Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
of stone fruits are rich in almond scent. In fact, they can be used as substitutes for hard-
to-find bitter almonds. Of course, if that's your aim, you're better off using fruits such as
peaches or apricots, which have bigger pits.) In many traditional recipes, the stones are
left in cherries that are cooked. Honestly, though, the improvement in taste is pretty min-
imal. The real motive probably has more to do with limiting the amount of bright red juice
the cherries will bleed into the dish. Basically, it comes down to weighing the advantages
of authenticity against the possibility of a chipped tooth for you or someone you happen
to be feeding.
WHERE THEY'RE GROWN : Most cherries are grown in California, Oregon and
Washington. In California they're grown primarily in the higher elevations of the Central
Valley. In Oregon they're grown in the Willamette Valley and the Columbia River basin.
In Washington they're grown mainly on the dry eastern plains.
H O W T O C H O O S E: The most common cherry is the Bing, and in the cherry
box at the store, there will be a wide range of ripeness. Take the time to choose carefully,
sorting through a small handful at a time. Choose fruit that is dark red, almost to the point
of being black, and shiny, not matte. There should be no shriveling or wilting. Common
faults such as doubling and spurring do not affect the flavor.
H O W T O S T O R E: Stored tightly wrapped in a plastic bag in the coldest part
of your refrigerator, cherries will last a surprisingly long time - up to 2 to 3 weeks. Do not
wash until just before using.
