Posted by Danielle Downs on May.06, 2009

Fruit bearing trees add functional beauty to your yard and food to your fridge. It’s cherry season! And boy are they good for us! Cherries contain powerful antioxidants called anthocyanins that provide the distinctive red color. Their power as anti-oxidants have cherries touted as being a “super-food” just like blueberries. Cherries can provide anti-inflammatory and anti-aging benefits as well according to a Johns Hopkins Study.

Whether you’re harvesting from your yard or a community area here are some green tips and tricks for better collection and storage.

Gathering

Use several small sacks or bowls to prevent bruising. The cherries at the bottom of a 10 lb bag are easily crushed. Always wash the cherries in a colander with tepid water to remove any soils. A high quality eco-friendly veggie wash is great even for organic produce. Spider webs, bird droppings, and smog particulates are stuck to most outdoor surfaces. Or you can make your own natural veggie wash by mixing 2 tablespoons of baking soda with 3 cups of water and stir in ¼ cup grain alcohol. This can be used as a spray or a soak and is made from food-grade ingredients. Cherries are best cleaned by soaking.

Pitting

Pitting devices are now sold at most retailers, especially in season. A cherry pitter (sometimes referred to as an olive pitter) is a device that single-handedly lets you remove the seed while leaving the cherry otherwise whole. They are easy to use and fun for children who want to help with the harvest.

Canning

Canning fruit is a great way to prep for fall and winter. Current canning technology is much safer than what your grandmother used. When choosing your canning equipment, research the manufacturer as well. Choose a design that has multiple fail-safe pressure-release valves. Swiss-made pressure cookers and canners have a reputation for quality as this cooking method was invented by the Swiss living at high altitudes.

An additional benefit of canning is that the cherries can be cooked first into the finished dish, making a great method for “do-ahead” recipes. Pie filling, salsa, compotes, and glazes can be canned after they are prepared.

Freezing

Gallon sized zipper freezer bags are a great way to keep your harvest “smoothie ready.” Frozen fruit blends up easily to make raw purees to top desserts or savory dishes. It is also ideal for pies and other baked goods straight out of the freezer. Easy frozen cherry pie filling: toss 3 cups frozen cherries with ½ cup sugar and 1/3 cup cornstarch. Add to pie shell. Bake at 375 F for XX minutes.

Drying

If you own a dehydrator or can borrow one from another Green Diva Mom, drying pitted cherries is a great way to make an on-the-go snack. Dehydrators vary, so follow the instructions carefully. Fruit can be dried in the oven on a cookie sheet on low heat. Set your oven to its lowest setting, usually between 200 and 250 degrees F. If you’d like to use solar energy to dry your food, place the cookie sheet on the dashboard of your car and park in the sun. Cover the fruit with one layer of cheese cloth to protect it from bugs. This method takes longer but uses energy (heat in the car is energy!) that would otherwise be a nuisance. The secret to perfectly dehydrated food is to spread the fruit in a single layer rather than piling cherries on top of each other. Dried cherries are fabulous in sweet and savory salads, in baked good, and can easy be reconstituted with ½ part water on the stove top or in the microwave.

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Posted under Food, Nutrition & Recipes, Nutrition.