The cherry is often considered the eternal fruit of love and romance thanks to Shakespeare’s mention of the cherry in his “ A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” It has an intimate association and is typically thought of in moods of intimacy or affection. The scientific name of cherry is Prunus avium.
It is believed that the Romans discovered cherries in Asia Minor in 70 BC and were later introduced in Britain in the first century AD. Cherry cultivation has also been reported from Central America as well as western South America for centuries. However, the fruit was introduced in California in the 1920s.
The cherry tree is a semi-deciduous erect tree, it somewhat looks like an umbrella. Leaves are alternate and aromatic, while flowers are small and appear in early spring. The cherry is roughly round with a depression at the top of the fruit. The skin is smooth and shiny. It varies in color from pale to very dark red, but yellow or white varieties also exist.
The Scientific Name of Cherry – Prunus avium
Cherries are of two types:
Sweet Cherries – sweet flesh, bright skin, come in four varieties, such as – Bing, Lambert, Rainer, and Royal Ann, usually hit the market from May to August
Sour Cherries – grown mainly in western and Midwestern states, best for pie filling or sauces
Cherries are best if kept in cool and moist conditions. Good cherries are plump, hard, bright, and dark-colored. If you find any of the cherries in decayed condition, remove them as soon as possible because the spoiled one has the tendency of ruining others quickly.
A cherry is eaten fresh or with other fruits. Don’t forget to wash the fruits before consuming them. Cherries are also delicious if added to fruit salads for a lovely variety of color and taste. Poaching is the most common form of cooking cherries. Low poached cherries can be used as red toppings on yogurt and ice cream
Besides, being a tasty fruit, cherries are also quite nutritious. They contain a number of vitamins, minerals, and other compounds that have tremendous health benefits. Because of their high antioxidant capacity cherries are good in helping prevent cancer and heart disease. Since a cherry is low in calories it is also considered as a fruit that helps in weight reduction.
