February is Cherry Month
We don’t know about you, but all of that sounds pretty good to us. A whole 28 days dedicated to cherries and all their loveliness. Yes please.
Of course, Little Cherry isn’t the traditional, edible kind. Those tasty treats are our namesake though, and in honour of them – and Cherry Month – we thought we would dedicate this blog to the cherry, in all its glory.
So to learn more about this divine little fruit that means so much to Little Cherry, read on.
The Life and Times of the Cherry
The cherry is a fleshy stone fruit, recognised for the distinctive deep and vibrant reds it comes in. There are more than a thousand varieties of cherry, but they can all be split into one of two main categories; sweet cherries (for eating) and sour cherries (for cooking).
Versatile when it comes to recipes, incredibly nutritious and absolutely delicious, these special fruits are one of the world’s favourites. In the UK, mid-July is prime cherry time, but it takes around three or four years for the first crop to appear. The trees themselves are a delicacy for caterpillars, and the fruits are a delicacy for us. More than a tasty treat, cherries have superb properties; they are anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and offer pain relief. This official super fruit even fights cancer and heart disease.
Popular cherries include maraschino, black, bing and rainier cherries. Sweet cherries as a whole are indigenous to Europe, western Asia and northern Africa. In fact, the cherry was first exported to Europe from northern Turkey, arriving in the Roman Empire during 72BC. The cherry then made its way to England at the request of Henry VIII. Though both of these were big moves for the cherry, they have been enjoyed since prehistoric times.
Record-Breaking Cherries
Cherries aren’t just tasty, attractive fruits. They are a competitive sport; at least, they are used in various competitions. Here are just three cherry-related records:
Best Cherry Blossom
In May 2010, Britain’s largest cherry tree blossomed, as it has done for around 150 years. It yields enough cherries each July to make about nine jars of jam, according to the Telegraph.
Biggest Cherry Pie
Oliver, British Columbia produced the world’s largest ever cherry pie in 1992. It was made with the world’s biggest cherry pie pan, but in lieu of the pan, Traverse City, Michigan still holds the official title for World’s Largest Cherry Pie Pan. Theirs was baked in 1987 by Chef Pierre Pies and weighed 28,350lbs with a diameter of 17ft 6 in.
Beefiest Ever Cherry
Now for the world’s heaviest cherry. Grown by none other than Gerardo Maggipinto, this magnificent cherry was unveiled to the world on 21st June 2003. The cherry was presented to the public during an event in Italy, and it weighed a staggering 21.69 grams or 0.76 ounces. Certainly more than your average light snack.
So there you have it; a quick glance into the wonderful world of the cherry. Now, there are lots of different ways people celebrate Cherry Month.
Some choose to break world records with giant cherry pies, others have cherry pie or cherry fruit eating contests, and yet others simply enjoy more cherry treats than normal; cherry juice or wine, cherry-flavoured sweets, various recipes, and even cherry-infused bubble bath and so on.
If you want to celebrate Cherry Month though, why don’t you do so with the help of Little Cherry? You can throw a party in our honour, with lots of different cherry-inspired food and drink for your cherry-loving friends.
To create that party vibe, you can look at some of our planet-friendly party supplies, and if you like the thought of making life easier by cutting down on post-party clean-up, we have plenty of disposable party plates and tableware too.
Just browse the site, start planning your soiree and enjoy.
Happy (Little) Cherry Month!