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The farmer's market can be a great place for discovering different varieties of fruit that the grocery stores have either long forgotten or never carried about in the first place. On a trip to my most fruqented farmer's market - the Ann Arbor Farmer's Market, I found one of the vendors there was selling Queen Anne cherries. Never heard of that variety. It was before the days of me having a smartphone so I didn't look them up, I decided to just buy them and try them at home.
What are Queen Anne cherries?
They are a sweet, light colored cherry, who also go by the name of Royal Ann(e). They are cherries that you can eat out of hand or cook with. You can find these cherries in both Michigan and Oregon, and I assume Washington as well. They are very similar in appearance to Rainier cherries. You might have trouble telling them a part at first glance. When you bite into them, the difference could not be more clear. Queen Anne cherries are on the very tart side while Rainier are very sweet. Your taste buds will have no problem distinguishing the two.
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Queen Anne Used for Cordial Cherries
You may recognize that Queen Anne name from the Christmas season. Although cherry season is far away from the Christmas season, Queen Anne cordial cherries are a popular gift item. I personally don't like them so don't buy them for me. Queen Anne cherries are also popular in the making of maraschino cherries.
Canned Queen (Royal) Anne Cherries
If you can't find fresh queen anne cherries not all hope is lost. You should be able to find the canned version. Here is what you can buy:
- Oregon Fruit Royal Anne Cherries - Oregon Fruit sells canned Royal Anne cherries along with a whole line of canned fruits that are not easy to find (Boysenberries and Gooseberries for example) .
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Joared
Thanks for explaining the difference between Royal Anne and Ranier cherries as I was recently wondering and no one with whom I talked seemed to know. Glad to learn of Ann Arbor's Farmer's Market for when I next visit family living there.
Sandy
Thanks Eric for the blog. I live in the country by Albany, Oregon. My neighbor has so much fruit that she gave me apples last year when we met at her garage sale. This year I asked her if I could pick cherries for my daughter's wedding. We are making jams and syrup if I fail at the recipe. My neighbor kept saying "no Queen Anne cherries" when I called them bing cherries. I did not know the difference. Since my husband is from Michigan and family live there, Queen Anne cherries grow in 2 great states. Thanks again
PS. We are trying a cherry brandy jam. It is pretty too.Sandy
Carol Axford
My son moved in to a home last year and found he had a Queen Ann Cherry tree in his back yard. Can you pick, wash, remove the pits and freeze them in ziplock bags, or do you have to can them?
Are there any good recipes for fresh cherries?
steve mera
had queen anne cherry tree in our backyard when I was a little kid, they are great eating,you have to pick them fast,the birds love them,plus,they did not last on the tree for very long.