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Food Forum

Sour cherry time; the perfect garlic head

By Elysia Nest

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Three cheers for cherries

Bright-red, thin-skinned sour cherries are coming into the market right now.

While they’re too sour to eat on their own, they make spectacular pies and are also fabulous in jams or compost with other fruits.

Sour cherries are delicate, without much of a shelf life to speak of — they’ll keep for about three days at the most in a perforated bag in the fridge.

Sweet cherries, which come into season slightly later, are hardier than sour, and keep for about a day or two longer. They can be eaten on their own or used for baking.

Pick large, plump, firm, evenly colored cherries, ideally with stems still attached (the stems help the cherries stay fresh).

Wash them just before you plan to eat them. They can be frozen either in syrup or by themselves, in which case they’ll keep for up to a year.

Quest for garlic

On the hunt for that perfect garlic specimen? Here’s what to look for:

At the market, seek out very firm heads, and avoid bulbs that are dried out or have soft spots.

Green shoots in a bulb are a sign of internal growth in the clove, which is also an indication of old garlic.

As with other produce, bigger doesn’t mean better. Varieties vary in size, and many people find that a smaller bulb has more flavor than a larger one.

As far as storage goes, always keep garlic cool and dry. For just a few heads, a ventilated ceramic container or garlic keeper is perfect.

If you buy a large amount, hang it in a mesh sack in the basement or garage, as long as it’s cool and dry there.

Never store garlic in a plastic bag, and keep it out of the fridge unless you have a low-humidity drawer.

Reader feedback is always welcome. Add your comments below or write to Gazette reporter Elysia Nest at nest@dailygazette.com