Hey there, you wanna know somethin’? I heard folks talkin’ ’bout cherries for fruit cake. Cherries, yeah, those red things. Good for fruit cake, they say. I reckon, why not? Fruit cake needs somethin’ in it, might as well be cherries.
I ain’t no fancy baker, but I seen a thing or two. My neighbor, she makes fruit cake every year. Puts all sorts of stuff in it. But cherries, them’s important. Gotta have the right kind, I suppose.
What Kinda Cherries?
Now, I heard there’s a whole heap of different cherries. More than you can shake a stick at, someone told me. Over a thousand, can you believe it? Like, who needs that many kinds of cherries? But for fruit cake, I guess you gotta pick the right ones.
- Sweet ones, them Bing cherries or somethin’. They’re juicy, taste good.
- Rainier cherries, them too, I guess they’re sweet cherries.
- And then there’s them sour ones. Mont-moren-cy, sounds fancy, don’t it? Good for bakin’, they say.
So, which one you pick? I don’t rightly know. Depends on what you like, I reckon. Me, I like ’em sweet. But for a cake, maybe them sour ones balance it out. You don’t want it too sweet, maybe. Makes your teeth hurt.
How ‘Bout Them Fancy Cherries?
Then there’s them other cherries. You know, the ones in the jar. Maraschino cherries, that’s what they call ’em. Bright red, like a fire truck. They put ’em on top of ice cream sundaes and such. Sweet, real sweet. Preserved, they say. Keeps ’em from goin’ bad, I suppose.
And Glace cherries, them’s different. Covered in sugar, all candied up. Like little jewels, almost. Shiny and sweet. I remember havin’ them as a kid. Special treat, them was. They put sugar syrup on them, cook them in the sugar.
Can you put them in fruit cake? Sure, why not? I seen folks put all sorts of things in fruit cake. Nuts, dried fruit, even them little candied fruit pieces. So, maraschino or glace cherries, I reckon they’d work. Just don’t put too many. Too much sweet ain’t good for nobody.
Fruit Cake, a Classic
Fruit cake, now that’s somethin’ else. Some folks love it, some folks hate it. Me, I don’t mind it. Specially around the holidays. It’s kinda like tradition, you know? Like that Mary Berry lady, she has a fruit cake. People love that recipe, make it every year. They said it’s a classic. Dried fruits and almond, must be good.
My neighbor, she makes hers with all kinds of dried fruit. Raisins, apricots, you name it. And nuts, gotta have nuts in a fruit cake. Walnuts, pecans, whatever she’s got on hand. And of course, cherries. Gotta have them cherries.
She soaks the fruit in somethin’, too. Brandy, I think. Makes it all moist and flavorful. Then she bakes it low and slow. Takes a while, but it’s worth it, she says. The whole house smells like Christmas when she’s bakin’ that fruit cake.
Another Cake with Cherries
I heard about another cake, too. Coconut and Cherry Loaf Cake, they call it. That Mary Berry lady, she makes this one, too. Sounds fancy, don’t it? But I reckon it ain’t too hard to make. Coconut and cherries, that’s a good combination.
They say it’s a soft cake, with coconut in it. And them glace cherries, all chopped up and mixed in. Sounds kinda nice, don’t it? Maybe I’ll try makin’ it sometime. If I can find them glace cherries, that is. Ain’t seen ’em in the store lately.
Cherries, Good for What Ails Ya
Cherries ain’t just for cakes, you know. They’re good for you, too. Got vitamins and such. Good for your health, I heard. My grandma, she used to eat cherries all the time. Said they helped her joints. Don’t know if that’s true, but she lived to be a hundred, so maybe there’s somethin’ to it.
You can eat ’em fresh, right off the tree. That’s the best way, I reckon. Or you can make pie with ’em. Cherry pie, that’s a classic. Or cobbler, that’s good, too. Just stewed cherries with a biscuit topping. Simple and delicious.
So, there you have it. Cherries for fruit cake, and other things, too. They’re versatile little things, them cherries. Sweet or sour, fresh or preserved, they got a place in the kitchen. And in your belly, too. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I think I’m gonna go find me some cherries. Got a hankerin’ for somethin’ sweet.
