One of the most indelible memories of my trips to Paris was walking from the Saint-Paul Metro station, along rue de Rivoli, back to my hotel near the Louvre, eating a basket of cherries, sold by the roadside for 1 euro.
Cherries are cheap in Europe, sold in little baskets just like how some night market sellers sell apples or oranges here. And for as long as I can remember, I have always loved fresh cherries.
I have never tasted fresh cherries as a child, the only cherries I knew were fermented ones on cakes with icing. But when I was a university student in the city, I tried it and loved it instantly.
It was expensive then and the prices have only gone up. A 1kg cherries now could cost RM80 easily but because I like it, I buy them sometimes.
In line with summer, Northwest Cherries, from the United States, are back in season. Small but mighty, this brightly coloured power fruit is unlike any other.
Northwest Cherry Growers recently launched its "Cherish the Moments" to mark the start of the harvest season which is expected to run all the way up to mid-August.
Cherries are also known as the "Diamond of Fruit" because of its nutritional value. Cherries have high content of potassium, Vitamin C and anti-inflammatory properties that helps in preventing or reducing the risk or severity of several chronic inflammatory diseases.
They are also low in glycaemic index and packed with antioxidants, namely the cancer-preventing anthocyanins that can be highly beneficial for one's health.
Cherries also contain melatonin, a hormone that is naturally produced by mammals and is responsible to regulate sleep.
Market representative for Northwest Cherries in Malaysia Retna Malar says Northwest Cherries are of high-quality and hold great value due to its limited availability.
"Given the weather complications of snow during spring this year, the early growing regions were impacted thus resulting in a lower volume of cherries than usual. However, the good news is that the quality of cherries has been one of the best in years,"
"Not only are they larger in size, they are sweeter, juicier, more succulent and crunchier," she says.
Growing cherries is a 12-month affair, and work starts in winter before they grow into clusters of delicious fruits in the summer.
Sweet cherries are grown all over the world; however, the best varieties of cherries are handpicked by growers to produce best quality yield and suit their climate conditions.
Dark cherry varieties such as Chelan, Lapin, Skeena, Santina, and the world-famous Bing are available throughout season and interchange as the season progresses, while the white varieties such as Early Robins and Rainiers are available from June to July.
Order cherry-based desserts at lower prices with GrabFood Promo Code.