General Information
Sour cherries, unlike their sweet counterpart, are too sour for some people’s tastes to be eaten fresh (although Europeans and Middle Easterners regularly eat them fresh.) They are used in cooking, especially in soups and pork dishes, and pies. Also dried sour cherries are commonly used in cooking. They are also used in combination with sugar, which balances the acidity and brings out the fruit’s aroma and flavor. Thus a variety of liqueurs, desserts, preserves and drinks are made with sour cherries or sour cherry syrup.
History
Sour cherries are native to the Caucasus Mountains between the Black Sea and Caspian Sea. They are also thought be native to Eastern Europe, where they were cultivated and classified as a new, independent species. Sour cherry trees are cultivated by grafting varieties onto strong growing rootstocks. Rootstocks are chosen for climate, region, soil tolerance and to control the size of the tree. Popular rootstocks include Gisela and Mazzard, which are widely used throughout Europe and North America. Most sour cherry trees require three years of growth before they produce fruit.
