Cherries love nothing more than to accompany a beautiful cheeseboard. Their sweetness and juiciness contrast beautifully with many types of cheeses, and their bright hues add a pop of color. There are many ways to enjoy cherries with cheese: raw, pickled, cooked in a jam, tossed in a salad, etc. The possibilities really are endless, so have fun with it.  Here is a guide for which cheeses pair well with cherries: Hard/salty cheeses: Cherries add a healthy dose of freshness to aged and salty cheeses. Try them with aged gouda, cheddar, manchego, pecorino, asiago, or gruyere. Soft/salty cheeses: Say hello to cherries [...]

Cherries are one of the most popular fruits in the United States, and it’s easy to see why. They’re naturally sweet, come in a variety of attractive colors and are portable to boot. The seasonality of cherries only adds to their appeal… absence makes the heart grow fonder! Cherries are very nutritious and are packed with fiber, vitamins and minerals.  They also have potent anti-inflammatory properties that may help with symptoms of conditions like arthritis and gout.  Here is a snapshot of the nutrition packed into every cherry:  Vitamin C: powerful antioxidant known for fighting free radicals and protecting the body against infectious agents  Potassium: supports heart health and [...]

It’s cherry season! Including cherries in your breakfast is a simple way to add nutrition to your meal, please your family, and put a smile on your face.  We’ve rounded up our best cherry breakfast recipes to help you start the day in a delicious way. Cherry cornmeal pancakes  Nothing says “good morning” like these cherry-studded cornmeal pancakes! You’ll love the homecooked goodness of this breakfast classic.  Source: Chelan Fresh  Super simple cherry almond muffins  Who doesn’t love cherries and almond? These easy-peasy muffins are wonderful with a cup of coffee and make a simple breakfast-on-the-go.  Source: Chelan Fresh  Lemon poppy seed pancakes and cherry compote   Fluffy [...]

Beat the heat with some cherry-spiked recipes to cool off when sun is high. We’ve rounded up recipes to help you use up those summer cherries while lowering the temperature a few degrees. Popsicles, ice creams, frozen yogurt… all the classics are there, as well as some more original treats. There’s a little something for everyone!  Cherry vanilla and ginger float  Vanilla ice cream and dark cherries floating in sparkling ginger kombucha – yum! An original recipe to impress your friends and crank your BBQ up a notch.  Source: Chelan Fresh  Cherry ice cream with chocolate chips  Fresh cherries and chocolate chips come together beautifully [...]

Why cherry growers use helicopters. When it comes to harvesting fruit, orchardists in North Central Washington take their final product very seriously. During the few final weeks of cherry season, it's exceptionally critical to take care of the fruit still on the tree. Ideal cherry forecasts call for blue, clear, sunny skies and warm, dry days. But typical spring and early summer Pacific Northwest weather also brings potential rain to farmers. In years' passed, when the spring rains covered the cherry crops, many orchardists lost their entire crops because of the late-season water damage. Once the cherries start turning red (or have ripened to the [...]