Food glossary

Cherries

Cherries

Dried

These are red cherries that have been dried to produce ready-to-eat dried cherries.

To use: Eat as a healthy snack or include in pies, cakes and biscuits.

To store: Keep in a cool, dry place for up to 6 months.

Fresh

Yellow and red fresh cherries are available. Yellow cherries have a juicy, tangy firm flesh while plump red cherries have a sweet, soft and juicy flesh.

To use: Fresh cherries are delicious eaten as they are or added to fruit salads. They can be poached and used in tarts or pies and are the essential ingredient in Black Forest gateau. Cherries are often combined with kirsch (a cherry liqueur) in recipes. When used for jam making leave the stones in for a delicious almond flavour, but be careful when eating!

To store: Keep in an aerated plastic bag for 2-3 days.

To prepare: To stone cherries, use a cherry stoner - a blunt spike pushes the stone through the flesh, ensuring the shape and juices are retained. A cherry stoner can also be used for stoning olives.

Glacé

These are cherries that have been candied - they are soaked in sugar syrup until the sugar replaces the moisture, to extend their keeping qualities. Three different colours of glacé cherries are available: natural colour Provençal cherries (these are a dark purple colour), Provençal cherries (the most commonly used red variety) and multi coloured Provençal cherries (bright red, yellow and green).

Uses: Glacé cherries are a popular ingredient in cakes, biscuits and puddings. The multi coloured variety are especially popular with children

To store: Keep in a cool, dry place in the airtight carton they are sold in for up to 1 year.

Morello

Dark red and juicy, morello cherries have a sour flavour and need to be sweetened before eating. They are used to make black cherry jam, the cherry liqueur kirsch and Black Forest gateau. Jars of pitted Hungarian morello cherries in syrup are available from Waitrose.

Uses: Sweetened morello cherries in syrup can be drained and used to fill flans, pies, and tarts. Serve with yogurt or ice cream or blend with the syrup to make a cherry coulis.

To store: Keep in a cool, dark place. Once opened refrigerate and consume within 5 days.

Turkish

These dark red, almost black cherries are plump and juicy and packed with flavour. They are grown for Waitrose in Turkey and are sold loose in the fruit and vegetable section. Available in July and August.

To use: Fresh cherries are delicious eaten as they are or added to fruit salads. Serve raw cherries at room temperature to fully appreciate their flavour. They can be poached and used in tarts or pies and are the essential ingredient in Black Forest gateau. Cherries are often combined with kirsch (a cherry liqueur) in recipes. When used for jam making crack the stones and leave them in for a delicious almond flavour, but be careful when eating!

To store: Keep in an aerated plastic bag in the fridge for 2-3 days.

To prepare: Wash thoroughly in cold water. To stone cherries, use a cherry stoner - a blunt spike pushes the stone through the flesh, ensuring the shape and juices are retained. A cherry stoner can also be used for stoning olives.

Shop fresh cherries