At The Del Ray Farmers Market June 7, 2008- Rainier Cherries!
Growing up, my family had a Queen Anne cherry tree in the backyard. Each spring, it would grow beautiful soft white and blush petals, which yielded creamy yellow and red fruit. Their tart taste was a spring delicacy, and I remember eating them out of a bowl with my mom over the kitchen sink.
Appearing very similar to the Queen Anne cherry is the Rainier cherry. Both have light yellow flesh which is blushed with pinks and reds. And those dark brown spots? They indicate sugar. Not a bad thing, nope. The Ranier cherry is a cross between the Bing and Van variety of cherry, and has been cultivated since the 1960’s. Although it is primarily grown in California and the Pacific Northwest, many orchards in our area grow the Ranier cherry.
That mean, aside from picking your own*, you can usually find Ranier cherries at many area farmers markets this time of year. But don’t wait to long-Ranier cherries are prized and bit more expensive because they are hard to grow and harvest, and the season is short. Heavy rain, excessive heat and wind can damage them.
The flesh of the Rainier is juicy and sweet. There are other fruit flavors mixed in with the cherry flavor, such as apple, pear, nectarine and grape. The complex mix of flavors makes this pit fruit delicious to eat out of hand, and with its’ mild flavor, the Ranier cherry is incredible in savory dishes. For example, the Ranier cherry would make an excellent chutney or salsa to compliment pork, lamb, duck or bison. On the other hand, you could use the Ranier cherry in fruit salad or to top ice cream.
If you want cherries for baking, I recommend waiting for the sour pie cherries to arrive.
Along with my Rainier cherries which came from D&S Farm in Charlotte Hall, MD (whose owner said that peaches should appear in a couple weeks!), I picked up gorgeous golden beets, fresh, just cut asparagus, deep crimson-colored rhubarb, and baby arugula. Let’s see what I can create from these amazing ingredients!
Until the next At the Market, eat and buy local when you can.
Can’t wait to see what you come up with, Ramona! These cherries look mouthwatering and the beets make me think of roasting them for a salad with fresh feta and thyme…
I roasted the beets for a salad too. I’ll throw them into a salad of baby Arugula and Keswick Creamery feta. Such good stuff.
Thanks, April!
Great post, Ramona! Being from Michigan (the land of black cherries) this was a new variety for me. I also bought several at Del Ray this weekend– they are so good! We ate at least a pound of them alone, but I also prepared a nice clafoutis with them (see http://virginiafoodie.typepad.com/gardenapartment/2008/06/cherry-clafoutis.html)
I am so upset we were out of town that weekend, and we didn’t make it to Del Ray again this weekend to see if D&S still had any. I grew up within view of Mount Rainier, and didn’t even realize we could get those cherries on this side of the country. Maybe I’ll just have to plant my own tree.
I got to the Del Ray market late-around 10:30, and D&S didn’t have any cherries. I hope the season isn’t over…I haven’t had my fill y et!
Oh my - mouth watering cherries!
I hope to get some sour cherries soon! Thanks Kristen!
[…] add up as much as they do here in San Francisco, hundreds more miles away from the source. [The Houndstooth Gourmet] SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: “Rainier cherries. I repeat, Rainier cherries.”, url: […]
I have been eating them every weekend! I love the farmer’s market!
those look super pretty. my supermarket has had sale of bing cherries $2.99/pound, so I’ve been eating them like crazy.
yesterday enjoyed cherries with figs and brie: http://mangotomato.blogspot.com/2008/06/brie-cherries-and-figs.html
I soooo love rainier cherries! I can’t wait ’til they pop up at the Dupont Circle farmer’s market!
Being a Seattle girl I am well aware of the Rainer cherry. I made a lovely cherry and goat cheese pie with mine. Enjoy yours.
I’m loving that combination, Peabody! We are so fortunate to be able to enjoy the Ranier on the east coast.
[…] had been on the hunt for Rainier cherries ever since Ramona reported buying them the weekend I was out of town. I hadn’t realized they were grown on this […]