. Slice pork into 1/2-inch-thick medallions and serve with salsa. Serves 2. Gourmet June 1994 CHERRIES SIMMERED IN RED WINE (Ciliege al Vino Rosso) Wine is as much a religion in Tuscany as food is, and rare is the table that is set without a bottle of the local vintage. Wine is also an ingredient in sauces, stews and even sweets. Fruit simmered in wine is a common dessert in the region, and cherries are the fruit of choice during their short summer season. 4 C. dry red wine 1 1/2 C. sugar 2 pounds red or golden cherries, stemmed, pitted 1/2 t. grated orange peel 1/8 t. almond extract 1/8 t. ground nutmeg Stir wine and sugar in heavy large saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Add cherries. Bring to boil. Remove from heat; let stand 5 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer cherries to medium bowl. Boil cooking liquid until reduced to 2 cups, about 25 minutes. Mix in orange peel, almond extract and nutmeg. Cool. Pour syrup over cherries; toss. Cover; chill until cold. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.) Spoon cherry mixture into bowls and serve. Makes 6 servings. Bon Appétit May 2000 If you find that you have landed hip deep in cherries and want to do something with them that you will be able to enjoy come winter and the holidays...try this one. BRANDIED BLACK CHERRIES 4 lb. large black (Bing) cherries 5 C. sugar 2 C. water 1 1/2 C. brandy Trim the stems of the cherries to within 1" of the fruit. Bring 1 cup sugar and 2 cups water to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat. Blanch the cherries, a cup at a time, for 2 minutes in the simmering syrup. Remove to a platter with a slotted spoon and cool. Add remaining sugar to the syrup and cook until the sugar is dissolved and the syrup is at the boiling point. Remove from heat and cool. Spoon the cherries into sterilized pint jars. Add the brandy to the cooled syrup, pour over the cherries and seal. Keep in a cool dry place for 4 months before using. Makes about 6 pints. House & Garden August 1962 Just so you know, there are very good reasons to eat cherries beside the fact that they taste fabulous! Cherries contain 17 compounds with strong anti-oxidant properties. While most of the medicinal uses for cherries are anecdotal, there are indications that pigments giving cherries their bright red color have anti-inflammatory effects. Old wives' tales say that eating cherries regularly could help prevent gout and arthritis. Can't hurt...so enjoy good health and good eats! Copyright 2001 by Pulse Direct, Inc. All rights reserved.