A sweet, new cherry that was an accidental discovery, that you need to "accidentally" pick up at the grocery store.
Anyone that knows me, will be able to tell you my dislike for summer heat.
I can deal with the cold in the winter, much better than summer's worst. The Michigan humidity is rough.
During these dog day of summer, I need something to keep my spirits up until cooler weather arrives.
July is the peak of cherry season.
A good bowl of cherries is definately a lift me up.
In recent years, new special varieties of cherries have hit the market place. Skylar Rae. Orondo Ruby, and now Audra Rose.
Right after 4th of July, I spotted these bright red colored cherries at my local Kroger store. Let me you about them.
? Story of this Cherry
Audra Rose was a chance discovery. A woman named Audra Leitz was doing a walk through the family orchard. She came upon a tree with a cherry that was sweeter than the Rainiers, she originally though it was.
The cherry was tested to be sure it was an unique variety and it was!
There are many excellent plant breeders out there that do fantastic work. Yet sometimes the bees just do the work themselves!
? How They are Different
Audra Rose is a sizeable cherry. I compared them to the popular Bing cherries, and they are quite a bit larger.
Their color is a bold, solid red color. More of a true red than the dark cherries that dominate the market. They are also a solid red unlike a Rainier cherry.
? How Do They Taste?
They have a sweet flavor like a Rainier, that is more complex. My wife felt they had a cinnamon undertone to their flavor.
I don't think I can fairly evaluate how firm they are as my container didn't seem to be at optimal freshness.
If you like Rainier cherries, then I recommend Audra Rose to you, it's a good cherry that all cherry fans should try out.
⛅ When in Season?
The harvest begins around the 2nd week of June in Washington. The harvest lasts around 10 days. Leitz Farms is the exclusive grower.
You can find them in stores shortly after that through maybe early-mid July.
? Where to Buy?
Unfortnately I haven't been able to find much information on where to get these cherries. The only place I have seen them was at Kroger near Ann Arbor, Michigan.
I know that they expected 100,000 pounds of them to be harvested in 2020.
Have you found Audra Rose cherries? If so, please leave a comment with what store and location you found them in. Thanks!
? Read These Cherry Posts
When are Bing Cherries in Season
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Matthus Leitz
We were wondering how far they shipped this year. Thanks for writing the article.