Cherry

Cherry is a small, round stone fruit with glossy skin, red to near-black hues, and a central pit. The flesh is juicy and sweet-tart, often bursting with ruby juice; varieties range from delicately honeyed to bright and bracing. Cooks eat them fresh, pit for pies, clafoutis, jams, and quick sauces, and they are commonly sold pitted, frozen, dried, or canned in syrup.

Domesticated from wild Prunus in Europe and West Asia, cherries spread across the Mediterranean and later to North America. They thrive in temperate zones; major sweet-cherry regions include the Pacific Northwest and Michigan, while tart types remain prominent in Central and Eastern Europe.