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August 4 - August 11,2002 |
Dessert ready on a stem
Making a pit stop for the Niagara region's summer cherries
By Lynn Luciani
Originally Published: 2002-07-21
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Cherries
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In the front of my home in Niagara Falls, guarding the entrance of the driveway, are two very old cherry trees. As far as I can tell, they date back to the early 1900s when this area of Queenston was planted in fruit orchards and vineyards. Over the years my twin trees have become wild and, sadly, no longer bear fruit that would tempt a cherry lover. These old, gnarled trees are burdened with plenty of tiny, wild cherries that draw every bird in the region.
Cherries have pleased the palates of food lovers for centuries. Their ruby-red colour and tangy taste won the fruit a place on the tables of Roman conquerors, Greek citizens and Chinese noblemen. By 1847, cherry trees had reached the west coast of North America, transported by employees of the Hudson's Bay Company.
Today cherries are no longer reserved for the noble and well to do. They're here for all of us to indulge in, but if you're a sweet cherry lover, you'd better get out there pronto. The season started just a week ago, but within another 10 days, it just might be over. This has been a surprising year for sweet cherries. The cooler than normal spring conditions resulted in very poor pollination of the pink blossoms. This means a lower than average crop - but a higher than average sweetness and intensity of flavour, so they're extra delicious this year!
Big, fat, black, sweet cherries are a joy to eat! But I recently found out that Ontario now grows the extra sweet and firm ciliege bianche (white cherries). I was first introduced to this delicious variety when travelling through the northern parts of Italy in the springtime. I was doing the "agriturismo" thing. You know, renting out accommodation at country farms, vineyards and olive estates. On the one farm we stayed at, there was a white cherry tree in the courtyard. I remember eating them for breakfast, lunch, dinner and every spare minute in between.
The fruit is a pale red colour on one side and a creamy white on the other. They're firm and juicy with very, very sweet white flesh inside. In Canada, the ciliege bianche are reserved for the gourmet market, but if you know where to get them, the time is now!
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