Plump and red, sweet and sour, cherries are a delectable summer fruit. Here’s how keep cherries at their tastiest:
• At the store, be picky: Select only those cherries that are glossy, plump and dark-colored for their variety. Pass on undersized cherries or those that are overly soft.
• At home, keep refrigerated: Cherries are highly perishable and don’t ripen further after being picked — leaving them at room temperature will only speed up their decay. Keep cherries refrigerated, in a plastic bag or covered container.
• Don’t wash until ready to eat: Hold off on washing cherries until you’re ready to eat them — the excess moisture created by washing makes them spoil faster.
• Use within a week: Cherries will keep at top quality in the refrigerator for about a week; you can also freeze them for longer-term storage, as detailed here.
