In Season: British Cherries

Clever farming means more cherries

Fans of British cherries are living in a golden age of the fruit. Growers have managed to double the amount of cherries they grow over the last 5 years or so. This is down to a number of factors, including a doubling of the harvest season to 10 weeks. Farmers have achieved this by techniques including adopting new varieties – some which fruit early and some late, as well as the mid-season trees.

Another key innovation is using dwarf rootstock, where the root system and base of the trees are chosen so that the trees grow shorter. This means they tend to produce fruit earlier, and can be grown inside polytunnels for added protection from the harshness of the elements. Rain is one of the biggest threats to cherries from a process known as rain cracking. The fruit absorbs water through its skin and, like a balloon filled with too much air, can burst. Split cherries cannot be sold, but they can also become susceptible to fungal attack that can ruin entire orchards.

Storing, eating and cooking with British cherries

Cherries are best stored in the fridge. This is because they are non-climacteric fruit, so unlike peaches or bananas they do not continue to ripen once they've been picked. Chilling them will extend their life, it's what farmers do and so should we. Also, don't wash cherries before putting them in the fridge, as they’ll absorb that water and might split.

And, when it comes to eating fresh cherries, whether you eat them straight out of the fridge or have let them warm up to room temperature is a matter of personal taste. Some say cherries at room temperature lets the flavour really shine, others prefer the fruit crisp and cold.

Finally, cherries are a versatile cooking ingredient. They can be eaten in sweet or savoury dishes. If you're having friends round, our recipe for chicken parfait radicchio boats with amarena cherries is a knockout canapé that combines a silky parfait with tangy cherries and almond crumb. Tom Kerridge's cherry and parma ham salad with toasted sourdough croutons will be ready in under half an hour and tastes great. Finally, check out our cherry and almond cake or chocolate-cherry kirsch hearts for something sweet. For more ideas, see our cherry and cherries recipes on the site.

Did you know?

• There are two main types of cherry: the sweet prunus avium and the sour prunus cerasus, which is mainly used for cooking.
• The sour Morello is the cherry found in Black Forest gateau.
• Cherry pit (stone) spitting is a competitive sport in many parts of the world with Brian 'Young Gun' Krause holding the world record for spitting a stone 28.51 metres.
• 4th July is International Cherry Pit Spitting Day.
• The oldest cherry tree in the world is Yamataka Jindai Zakura, located on the grounds of Jisso-ji Temple in Hokuto City, Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan. It's estimated to be between 1,800 and 2,000 years old.