Sweet Cherries at the Farmers Market

Sweet, crisp, and juicy, find your cherries at the Watsonville Certified Farmers Market this week. Picnics, barbeques and outdoor outings are incomplete without this delightful summertime snack.

A stone fruit, like plums and apricots, the most commonly found varieties of cherry are Bing and Rainier. The quintessential image of cherry, the Bing is bright red in color, with a firm, but fleshy texture. Rainier cherries are a pale orange with smatterings of red and yellow. Cherries should be firm but not hard or bruised.  Both Bing and Rainier cherries are sweet, juicy and delicious!

Cherries also just happen to be a “super fruit.” High in antioxidants and beta-carotene, cherries are an extremely healthful snack. Although they taste like a decadent indulgence, cherries are a guilt-free food.

Cherries are a versatile fruit, and can be used in both sweet and savory dishes. Pit and slice cherries and toss them into your salads, bake them in cobblers or pies, top your yogurt or breakfast cereal with them, make a sweet cherry reduction to drizzle over beef or pork, or just enjoy them plain. Unfortunately, cherry season is very short, usually lasting from mid-May through late July, if we’re lucky. That being the case, stock up on cherries while you can. Like raisins, dried cherries are sweet as candy. Another option is cherry preserves. Or just freeze them and thaw as needed.

Other summer fruit available this week are strawberries and raspberries. Veggies this week are cucumbers, asparagus, peas, zucchini and broccoli.

Shopping at the farmer’s market is a wonderful way to connect with your community, support local farmers, and eat seasonally.

Easy Cherry Cobbler

From Allrecipes

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup milk
• 2 cups pitted sour cherries
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place the butter in a 9x13 inch baking dish, and place in the oven to melt while the oven is preheating. Remove as soon as butter has melted, about 5 minutes.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together 1 cup of flour, 1 cup of sugar, and baking powder. Mix in the milk until well blended, then pour the batter into the pan over the butter. Do not stir.
3. Rinse out the bowl from the batter, and dry. Place cherries into the bowl, and toss with the remaining 3/4 cup of sugar and 1 tablespoon of flour. Distribute the cherry mixture evenly over the batter. Do not stir.
4. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden brown. A toothpick inserted into the cobber should come out clean.

The Watsonville Certified Farmer's Market is held 3-7 pm every Friday on the corner of Peck and Main streets. The market is open rain or shine.