Cherry

Cherries, bite-sized, sweet, firm-fleshed, bright and refreshing with acidity that balances the finish like a well-made wine, then a pit to satisfyingly spit, the sight of the fruit on trees or in market stands the surest sign that early summer is here, might just be my favorite food.

Cultivated and enjoyed all over the world, cherries - along with other members of the Prunus genus like plums, peaches, apricots - were endemic to the old world. (())

Cherries can end up in pies, tarts, cobblers and crisps. They can be brandied or dried. Savory glazes, compotes and chutneys are also possibilities. But the truest expression of a cherry is found in eating them one by one in serious quantities during the brief window in which their ripe, ideally in a part of the world where they're grown.

Health-wise, cherries are rich in polyphenols and anthocyanins, which have been shown to reduce inflammation.