Those who know me well know that I LOVE cherries. In fact, I think I love everything about cherries: from their blossoms which signal the coming of Spring, to their color and wonderful flavor, I think that I am cherry obsessed. I own cherry dishes, send cherry note cards, wear a cherry belly ring...heck, my car is named Cherry (and it's rather tempting to think of naming my first daughter Cherry as well, but I'm smart enough to let that one go! lol!)
I'm not sure when I developed my fascination with the fruit, but I remember looking at red cherries in picture books at my grandparent's house as a kid and being enthralled by the bright red color and clean look of a pair of lovely ripe cherries.
Unfortunately for me, I sometimes find it difficult to express my appropriate cherry love, as in youth culture anyway, cherries have become a symbol of chauvinistic sex...not exactly what I associate them with, but nevertheless, I've had to learn to refrain from doing such things as placing a cherry decal in the back window of my car-that's just asking for all kinds of unwanted attention.
That being said, here is a list of the top 10 things I like...no love, about cherries (in no particular order):
1.They are classic: A fixture in art from all over the world, spanning hundreds of years, cherries defy being categorized as a fad (unlike the apple, strawberry, or mushroom).
2.The melding of clean lines: the curved lines of the fruit paired with the straight lines of the stems...cherries never look cluttered or ill-placed.
3.Red. There is no color more beautiful than a deep, rich, cherry red. (Though white cherries are beautiful too)
4.They taste good in just about ANYTHING! (And I'm not talking about the sickly sweet manufactured flavoring used in medication and artificial fruit punch.) I'm talking about the real deal...in chocolate, coffee drinks (try a white choc. coffee based frapp. with black cherry syurp at Starbucks-awesome!), black forest cakes/milkshakes (I suggest Burgerville)/ham, cherry pie, ice cream (Baskin Robbin's Cherry Jubilee is great), in jello salads, cheese cake, coffee cake, bread, and in juice drinks. They are also wonderful ingredients in marinades and barbecue sauces. Talk about versatile...I think the cherry has even the apple beat in this category.
5.They are wearable: think clothes and jewelery (though, as I mentioned...this should be done with caution and with utmost care-or you will quickly earn an unflattering nickname). Really, have you ever seen someone wearing a kiwi pendant? I didn't think so.
6.They are the perfect mix of sweet and sour.
7.Cherries contain dietary properties that ease pain and inflammation for sufferers of arthritis and gout, as well as for runners and others who experience joint pain. Studies have confirmed that they also help prevent certain types of cancer. And to sweeten the deal, they are full of vitamins as well...yay for cherries!
8.They are easy to pick: no thorns in a cherry tree!
9.They come in sets of two...who wants to stop at one?!
10.Even the wood of the tree they come from is beautiful. Has anyone ever made a dresser out of Apple wood?
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