Produce Briefs...
Orange Honeydew Melon
Oval-to-round and a delicious cross between a cantaloupe and a honeydew, the very fleshy juicy orangish-yellow pulp of the orange honeydew melon is encased in a hard very yellow matching rind.
Spring Onions
Spring onions are most often utilized raw. The whole onion can be flash blanched and grilled, which brings out more the robust and sweet elements of the onions, and makes them a bolder pair for fish and meats
Seasons/Availability
Rainier Cherries are available during late spring and summer.
Current Facts
All cherries are members of the family, Prunus and are descendents of the wild cherry, Prunus avium. They are classified as stone fruits, alongside apricots, plums, peaches and almonds. Stone fruits are climacteric in nature, which means the fruit continues to ripen post-harvest. The Rainier cherry is a hybrid of two very sweet, red varieties, the Bing cherry and Van cherry. Photosynthesis, the process of creating glucose, is a cherry tree's most important job. Rainier cherry trees create high levels of glucose in the fruit, thus they measure high on the Brix scale, which measures the percentage of sugar content in a fruit. A 24%-28% Brix measurement is the common percentage for Rainier cherries and one of the highest of all stone fruit.
Description/Taste
Rainier cherries distinguish themselves from all other cherry varieties by the color of their skin and the unparalleled high sugar levels. Their coloring, layers of golden hues blushed with tones of pink and red, is unequivocally unique. Their shape is quintessential cherry: plump, rounded and slightly heart-shaped with a dimple at the stem end. The flesh is a pale golden color with red streaks near the skin and seed. The flavor of Rainier cherries is memorably sweet and low acid with a caramel-like finish on the palate.
Applications
Rainier cherries are best for fresh eating or as an ingredient in desserts such as ice cream, cakes, pies, pastries and tarts. Sweet pairings include other stone fruit, especially apricots and plums, berries, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, dark chocolate and white chocolate, cream, maple and almond. Complimentary savory pairings include herbs such as basil and arugula, cilantro flowers, hazelnut, pistachio and olive oil, citrus, smoked fish, anchovies, pork, chiles, ginger, pepitas, pine nuts, scallops, fresh cheeses such as chevre and burrata and aged sheep's and cow's milk cheeses.
Geography/History
The Rainier cherry (named after Mount Rainier) was developed in 1952 by Harold Fogle for Washington State University's breeding program. The fruit was released to the public in 1960. The mother tree which produced the very first Rainier fruits still grows on the same orchard five miles from the University station in Prosser, Washington. Washington state remains the premier growing region for Rainier cherries. Its complex climate contributes to plumper, sweeter cherries than any other growing regions. it is geographically strange that Washington state produces the best Rainier cherries because they are one of the most sensitive cultivars to wind, temperature fluctuation and rain. Rainier cherries need abundant sunlight, thus cherries are picked from the outside in, as the outer fruit matures first. It is common for a harvester to return to the same tree several times during one season.
Featured Restaurants
Restaurants currently purchasing this product as an ingredient for their menu.
| Lauberge Del Mar | Del Mar CA | 858-259-1515 |
| Searsucker | San Diego CA | 619-233-7327 |
| Sbicca | Del Mar CA | 858-481-1001 |
| Golden Door | San Marcos CA | 760-761-4142 |
| Brigantine Del Mar | Del Mar CA | 858-481-1166 |
| Hotel Del Coronado Banquets | Coronado CA | 619-435-6611 |
| Marine Room | San Diego CA | 858-551-4676 |
| Fishery | San Diego CA | 858-272-9985 |
| Cork and Platter | San Diego CA | 619-253-8311 |
| Miho Gastrotruck | San Diego CA | 619-867-4295 |
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Rainier Cherries. One
is easiest, three is harder.| Cannelle et Vanille |
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Rainier Cherry and Pumpkin Seed Butter Finaciers |
| Neo-Homesteading |
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Preserved Cherries Jubilee |
| The Leftover Queen |
|
(Not Julia's) Cherry Clafoutis |
Recently Spotted
People have spotted Rainier Cherries using the Specialty Produce app for iPhone and Android.
Produce Spotting allows you to share your produce discoveries with your neighbors and the world! Is your market carrying green dragon apples? Is a chef doing things with shaved fennel that are out of this world? Pinpoint your location annonymously through the Specialty Produce App and let others know about unique flavors that are around them.
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Hiller's Markets Near West Bloomfield Township, Michigan, United States About 2 days ago Whole Foods Market Near San Diego, California, United States About 2 days ago Spotter's comments : Rainier Cherries spotted at Whole Foods Market. |
