Cherries are at their best in the lead-up to Christmas.
CHERRIES are at their best in early summer, and the Yarra Valley and Ranges are the perfect place to pick up a punnet.
Cherry season begins in most areas in early November and continues until mid-January. Just prior to Christmas is the best time to tuck in.
Shoppers should look for look for cherries that are firm, bright and shiny with fresh green stems.
There are several popular cherry varieties, each with a different flavour, size, colour and texture.
Merchant is an early-maturing variety with large sweet fruit and excellent flavour. Rons Seedling taste great, are extremely firm and great for cooking or preserving.
‘Bing is King’ is the international catchcry for the Bing variety, which has excellent flavour and eating quality and is the predominant export variety from Australia and the USA.
Stella cherries can be huge and look great just in time for Christmas, with a meaty dark red texture.
Lapins are in season into the New Year and can be massive in size and taste.
Sweetheart cherries are a newer, heart-shaped variety that is one of the last maturing in the season, redder in colour and sweet.
Cherries are a healthy choice summer snack. They contain a unique combination of vitamins, minerals, anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds that act together to deliver health benefits.
Cherries can be frozen and stored for up to 12 months. Stem and sort the fruit, wash in cold water, drain and pit and pack into containers plain or in sugar.
Dissolve ¾ cup sugar in one cup water and pour over cherries or bring five cups sugar and four cups water to a rolling boil and chill before using.
Visit www.cherries.org.au for more information.
