Cherry time has come

Although their country of origin remains uncertain, traces of the first cherries can be traced back some three thousand years. In France, the cherry is the second most cultivated fruit species in terms of number of farms, with almost 35,000 tonnes expected by 2022. Depending on the variety, cherries are harvested mainly in the south of France: in Roussillon for the earliest varieties, in Vaucluse, the leading cherry producer, in Tarn-et-Garonne, in the Rhône Valley, in the Côteaux du Lyonnais, in the Loire Valley, but also in Alsace (from early May to late July).

Visually, they should be firm and smooth with their stalks. From very sweet to more tart, and from firm and crunchy to softer, there's something to suit every taste. Their color is not an indication of ripeness, as it varies from white to very dark red. With over 200 varieties, bigarreaux represent 80% of the cherries grown in our regions: Burlat, Napoléon, cœur de pigeon, Reverchon or Summit.

Guignes are also appreciated for their sweetness, and griottes and amarelles for their tartness. The amarelle (or Montmorency cherry) is particularly sought-after for jams and brandies. Since 2021, the Coteaux du Ventoux cherry has benefited from an IGP (Protected Geographical Indication). This large-calibre cherry, harvested exclusively by hand from 157 ha in the foothills of Mont Ventoux, is in full bloom from late May to mid-July. We also love the black cherry from Itxassou, used in Basque cakes and jams to accompany ewe's milk cheese.

High in water content (85%) and quite high in calories (55 kcal/100 g), cherries are among the fruits with the highest sugar content. They are also rich in beta-carotene. Fragile, they keep for a few days in a cool place and freeze well, with or without the stone. In the kitchen, they go perfectly with pistachio, angelica, kirsch and chocolate, as well as game and ewe's milk cheese.

Here are a few tips before you start cooking.

• Given their high sugar content, it's best not to over-sweeten cherries in desserts!

• To avoid turning them into marmalade, avoid overcooking.

• Choose a variety according to taste and preparation: Morello cherries or white cherries (Napoleon variety) are perfect for jam.

• To avoid the bitterness of the skin in jam, simply prick the cherries with a fork to bring out some of their juice during cooking.

From pastry chefs to confectioners, chocolatiers and bakers, cherries are a delight!

• Eddie Benghanem's Berlingots, Trianon Palace, Versailles

Berlingots", Eddie Benghanem's signature dessert, are unveiled this summer in a singular combination of sour cherries, thyme blossom and cocoa nibs. "I garnish the crisp pastry of the berlingots with a light thyme flower cream. For the cherries, I cook part of them with the stones, vacuum-cook the cherries and Morello cherries, then prepare a decoction of cherry juice with roasted cocoa nibs. The aromas complement each other perfectly."You'll be seduced by this plated dessert, which combines crispy berlingots, thyme flower ice cream, cherries and blood-red fruit juice enhanced by the grué. A gastronomic tasting of sequenced flavors.

1, boulevard de la Reine, 78000 Versailles.

www.wald orfastoriaversailles.fr

• Cherry-pistachio tart from Frédéric Comyn, pâtisserie Colbert, Sceaux

A devilishly gourmet tart. A pistachio-flavored almond cream is layered on a crisp pastry crust, topped with fresh Morello cherries. "I love fresh cherries, especially Morello cherries for their slightly tart notes. I've decided to accompany them with a pistachio cream pastry base and not bake them. I add them generously to the tart after baking."A dessert that seems to have come straight from the orchard, which you can enjoy as you please, starting with the cherries or biting into a slice of this heart-catching tart.

49, rue Houdan, 92330 Sceaux.

https:// www.patisseriecolbert.fr/

• Christine Ferber's jams, Niedermorschwihr

Deeply attached to her region, Christine Ferber selects the different varieties of cherries she uses in Westhoffen. Hedelfingen variety for preserves, white Napoleon cherry, Guillaume cherry or Montmorency Morello cherry from Sauvigny for the must-have jams, black Westhoffen cherry for mendiants, flan tarts or shortbread tartses à la crème d'amandes, or Montmorency de Sauvigny cherries for confectionery, as many varieties as creations. "We pit the cherries one by one by hand, as my father used to do, to make our jams."We let ourselves be carried away by this fruity whirlwind: the Montmorency Morello cherry jelly with raspberry brandy, the "Forêt Noire", an extra jam made with Morello cherries from Alsace and kirsch, and the incredible white cherry jam, rich in fruit. The magic of Christine Ferber's jams!

18, rue des Trois-Épis, 68230 Niedermorschwihr.

www.chri stineferber.com

• Angelica cherry nougat from Paul Lopez, Clermont-Ferrand

This tender nougat is 100% local, handcrafted. Paul Lopez takes care to make it with mountain honey from Theix, which he enriches with angelica and beautiful candied cherries selected at Cruzilles. "I came up with the idea of combining the slightly bitter notes of angelica with the more tangy ones of morello cherry. Visually, it also creates a beautiful contrast of colors."We've been loving these melt-in-your-mouth nougats since 2014, with a special mention for the limited-edition Angelica Morello cherry "creation".

Nougat des Arts. 9, rue de Ballainvilliers, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand.

www.leno ugatdesarts.com

• Anthony Courteille's cherry clafoutis, Paris

Anthony Courteille's incredibly fruity clafoutis is made with yellow and red cherries, without the stones, and organic candied cherries! "I wanted a fruity clafoutis with an appliance that has nothing to do with a flan. I use raw milk, whole eggs, a mixture of whole sugars (rapadura, palm sugar and blond sugar) and I add a little almond powder to prevent the mixture from drying out."We love the ultra-fruity taste and rich fruit content of this baked dessert par excellence, whose deliciousness is enhanced by the slight resistance and "very cherry" side of the candied fruit.

Sain. 15, rue Marie et Louise, 75010 Paris.

www.sain -boulangerie.com

• Morello cherry with kirsch from Bernachon, Lyon

In addition to Bernachon's classic "Président", with its cherry-candied cherries and hazelnut praline ganache, we also offer traditional Morello cherries in brandy. "When cherries are in season, we choose Morello cherries from the Monts du Lyonnais and macerate them in 90° alcohol flavored with kirsch. Then we draw from jars throughout the year to make them."The cherries are drained, then dipped in fondant before being coated in homemade dark chocolate. You can't resist a handful of these chocolatier-confiseur cherries.

42, cours Franklin-Roosevelt, 69006 Lyon.

www.bernachon.com