Montmorency cherries

Do you know the name of the most popular tart cherry? It makes up about 95% of the tart cherries in the world, with the Morello coming in a very distant second. It’s the Montmorency cherry!  If you intend to do some baking, these tart cherries are the ones to use, because they have such a wonderful flavor! 

The Montmorency cherry is a variety of sour cherry grown in Canada, France and the United States. Michigan and Wisconsin are great places to find Montmorency cherries. These cherries trace back to ancient Rome. Romans would cultivate these tiny red fruits along the Black Sea. Those that visited would take them back where they were from and help spread the cherries. The name comes from an area in France near Paris. 

These large , light to dark red cherries have been cultivated in the U.S. since the 20th century. The Montmorency is the most popular sour cherry in the U.S. and Canada. They are used in cherry pies, jams and preserves. The cherry also finds it way into the dried fruit market as well as juice. 

The Monmorency cherries help to better the systolic blood pressure as well as circulate phenolic acid