Michigan’s Superfruit: the Sour Cherry
Reading through the blogs yesterday, I saw this article about Michigan’s superfruit, the tart (or sour) cherry. Late July is cherry harvesting season, and 70-75% of America’s tart cherries are produced in Michigan (from the MDA).
Sour cherries are bursting with nutritional value. From the LA Times:
Tart cherries are rich in anthocyanins, antioxidant compounds that are also found (in lower levels) in arguably more popular fruits and berries. Lab tests carried out in the early 2000s showed that the antioxidant capacity of tart cherry juice exceeded that of pomegranate, açaí and cranberry juices, among others. Subsequent lab tests suggested that the anthocyanins in tart cherries could reduce inflammation in rats and mice and slow the growth of tumors in the animals too.
I felt inspired, so I stopped at the farmer’s market to taste the sour cherries for myself, but I was shocked to find only sweet cherries available. Unfortunately, fresh sour cherries are too sour for most people, so nearly all of them are picked mechanically and dried or canned. On the bright side, their tartness makes them ideal for cooking. Who knew that cherry pie has such a potent load of antioxidants?
If you find a batch of sour cherries and are looking for something to cook, try this recipe for Sour Cherry Coffee Cake from Lottie and Doof (via the Kitchn), and let me know how it turns out.
