Cherry, Very Good!

Canadian sweet cherries are easy and nutritious

It’s time to celebrate Canadian Cherry Month! With so many sweet benefits in both nutrition and versatility, it is no wonder cherries are one of our favourite summer fruits. Read on to find out more about what’s inside each bite and simple ways to enjoy these local gems. 

Fun facts about Canadian cherries 

Did you know that 95% of the cherries grown in Canada are produced in British Columbia? There are three regions in BC that offer ideal growing conditions for cherries: 

• The Okanagan Valley 
• The Similkameen Valley 

• The Creston Valley 

Cherries actually grow best in a temperate climate – not too hot and not too cold. Canadian cherries are really among the sweetest in the world. That’s because the long days of sunshine at our northern latitude happen right during ripening, which enhances cherries’ sweetness and flavour. As well, our cold Canadian winters ensure that cherry trees get a dormant period and this results in larger, sweeter cherries the following summer. 

While there are many varieties of sweet cherries, some of the most common varieties grown in Canada include Satin, Cristalina, Skeena, Lapins, Sweetheart, Sentennial, Staccato, and Sovereign. Learn more about the different varieties from the BC Cherry Association. 

Harvesting cherries begins in June in the South Okanagan and finishes in early September in the North Okanagan and Creston Valley area. Naturally, the variety, location, altitude, and weather impact the crop and harvest each year. To learn more about cherry trees and how farmers protect their crop and food safety, check out Why Do Farmers Spray Sweet Cherries? 

Outside of birds and insects, one of the biggest threats to a cherry crop is too much rain, which can pool around the cherry stem, be absorbed by the cherry, and cause it to burst and split. Cherry growers go to great lengths to prevent this from happening since it can damage the crop tremendously. Did you know they work with helicopter pilots to fly over the trees to blow them dry and use tractor-mounted blowers to do their best to save their crop? 

Cherries are hand-picked and packed on the same day. They are sent to family-owned or cooperatively owned packing facilities where they are cooled, washed, and packed for sale. The market dictates the price of cherries. The labour and resources needed to grow, hand-pick, and pack cherries are significant, which makes them a high-value crop. 
 

Buying and storing cherries 

Sweet cherries are sold with the stems attached because the stem provides moisture that helps the fruit stay fresh during transport. When shopping for cherries, take note of the stem color: the greener the stem, the fresher the cherry. 

To keep your cherries fresh, store them in the refrigerator and don’t wash them until you’re ready to eat them. When ready, wash the cherries and place them in a cold ice water bath to maximize their freshness. 

To pit your cherries, you can use a cherry pitter (some pit one cherry at a time, while others pit a dozen at once) or remove the stem and use a reusable straw or chopstick to push out the pit. 

One of the best things to do during cherry season so you can enjoy them all year and ensure you don’t waste a single cherry is to freeze any extras. To freeze cherries, simply place washed, pitted cherries on a cookie sheet, and once frozen, transfer them into freezer bags or containers and store them in the freezer for later use. 
 

Cherries are a nutritional powerhouse 

Sweet cherries are packed with an abundant amount of nutrients including fibre, antioxidants, vitamin C, and potassium. Ten cherries contain only about 50 calories. Their bold color comes from anthocyanins, pigments found in red, purple, and blue-colored fruits and vegetables, which are potent antioxidants protecting your cells from damage caused by free radicals. 

Cherries are an anti-inflammatory food and therefore a good choice as part of a healthy diet to reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and improve longevity and exercise recovery. Cherries also have a low glycemic index, which means they cause a slow and gradual increase in blood sugar levels, this makes them a good choice for people with diabetes. 
 

15 simple ways to use fresh sweet cherries 

You can enjoy cherries in a variety of ways including fresh, frozen, canned, or dried. Search Canadian Food Focus or check out https://www.bccherry.com/recipes/ for more great cherry recipe ideas. 

Here are a few simple and tasty ways to enjoy cherries this season: 

1. Cherries uncomplicated. Wash and enjoy fresh cherries as a healthy, convenient snack as is or thread them on a skewer with other fresh fruit or cubes of cheese. 

2. Handmade cherry fruit cocktail. Float whole pitted cherries and other summer fruits such as blueberries, sliced apricots, or peaches in your favorite unsweetened juice. 

3. Very cherry pancakes. Add diced cherry pieces into your pancake batter. 

4. Cherry almond oatmeal. Prepare your favorite oatmeal and add slivered almonds, a splash of vanilla, and diced pitted cherries while cooking. 

5. Cherry yogurt popsicles. Place vanilla Greek yogurt and pitted cherries in a blender with a splash of milk or cherry juice, then pour into popsicle molds. 

6. Cherry compote. Cook your cherries with a splash of lemon water and a pinch of sugar, and serve on pancakes, crepes, waffles, or French toast. 

7. Cherry yogurt parfait. Assemble a yogurt parfait in a martini glass or ice cream sundae bowl with vanilla or cherry yogurt, sliced pitted cherries, and granola. 

8. Cherry lemonade. Blend pitted cherries, water, lemon, and a pinch of sugar, and serve over ice. 

9. Cherry chia pudding. Make a vanilla chia pudding and top with fresh cherries or try this Chocolate Chia Pudding topped with sliced cherries for a yummy and healthy dessert option. 

10. Tossed green salad with feta or goat cheese. Enjoy your favorite tossed green salad with vinaigrette, topped with sliced pitted cherries, toasted nuts or seeds, and crumbled feta or goat cheese. 

11. Brie and arugula baguette with cherries. Enjoy this combination for lunch or as an appetizer. Slice your baguette and layer with brie, halved cherry slices, and arugula. 

12. Cherry smoothies. Add vanilla yogurt, milk, frozen bananas, and fresh or frozen cherries to the blender for a creamy, delicious smoothie as a snack or for breakfast. 

13. Cheery cherry salsa. Mix together diced onion, chopped cilantro or basil, fresh squeezed lime, a pinch of salt, and chopped fresh jalapeño peppers (optional). Serve this salsa with tortilla chips or as a side with chicken or pork. 

14. Cherry crisp or muffins. Take your favorite fruit crisp or berry muffin recipe and simply add diced pitted cherries. 

15. Cherry clafoutis. This simple French dessert is one of the best things to make this summer, either in the oven or on the BBQ. Grab the recipe here for Cherry Clafoutis. 

Bonus: Looking for more ideas your kids can make? Try these recipes using cherries for fruit nachos and frozen fruit bark here: Easy & Healthy Kids Snack Ideas.