Here are some helpful tips and a delicious recipe for those scrumptious cherries that will be ripe on the tree before you know
it:
- Look for a supple exterior and a bright color. Keep them dry and discard any crushed fruit.
- Avoid cherries with blemishes, rotted or mushy skins, or those that appear either hard and light-colored or soft, shriveled, and dull.
- Look for cherries that are plump with firm, smooth, and brightly colored skins.
- Good quality cherries should have green stems attached.
- Cherries do not ripen further after harvest.
- Cherries bruise easily; handle with care.
- Both the sweet and sour types should be refrigerated as soon as possible, although the sweets are more durable. Chilling not only preserves, but also seems to improve the flavor.
- Raw sweet cherries: 1 cup contains 81 calories, and is a source of Vitamin C and potassium.
- Rinse in cool water and drain, in a single layer, on paper towel.
- Both sweet and sour can be made into jams, preserves or brandied.
- Rich in bio-flavonoids and ellagic acid. Studies show cherries to be a good source of antioxidants and darker cherries will have higher levels than red/yellow ones.
- Fat-free, Saturated fat-free, Sodium-free, Cholesterol-free, A good source of fiber.
A quick cherry snack recipe...
- 1 cup dried tart cherries
- 1 cup cashews
- 1 cup smoked almonds
- 1 cup honey roasted peanuts
- Mix all together for a great snack.
About the Author:
Angela Billings is a stay at home wife and mother who publishes an online newsletter
Home and Family
Ezine.
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