Also known as
Sakura

Description
The cherry is a small, round, dark-red fruit. It has a long stalk and a fleshy drupe containing a hard stony seed. Cherries grow on trees in small clusters, and can be classified into two main types: sweet and sour or tart.

• Sweet cherries are larger and heart-shaped. They can be enjoyed freshly picked and are also excellent when cooked. They range in colour from golden and red-blushed to dark red or purplish black.
• Sour cherries are smaller, softer and more globular in shape than sweet cherries. Unlike sweet cherries, most sour varieties are too tart to eat raw, but they are excellent in pies and preserves. Varieties of sour cherries range from bright red to dark mahogany.

Chopped cherries

Pit the cherries (remove the seeds) using a good cherry pitter. If you don’t have a pitter, start by slicing off the top to remove the stem using a sharp knife. Then cut it into half along the centre, and remove the seed. Now, chop the cherries by cutting them into small pieces approximately ¼ inch in diameter, although the chopped food doesn't need to be exactly the same size. Cut finely or into larger pieces depending on the recipe requirement.

Deseeded cherries

You can easily pit the cherries (remove the seeds) using a good cherry pitter. If you don’t have a pitter, start by slicing off the top to remove the stem using a sharp knife. Then cut it into half along the centre, and remove the seed.

Sliced cherries

Pit the cherries (remove the seeds) using a good cherry pitter. If you don’t have a pitter, start by slicing off the top to remove the stem using a sharp knife. Then cut it into half along the centre, and remove the seed. Now, slice by cutting vertically across the cutting board. Slice the cherries thinly or thickly as per the recipe requirement.