What are Rainier Cherries?

The Rainier cherry is a sweet, light-colored (some call them golden) cherry that is white on the inside. They are considered a “premium” cherry so you will find them to be more expensive at your local supermarket (I got some on sale at Meijer in Michigan for $3 a pound). They are a great cherry for eating out of hand and can also be used in cooking. These cherries were first culivated at Washington State University in 1952. They are still grown there as well as in California. The California crops ripens first sometime in May, and the Washington crops ripens sometime in July. The bag I bought was from California. Rainiers are so well liked they got their own day – July 11th is National Rainer Cherry Day.