Cherries are one of life’s tiny treasures: each glossy red fruit bursts with sweet-tart flavour, meaning that once you pop just one of these treats in your mouth, you usually go on to devour the whole bowl as if they were sweeties.
Sweet cherries, which are derived from the Prunus avium and can be black, red or yellow, are delicious fresh or cooked, while sour cherries (such as Morello) come from Prunus cerasus and are best cooked in sweet or savoury dishes; they are also exactly what you need for sweet-tart cherry preserve. Contrast juicy sweet cherries and tart preserves with creamy cheeses for a snack or dessert.
THE CHERRY ON TOP
Not only do they taste delicious, cherries are really good for you. Even though they are the smallest of the stone fruits, mouthful for mouthful cherries – which are loaded with antioxidants and polyphenols that help to keep you healthy – can give nectarines and peaches a run for their money. Their high fibre content helps to keep your digestive tract in tip-top condition, while high levels of vitamin C help your body to absorb iron and improve collagen formation, and their betacarotene is a powerful antioxidant. Potassium in cherries is a natural blood-pressure reducer, and studies show that if you eat 2 cups of cherries or drink a glass of cherry juice a day you can reduce the uric acid levels in your blood that cause gout.
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CHOOSING AND STORING CHERRIES There are three factors to consider when buying cherries:
Keep unwashed cherries in a zip-lock plastic bag or sealed container in the fridge for up to a week. (Washing them can let moisture be absorbed where the stem meets the fruit, meaning they’ll spoil faster, so wash them in cold water just before you use them.) TIP You can freeze whole cherries with their stems intact: spread them out in a single layer on a baking tray and freeze; once they are firm, pop them in a sealed container in the freezer until you need them. |
CHERRY-PICKING
If, like us, you can’t get enough of this yummy fruit, head out to Klondyke Cherry Farm in Ceres (023 312 1521, www.cherryfarm.co.za) or Nassau Cherry Farm in Ficksburg (051 933 2828, www.cherryfestival.co.za) where you can pick your own… and eat as much as you can while you work.
CHEERY CHERRY
If you really need a cherry fix and can’t find the real thing, surround yourself year-round with our iconic Cherry-coloured cookware: it is sure to cheer you up until the next fresh cherry season.
Clockwise from top left: Roast Pork Belly with Spiced Apple Sauce, Spinach and Ricotta Rotolo, Grape and Blueberry Iced Tea, Chocolate Honeycomb
TAKE A BITE OF THE CHERRY
Do not despair if cherries are not in season: canned or bottled cherries are excellent to cook with, and are a great emergency stand-by to have in the pantry: when unexpected guests drop in for dinner, they make the best instant dessert. Gently heat the cherries in a saucepan with a little lemon zest, caster sugar to taste and a glug of brandy. Serve with vanilla ice cream or a generous dollop of mascarpone and a scattering of flaked almonds. Voila!
Here are some more of our favourite cherry recipes, both sweet and savoury.
Amaretto and Vanilla Panna Cotta with Cherry Compote
The delicious tart cherry compote offsets this rich, creamy, almond-infused traditional Italian pudding. Despite its lavish appearance, the compote is quick and easy to whip up.
Flapjacks with Cream and Berries
Give comforting flapjacks some grown-up glamour by topping a pile with vanilla-infused whipped cream and a generous handful of fresh cherries and berries.
To view our full range of products, visit our online shop at www.lecreuset.co.za or pop into your nearest Le Creuset Boutique store.
Visited Le Creuset branch at the Pavilion in Westville this morning. Spoilt myself with the most beautiful coastal blue range, purchased way more than intended, best purchase ever, so excited , will be having a dinner party soon! I had wonderful service by very helpful and friendly ladies, the one lady even went out of her way to fetch me a trolley from the centre. I felt so proud pushing the trolley with my Le Creuset boxes!
Thank you for the kind words, we wish you many hours of happy cooking in your new Le Creuset!
Can I use bottled cherries for Black forest cake, as my recipe talks about soaking black cherries in kirsch. .Could I just drain the bottled variety and do the same?
Good Afternoon Maureen, that would work perfectly as well. Happy baking!
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