As far as city nicknames go, Oregon state capital Salem’s is more respectable (and tastier) than most. Jerome, Arizona, is America’s “Most Vertical City,” Dubach, Louisiana is the “Dogtrot Capital of the World,” and Kelso, Washington is the “Smelt Capital of the World.” “The Cherry City” (Salem’s nickname, for those not in the know) is certainly more exciting than Paducah, Kentucky’s claim to fame as “The Quilt City,” at any rate.
Why cherries? Sure, they’re delicious and they make a mean pie… but there must be something more to this tiny, tree-born treat.
Cherries are botanically related to roses, and belong in the Latin genus Prunus. There are a variety of cultivars within that genus, ranging from fruits tart enough to make your mouth pucker to the sweet drops used as maraschinos (which usually grace the top of our ice cream sundaes). Here in Oregon, we’re famous for a number of varieties that have thrived here – mostly sweet cherries. The Royal Anns are what you’ll usually find in those aforementioned jars of maraschinos, but the Bing variety is just as well known. Oregon’s also home to Corum cherries (which ripen slightly before the Royal Anns), Rainiers (a local delicacy, as they bruise easily and are difficult to ship), and Lamberts (grown mostly for shipping and processing).
The cherry has a long history, and was probably first cultivated in Persia, then later brought to Rome. In addition to being prized for their fruit, the tree blossoms are also admired – each year, Washington D.C. holds an annual Cherry Blossom Festival in the Capitol, where visitors can delight at the fragrant trees in bloom. Most of these trees were donated by Japan, as a gesture of friendship. Cherries are also fat-free and a good source of fiber, so haunting those same trees for a snack later on in the year might not be such a bad idea, nutritionally. Cherries are also rich in antioxidants, and believed to help cure the gout.
The cherry tree has gained the most popularity in folklore as being the tree that helped to prove our first President was an honest man – good old George W. admitted to harming his father’s favorite cherry tree, and sealed himself in the nation’s collective subconscious as an honest and contrite young man. However, cherries do not figure prominently in much folklore or legend – at least in the US. One popular Japanese tale discusses a man who belivees his fate to be linked with that of a certain cherry tree, but beyond that, we don’t have many references to ancient ideals of cherries.
One memory I’ve recently made was a delicious Persian dish I had – Lemon Chicken with Sour Cherry. Though it wasn’t the dish I’d ordered for myself (beef stew with eggplant – which was full of smoky, subtle spice, and delicious nonetheless) my mouth immediately responded to the pleasant mixture of tangy lemons and tart cherries. Preparing a dish like this at home would probably be out of my realm, but if you give it a shot and find a good recipe, please let me know, as I find myself craving it exponentially with each basket of cherries I see at the farmer’s market.
Whether you’re avoiding chopping down a prize tree, indulging in a taste of a foreign land, or simply trying to savor those tastes most easily bruised, enjoy some cherries this month, and show some culinary pride in our state capital. At least it’s more fun than eating lots of smelt.
Green to the Last Bite is a blog of food history and recipes. See recent posts for strawberry shortcake, carrot ginger soup, and asparagus guacamole recipes with a dash of fun facts.