Ontario Cherries: Now in Season

You can’t miss the beautiful deep red colour of ripe Ontario cherries in the Hamilton Farmers’ Market. These vibrant Ontario fruits are burst with sweet & sour flavours for you to enjoy. 

Did you know there are two varieties of Ontario Cherries for you to enjoy:

SWEET CHERRIES:

 Varieties include: Hedelfingen, Vista, Viva, Vega, Vogue, Viscount and Van, and the Bing variety. Two new varieties include Vandelay and Tehraniveewere (introduced in 1996).

SOUR CHERRIES:

Varieties include: Montmorency.

So, what’s the difference you ask?

Sweet cherries taste sweeter and are eaten fresh. Sour cherries are very tart, and most people prefer to use them in pies, jams, preserves, jellies, and butter, adding sugar to sweeten them. 

Fast Facts about Ontario Cherries:

• Cherries are native to Asia. They have been cultivated by many different people throughout the ages, from the ancient Romans and early Britons to the Chinese, Japanese and Persians.
• Raw sweet cherries: 1 cup (250 mL) contains 81 calories and are a great source of Vitamin C and potassium.
• Cherries take well to preserving so you can enjoy the dried variety all year long
• Cherries are an antioxidant-rich food
• Anthocyanins in cherries are what give the fruit its red color and help protect the heart and surrounding tissues

Tips when buying and storing:

• When buying cherries, look for ones that are firm, and richly coloured with green stems
• Keep them dry and discard any crushed fruit – their juice can spoil the fruit around them
• Both the sweet and sour types should be refrigerated as soon as possible
• Chilling the cherries not only helps preserves them but also seems to improve the flavour
• Wash the cherries just before eating or cooking with them, and make sure to remove the pit.

You can grab a delicious basket of Ontario Cherries today from the Hamilton Farmers’ Market. We are located in the heart of downtown Hamilton. Cherries are usually in season until the end of July!  Plan your trip today!