Sour cherries - do they really exist??

[Gracie]

I keep seeing recipes that call for sour/tart cherries and I have never seen these in person!! I went to Boston's Haymarket Saturday morning for veggies and I got all excited to see yellow/red mottled cherries called Ranier cherries. I thought I'd finally found sour cherries. But alas, these pale cherries are also pale in flavor (and still sweet) to their deep red cousins.

Where would I ever find sour cherries?

Loren

[muriel3002]

I don't know why you can't find them, but they do exist.

We used to go cherry picking, and they would only let kids pick in the sour cherry orchards - so we wouldn't eat too many, I guess. I can't remember what mom made with them, though - jam? pies? hmm? Mom wasn't a great cook, but she canned and preserved lots of things throughout the year.

[boys03]

Well, Michigan grows a bunch of them, but I guess that is a little far away.:D
I have seen them canned in the grocery store though. Don't think I've ever seen them fresh here in NC.

[Grace]

We have them for a few short weeks at our farmer's markets here in Chicago (I think they come from Michigan though). I have bought them for the last three weeks (they are DH's absolute favorite), and I think next week will be the last weekend to get them until next year. They're pretty expensive too, but worth it. I pay $7.00 for 2 medium sized containers. Then I spend a long time sitting and pitting! :D But I learned from this BB that using a bobby pin works best (better than the cherry pitter I bought).

Otherwise they can be bought in the canned fruit section of the grocery store in cans. They are made by a company called "Oregon" and are packed in water. I can also find them at Trader Joes in glass jars, also packed in water. They're good, but not nearly as good as the fresh.

We used to have a sour cherry tree in our backyard (here in Chicago) when I was a kid. My Dad sold that house though, and the new people cut the tree down :( . I used to pick bucketsful.

[claire797]

Loren,

I've never used them, but I see this brand at Central Market all the time. They're not terribly expensive, either.

http://taylorsmarket.com/sourcherries.jpg

[Gracie]

Thank you! I was really hoping for fresh but I may try some bottled in water.

Grace - I guess we're not going to get fresh ones here if now is the season. If any farmers market would have them I would expect Boston's would and they didn't have them. BTW, I use a chopstick to pit cherries - a tip I learned from Stephanie (gertdog) on this board. It works perfectly. I've never mastered the bobby pin.

Loren

[claire797]

Originally posted by Gracie
Thank you! I was really hoping for fresh but I may try some bottled in water.



I don't think I'll ever see a fresh sour cherry down here in Texas, so if I make a sour cherry pie, I'll have to use the Zergut. I read somewhere (BA maybe?) that they were very good.

I haven't tried the Oregon brand cherries, but I have tried their raspberries. The raspberries were extremely mushy and seemed only suited for puree. Don't know about their cherries.

[Kathy B]

We have an orchard where people can pick their own about 45 minutes away from us, and in the past we have picked a lot. Sour cherry season here is in June, though.

I prefer sour cherries for baking desserts. My mom makes sour cherry jam which my family loves. She always gives us one jar, then doles the rest out in small jars throughout the year as a thank you for watching her dog or some other favor. It keeps us from going through her whole supply in less than a month.

Our favorite thing to do with them when we picked them was to dry them. Not only are they delicious, but you don't have to pit them! We just eat the dried ones like sunflower seeds....pop them in your mouth, work the fruit off and spit out the pit. Very addicting!:)

[badunnin]

Huh. I thought sour cherries were just a Michigan urban legend. ;)

[Middydd]

It's hard to find sour cherries fresh but grocery stores here get in big pails of them, already pitted and intended for use right away or freezing.

I think a pail runs about $17 Cdn. (or did last year). I froze mine in two cup batches and used them for sauces, muffins and coffee cakes. Never got around to making a pie.

Just used up my last batch, hoping the next week brings them to market again.

[cab321]

Gracie - can you please tell me how your chopstick trick works?

[Sarah45]

Here in southern Ohio I can only get them at our local farmers market for 2, maybe 3, weeks at the beginning of June. Its a very short window and I stock up, pit them all in one afternoon and freeze all but enough for one pie or cobbler. Yum!

I do have to say though, I have never found an easier way to pit cherries than using just my fingers. I have tried other methods and they just seem to slow me down.

[Gracie]

Originally posted by cab321
Gracie - can you please tell me how your chopstick trick works?

The chopstick trick is just to hold the end of the chopstick on the top of the cherry and push. The chopstick is just the same size as the pit and it pops the pit out the other end without taking other parts of the cherry with it and you're all set.

Loren

[leebee]

The Michigan tart cherry crop is late this year--they're just starting to pick cherries now. I've heard grumbling about another bad crop, but the trees are so full of fruit, the branches are starting to bend. So maybe we'll have a huge crop & some of you who never see them will be able to get your hands on them. They make the BEST pie.

[laurachoc]

I live in Pennsylvania, and our sour cherry season was the middle of June this year. (I think.) We actually have our own tree. I think that the reason that those cherries are almost never seen is that they are pretty hard to keep fresh for a long time. But, they are worth the effort. I have fond memories of going to a pick-your-own orchard to pick sour cherries and then going to my grandma's house to pit and can them. We would always have so much fun plunging our hands into the bucket of slimy cherry pits after we were all done.

[scassidy]

Hi there Gracie --

Yes, Gracie, there is a sour cherry! :)

I live not too far from you (Newton) and here's our strategy for getting sour cherries: go to farmer's markets and ask. Ask. And then Ask again! My husband has been known to chat up all the orchard bearing fruit farmers in search of sour cherries. One year we scored sour cherries for two weeks in a row, but that was rare.

I've also asked at Russo's here in Watertown and they got me a flat of sour cherries.

They really do make the best possible pie known to man, excellent jam. They're worth every penny!

[Middydd]

For anybody looking for sour cherries in Ontario, the buckets are now in stock in my area. Probably everywhere else as well.

[ewatkins]

just saw pie cherries at the farmer's market this morning

[crazycook]

I can get the jarred sour cherries here as well as the fresh/frozen. I love sour cherries!

I thought I would include a couple of recipes that I've recently made and thoroughly enjoyed. Both are super easy to make. You can use the jarred cherries in both recipes. For the Sour Cream Cherry Bars, just drain the cherries and discard the syrup.


* Exported from MasterCook *

Cherry Almond Coffee Cake

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 8 Preparation Time :0:15
Categories : COFFEECAKES

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 1/4 Cups All-purpose Flour
3/4 Cup Granulated Sugar
3/4 Cup Butter or Margarine
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1 Egg
3/4 Cup Buttermilk -- (or soured milk)
1 Teaspoon Almond Extract
1 Can Cherry Pie Filling -- (19-0z/540 mL)
1/3 Cup Sliced Almonds

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease an 8 1/2-inch or 9-inch springform pan.

Combine flour and sugar in large bowl. Cut in butter with pastry blender until mixture is crumbly. Set aside 1/2 cup for topping. Add baking powder and baking soda to remainder. Beat together egg, buttermilk and almond extract. Add to dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened.

Spread two-thirds of the batter over bottom and partway up side of prepared pan. Spoon pie filling evenly over batter. Drop small spoonfuls of remaining batter over filling. Stir almonds into reserved crumbled mixture. Sprinkle over batter.

Bake for 65 to 75 minutes for 8 1/2-inch pan or 50 to 60 minutes for 9-inch pan or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cover with foil if top is becoming too brown.

Description:
"'An easy-to-make cake for dessert or a coffee-time treat.""
Source:
"Robin Hood Baking Festival Cookbook, pg. 72"
T(Baking Time):
"1:15"
Ratings : Definite Repeat 9
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per serving: 479 Calories (kcal); 22g Total Fat; (39% calories from fat); 7g Protein; 66g Carbohydrate; 71mg Cholesterol; 323mg Sodium
Food Exchanges: 2 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 4 Fat; 2 1/2 Other Carbohydrates

NOTES : I used a jar of red sour cherries in light syrup (28-oz/796mL) instead of the can of pie filling. I drained the cherries and set them in a bowl. I added 1/4 granulated sugar to the light syrup and thickened in a saucpan with one tablespoon of cornstarch. I combined the syrup with the cherries and let the mixture cool slightly before adding it to the pan. (I found I had enough cherries and syrup to make another coffeecake.

I subbed 1/2 sour cream + 1/4 cup milk for the buttermilk.

Variation: Try apple, mixed berry or blueberry pie filling for another new taste.

Freezing: excellent

Tip: Always put a piece of aluminum foil under springform pan while baking. Often they can leak a little, so this will keep your oven clean.
Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0


* Exported from MasterCook *

Sour Cream Cherry Bars

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 60 Preparation Time :0:15
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
Base and Topping:
1 Cup Firmly Packed Brown Sugar
1 Cup Butter -- softened
1 1/2 Cups Pillsbury Best All-purpose Flour
2 Cups Quick-cooking Rolled Oats
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
Filling:
3/4 Cup Sugar
1/4 Cup Pillsbury Best All-purpose Flour
1 Tablespoon Grated Orange Peel
1 Teaspoon Almond Extract
1 Cup Sour Cream
1 Egg
24 Ounces Frozen Tart Red Cherries -- thawed, (4 1/2 cups)

Heat oven to 350ºF. In large bowl, combine brown sugar and butter, blend well. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup, level off. Add 1 1/2 cups flour, oats and baking soda; mix until crumbs form. Press half of crumb mixture in bottom of ungreased 15 x 10 x 1-inch baking pan; reserve remaining mixture for topping. Bake at 350ºF. for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in large bowl, combine all filling ingredients except cherries, mix well. Stir in cherries.

Pour mixture over partially baked crust. Crumble and sprinkle remaining half of crumb mixture over filling.

Bake at 350ºF. for 25 to 35 minutes or until center is set. Cool 1 1/2 hours or until completely cooled. Cut into bars. Store in refrigerator.

Source:
"Pillsbury Classic Cookbooks, Christmas Baking, November 1997, #201,
pg. 66"
Yield:
"60 Bars"
Start to Finish Time:
"2:30"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per serving: 89 Calories (kcal); 4g Total Fat; (41% calories from fat); 1g Protein; 12g Carbohydrate; 13mg Cholesterol; 57mg Sodium
Food Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 1 Fat; 1/2 Other Carbohydrates


Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 14 27099 0 0 0 14 0 0 0 0 905261

Enjoy!

Anna :)

[Gracie]

Originally posted by scassidy
I've also asked at Russo's here in Watertown and they got me a flat of sour cherries.

I've been to Russo's!! I worked in Watertown for 7 years - now I work across the river in Brighton. You should have joined us at the Harvard Square lunch/klatch!

I might make some phone calls now that I have an idea of what to do. I may have missed the season but there's always next year.

Anna - both those recipes sound wonderful. Thank you for posting them!

Loren

[crazycook]

You're welcome, Gracie. :) I wish you luck in finding some fresh cherries!

Anna :)

[scassidy]

Gracie -- the Newton Farmer's Market is this afternoon, and my husband has an ENORMOUS reminder written to himself to ask around for sour cherries! I'll let you know if he has any success!