An Oregon Specialty

If you love cherries as much as we do, you’ll be excited to know it’s cherry season! Oregon is the third largest sweet cherry producer in the United States, behind Washington and California. That means plenty of cherries for everyone at the markets!

One of the most popular cherries in the country is the Bing cherry.  Bing cherries were first created in 1875 in nearby Milwaukie by Oregon pioneer and abolitionist Seth Lewelling and his Manchurian foreman, Ah Bing, for whom the Bing cherry is named. Unfortunately, not much is known about Bing, but his name lives on over 140 years later in the world-class cherry he helped to create. In fact, the Bing cherry is so well-known and favored, that other varieties of sweet cherry are often described by comparing their qualities to those of the Bing cherry.

Cherries come in two categories: sweet and tart. Sweet cherries are best for eating raw—they make a wonderfully refreshing snack during these hot summer days! In comparison, tart cherries are best eaten cooked with sugar to take the edge off of their tartness, such as in pies, cobblers, jams, or jellies. Both kinds will be available in the Northwest from now until late August, so make sure to stop by one of our markets to try them out! Don’t be afraid to stock up, either, as cherries can be stored long-term if you dry, can, or freeze them.

Check out our cherry vendors on our Available in June blog here!

Cherry Cobbler

Recipe by Miranda Williams

Ingredients

Batter

• ½ cup butter

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• 1 cup white sugar

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1 cup milk

Cherries

• 2 cups pitted tart cherries

• ¾ cup white sugar

• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350° F. Melt butter and pour into 9x13 inch baking pan.

Stir together 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, and baking powder in a medium bowl. Stir in milk until blended well. Pour over butter in the baking pan (do not stir).

Toss cherries with ¾ cup white sugar and 1 tablespoon flour. Pour cherries evenly over batter in the baking pan (do not stir).

Bake for 50-60 minutes, until golden brown and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.