One of the great things about Hong Kong is that we get to have seasonal fruits twice a year, and one of my top picks for summer are the wonderfully juicy sweet cherries, which are currently flooding supermarkets and wet-markets. Cherries are available in many species but only two kinds are commonly eaten - the wild cherry (also called sweet) and the sour cherry - which is used mostly in cooking. In this article I focus on the wild cherry.

According to The Oxford Companion to Food the sweet cherry was first described in about 300BC by the Greek writer Theophrastus. It also says that the ancient Greek name kerasos from which 'cherry' is derived has been said to come from the city of that name in Asia Minor (now Giresun in Turkey) but others believe that the city's name was derived from the fruit. 

Health Benefits

The primary health benefit of cherries comes from anthocyanins, the red pigment in berries. Anthocyanins are a potent source of antioxidants, which are currently being studied for a variety of health benefits, everything from cancer and heart disease through to anti-aging. 

Studies have also shown the fruit to be effective in providing pain relief and inflammation reduction for people who suffer from arthritis. 

Cherries are low in cholesterol, fat and sodium and are an excellent source of fibre and Vitamin C.

Symbols and Sayings

In medieval art cherries represented a sweet, pleasing character, and the delights of the blessed.

As a symbolic fruit, cherries are used to express fertility and festivity. In Japan the fruit is said to represent beauty, courtesy, and modesty, and as a symbol of immortality by the ancient Chinese. This second believe came from the legend of the goddess Xi Wang Mu, in whose garden the cherries of immortality ripened every thousand years.

While many of us will be familiar with the saying "Life is just a bowl of cherries" some of the following may not be so familiar:

A cherry year, a merry year; a plum year, a dumb year.

He who eats cherries with gentlemen risks getting the pips in his nose.

He who likes cherries soon learns to climb.

Neither give cherries to pigs nor advice to fools.

Without wine, even beautiful cherry blossoms have small attraction.

Storage and Recipes

Cherries perish quickly after harvesting so should be stored in the fridge and eaten within a few days of purchase. Cherries can be frozen but they need to be pitted first.

While cherries are common as a dessert fruit and for making pies and jams they are also used in savoury dishes. It is interesting to note that almond extract makes cherries taste more like cherries in baked desserts like pies, cobblers and cheesecakes. The Food Lover's Companion says to add about a 1/4 teaspoon almond extract and "taste the magic"!

While there are many websites providing cherry recipes these are a few of my picks as they provide both sweet and savoury recipes, enjoy.

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes_menus/recipe_slideshows/sweet_cherry_recipes

http://www.seasonalchef.com/recipe0607b.htm

http://www.gourmet.com/recipes/2000s/2009/06/cherry-slideshow#slide=1

http://www.nwcherries.com/recipes.php?catid=1