How to Buy, Store, and Cook with Cherries, In Season in July
Vibrant deep purple-red, shiny, and tiny, cherries are the perfect pop-in-your-mouth snack in the summertime. Chewing into their juicy flesh--minding the pit, of course--is the perfect punctuation between bike rides, a swim at the beach, or a before-dinner treat. We bake them into pies, preserve them for when we're missing summer, cook them into a savory sauce, or just eat them as they are, chilled on ice. Now that they're in season, read on for how to buy and store these one-bite stone fruits and check out the slideshow below for our favorite recipes.
HOW TO BUY Cherries should be shiny, plump, and firm. Sour cherries and Bing cherries can range from a bright, vibrant red to an almost black-purple. Rainier cherries (which have a cult following, especially in Japan) range from whitish-yellow to an electric red, and are very sweet. Stems should be fresh and light in color. Avoid sticky or soft cherries.
HOW TO STORE
Loosely cover and refrigerate unwashed cherries for no more than one week.
