Good morning, how are you? I wanted to bring you our series celebrating Food Holidays: February 2022 is National Cherry Month. David says you can give him Fresh Cherries and he would be a Happy Camper. While Charlie says he will pass on all kinds of Cherries.
If it was my choice, I would just go to Braum’s or Sonic or Dairy Queen and order either a Cherry Coke or a Dr. Pepper and have them fix me a beverage with Cherry Syrup and Marshiano Cherries although a Sundae with a Cherry would be nice as well.
National Cherry Month in February celebrates one of the most prominent fruits, Cherries. Cherries are packed full of flavor, and history, and a plethora of varieties. Cherries range from sweet to tart, bright red to vibrant yellow, there is a world beyond that jar of Maraschino Cherries. Venture forward into National Cherry Month and whatever you do, make sure Cherries are on the menu.
HISTORY OF NATIONAL CHERRY MONTH
Cherries have been a staple for Centuries. From the Roman Empire to the Chinese Dynasties, Cherries have been on the plate of millions and came to America by ship with early settlers in the 1600s.
Modern-day Cherry production in the United States began in 1852 when Peter Dougherty started to plant Cherry Trees on Old Mission Peninsula in the state of Michigan. The Midwest area proved to have an ideal climate for growing Cherries and mass harvesting soon took place, with the first commercial tart Cherry Orchards in Michigan being planted in 1893. Soon production surpassed other major crops and the first Cherry processing facility, Traverse City Canning Company, was built with the ruby-red fruit soon being shipped to neighboring cities in the Midwest. Outreach to the entire Country was created shortly after.
February was chosen as National Cherry Month for numerous reasons, one reason dates back to 1912 when Japan gifted 3000 Cherry Trees to the United States, a symbol of friendship between the two nations. The park where the trees were planted still stands in Washington DC.
February is also the month where both President’s Day and George Washington’s Birthday occur. With Washington ingrained in American Culture as the “alleged chopper of the Cherry Tree”. The tale goes that George Washington’s father had asked who chopped down a Cherry Tree on the family’s farm. The young Washington answered, “I cannot tell a lie, I chopped down the Cherry Tree.” This event helped shape the first president’s honest and trustworthy persona.
NATIONAL CHERRY MONTH ACTIVITIES
- Cherries, according to a study by the University of Vermont, contain Anti-inflammatory properties and can be a tremendous aid in reducing soreness. Cherries are the perfect drink to hydrate after working out.
- Cherries pack a sweet punch with none of the guilt. A cup has only 87 calories and a healthy quota of Sugar. Tart Cherries are packed with Antioxidants and are perfect for those watching their health and Sugar intake.
- Cherries are an awesome Fruit to use in baked goods, but none is as known or loved as Cherry Pie.
5 FACTS ABOUT CHERRIES
- The tale of America’s first President George Washington chopping down a Cherry Tree may have been made up for an autobiography.
- Japanese cherry blossom trees don’t produce fruit, but this type of tree is iconic for its beautiful pink flowers and isn’t fruit-bearing.
- One Cherry Tree can produce up to 7,000 Cherries.
- The Cherry Pits that Roman Soldiers threw away eventually became Trees that grew all across the empire.
- There are more than 1,000 varieties of Cherry Trees and the sweet-tart split is pretty even, but only twenty percent are commercially harvested.
WHY PEOPLE LOVE NATIONAL CHERRY MONTH
- Originating in Europe and Northern Africa, Cherries have been consumed for thousands of years. King Henry VIII, famous primarily for his multiple wives and their varied untimely demises, is responsible for first introducing the Fruit to England, from where it came to America
- Food that’s good for you never tastes good, right? Wrong. Cherries are filled with Vitamins A, B, C, and E. Together, these Vitamins help Blood Circulation, Hair Growth, stress management, and reduce Cancer risk. Take that, multivitamins.
- Strawberries had better start sweating because Cherries can be baked, juiced, jammed, grilled, dried, and even put in Cocktails. There is Cherry Ice Cream, Cherry Coca-Cola, Cherry Cobbler and many more recipes that include Cherries.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
