California supplies the entire country with fresh commercial production, and ships cherries all over the world. Japan and Taiwan are the biggest customers, followed by Canada and Mexico on this continent. Depending on European crops, Italy and Germany may also rely on California suppliers.

Australia is the latest player in the international cherry game. California cherries are the only U.S. fruit approved to enter the country.  Of course there are pockets of production all over Australia that grow local cherries for roadside stands and specialty stores, but California and the Northwest are the largest commercial producers supplying the region, with Michigan trailing right behind.

Cherries, like most produce, are sorted and packed by size for commercial distribution. In the old days, they were graded according to how many cherries fit in a row of a standard flat lug crate. Today, not much has changed. Every produce item has a standard-sized container, with fruit graded according to how it fits inside. The smaller the number, the larger the fruit, and vice versa.  If there are nine cantaloupes in a box, then they’re pretty large. If 23 can fit, they’re on the small size. In the case of cherries, 10–11 per row in a standard crate seems to be the supermarket norm, while 8 per row and larger are generally sent overseas.

Selection
Look for bing cherries that are dark red to almost black, but still firm with fresh green stems. They should be shiny and not stick together. Avoid soft and "leaky" cherries, and those that are sticky or dull with loose, dry, brown stems. These cherries are on their way out!
           
Storage
Keep fresh cherries in a plastic or paper bag, unwashed, in the coldest area of your refrigerator. They will keep for up to three days, and then start to soften.  Do not wash your cherries until you are ready to eat or prepare them. Cherries absorb water through their skin, and washing them prior to storage will cause them to break down much more quickly.

Nutrition
Cherries are loaded with vitamin C and dietary fiber. They also deliver potassium, vitamin A, iron and calcium. 

Preparation
Every chef has a favorite cherry recipe, but I prefer to enjoy the fruit as simply as possible. Add them to fruit salad for a jolt of color and flavor. Stir them into thick Greek yogurt. Or toss them into a cobbler along with peaches and berries. The very best way to eat cherries? Pop them in your mouth and spit out the pit!

Bits and Pits
Cherries were discovered in the southern region of the Black Sea and introduced to Rome around 60 BC. They instantly rose to popularity, and eventually reached other provinces including Germany, Belgium and later, Britain. Ultimately, French colonists brought the fruit to the Great Lakes area of Michigan. In the 1860’s, a successful grower named his new cherry variety after his work crew foreman, Bing. The rest, as they say, is history.

Call it gross or call it good fun… cherry eating and pit-spitting go hand in hand. For most of us, getting rid of the pits is simply a necessity. But for the folks in Eau Claire Michigan, it’s a sport. Every July, Eau Claire is host to the International Cherry Pit Spitting Contest. Folks from around the world participate in the event, which even includes a Pit Spitting Handbook. Start practicing now, and you could be the champion someday!