The cherry is a small round fruit, containing a single stone (or pit). There are hundreds of varieties of cherry, broadly classified into three types: sweet, sour or wild.
Sweet Cherry
Sweet cherries (Prunus avium) are available in a range of colours that vary from deep purple to bright red or golden yellow. There are two major varieties: soft, sweet cherries known as geans (or guignes) and hard, crisp fruit known as bigarreaus. However, there are also many hybrids of these two cherry types.
Some of the most delicious bigarreaus are the Napoleons (or Naps) – large, crisp and golden with a red cheek. The most common types of the softer geans variety include:
- Black Tartarian: A tender, red-black cherry with an excellent flavour.
- Early Rivers: A prolific variety with red to deep red flesh.
- Ranier: A sweet golden cherry with a slight pink blush.
Sweet, juicy cherries can be used to make the delicious pudding clafoutis - battered cherries. They may also go into making black cherry jam.
Sour Cherry
Sour cherries (Prunus cerasus) are often so acid that they are almost impossible to eat raw. Small, round, and coloured deep red to black, these tart fruit (known as morellos) are best cooked and used in pies, jams, liqueurs (such as cherry brandy and Kirsch) and syrups. They are also delicious when served with game, pork, poultry, rich meat dishes and pâtés. Poured over vanilla ice-cream and set alight with Brandy, they make the classic dish, Cherries Jubilee.
Wild Cherry
Wild cherries are generally small, dark red and quite tart. They can be used in desserts, jams and preserves. The maraschino variety is typically preserved in either liqueur or in a syrup flavoured with bitter almonds.
