Fresh/Frozen Sour Cherries

Anyone who recalls Door County or Michigan summers pitting sour cherries for pie will be delighted to find fresh sour cherries at the Oakton Marketplace in Skokie. They are getting tons and tons of local produce, and it rivals the farmers' markets in quality, and certainly is much more reasonably priced.

Friday night: cherry pie!

Marketplace on Oakton
4817 Oakton
Skokie IL
847.677.9339

Wow Franabanana, thanks! I am there!

I have been having scheduling probs getting to the Farmer's Markets this year and, if I can't connect on Saturday or Sunday mornings, I am left with a week of store-bought produce instead of the good stuff ha ha ha ha

And I really thought that sour cherries were over for the year. I am heading out the door for Marketplace. One more cherry pie this year would be quite lovely, imho. Thank you again for the tip. --Joy

I know, I know. It's not the right season for cherry pie. But I have some cherry pie fanatics in my Thanksgiving group. (There was even a dust-up over the lone cherry pie two years ago. A practical joke centering on the pie went awry; insults were hurled; one grown man stormed off, and another sulked.) Personally, I believe that pie is important, and I don't think that Thanksgiving is a time to require superhuman self-control of middle-aged people, so, in the spirit of indulgence, I will be making 2 pumpkin, 1 apple, 1 tarte tatin aux pommes, 1 mince, 1 pecan, and 2 EXTRA LARGE cherry pies this year. I could use the Hungarian jarred sour cherries carried at Marketplace on Oakton. But I prefer frozen sour cherries, as they seem a bit brighter tasting. Anyone seen them out there?

HI,

Just out of curiosity, how many people are you feeding with your pies?

This may not help this moment, but something to consider next summer in July-August. Von Bergen's sells frozen sour cherries in several gallon pails. I have occasionally bought these containers, semi defrosted them and divided the contents into quart bags to refreeze. Maybe this is something we could split between us next year?

Last year I tried to locate rhubarb off season. While off season rhubarb was popping up here and there, but I was always just a tad too late. The best suggestion I received was to go to Treasure Island, where I did get frozen rhubarb.

Von Bergen's Country Market
9805 Route 173 Hebron, IL 60034
Tel: 815/648-2332
(Between Richmond and Hebron, just along the Illinois-Wisconsin border)

Hmm, saw the topic and thought of all the montmorency cherries sitting in my parents freezer. Nice tart cherries for pie.

They might be willing to part with some. Where do you live? They live in the NW burbs.

Nancy

Cathy and Nancy,

Thanks for the kind replies!

I am feeding about 15-20 people but most everyone wants (translation: fights over) the pie leftovers to take home. Cherry is particularly hotly contested, as noted in OP.

Cathy: Good idea on the frozen cherries for next year. I should have done that myself, when in Traverse City, but I had no cooler on that trip and it was a hot drive, so I passed 'em up. By the way, I've had no trouble locating rhubarb out of season. Treasure Island usually carries it, as you mentioned.

That said, Nancy, I'd happily take you up on your offer, if it wouldn't put your parents out too much. I'd love to reimburse them for their precious harvest, as well. I'm in Evanston. Have car, open schedule for now. Maybe you could send me a pm if your folks are on board. I am touched by your kindness!

It's a long way away, but maybe you have a friend up there... The Elegant Farmer in Mukwonago (about 5 minutes n. of the freeway exit) has Door County cherries frozen by the pint and quart, sweetened or unsweetened.

Doesn't get much better than that.

Geo

I found frozen sour cherries at Sunset Foods in Northbrook earlier in the fall. No idea if they still have them. I got the impression it was not a regularly stocked item.

I found dried montmorency cherries today at Whole Foods in Palatine (a pretty average location for selection). Those are indeed sour pie cherries.

They were still kinda soft, bet if you macerated them a bit they might work out, but it could be tricky.

They just figured out that montmorency cherries have a health benefit, that's why they were packaged that way. Dried in some organic apple juice or something.

If you want to try this, it might be nice to get the one bag of frozen ones my parent's are willing to give up....

Nancy

Hi,

Von Bergen's sour cherries are from Michigan. They are usually available from late July until late August or early September. While those in know love them, there is just a small amount produced for a somewhat niche market. When they run out, then you wait until next year.

What I haven't done and would like to do, is head over to the UP or Michigan when these cherries are ripe to either pick your own or buy a quantity to process (remove the stones) and freeze myself.

From observing pick your own apples in our area, sometimes buying already picked or 2nd grade can be the same or cheaper than pick your own. The only difference appears to be insurance expenses.

Pick your own green beans, strawberries, blueberries and tomatoes is quite cost effective. Downside you are sometimes wore out from the exercise, then you need to preserve these gems immediately when you get home.

Regards,

In a pinch I have used the Coloma frozen fruits. Here's their website:

http://www.colomafrozen.com/

I know they were carried at Walt's Food Centers and Ultra in the southern suburbs -- I can't believe a grocery store near you does not have them.

Suzy

Several vendors at farmers' markets have carried frozen tart cherries in the summer, so you don't necessarily have to pick your own or go the Michigan etc. One grower who had them was Mick Klug, who sells at Green City among other markets. He told me that he was planning to go to at least some of the Green City November and December markets in the Lincoln Park Zoo depending on how sales went. I doubt that he would be bringing frozen cherries on speculation but might be able to respond to an order.

I haven't seen them at any of my local farmer's markets!

I would also buy them fresh-frozen.

Thanks!

There have been loads of them at Lincoln Square on Tuesday and North Center on Saturday. Mick Klug has both fresh and frozen tart cherries available. He sells at least at the Lincoln Square, Lincoln Park and Green City markets. Last week Mick appeared to have switched from Montmorency to Balaton, so this is late in the season.

There's a stand at the Evanston Farmer's Market that sells pails of pre-pitted sour cherries - they still had some last weekend. They are at the end of the market closest to University Place and nearer Maple Ave. than the train tracks.

mignonnette wrote:I haven't seen them at any of my local farmer's markets!

I would also buy them fresh-frozen.

Thanks!

Welcome, mignonnette. Where is "local" for you?

Plenty at the Skokie Farmer's Market last weekend.

Got a quart at the Deerfield Market on Saturday.
Paulette

I bought sour cheeries at Green City Market last Saturday but have noticed they're not as plentiful as they were a few weeks ago.

As a side note, I'm glad I saw this thread - I need ideas for how to use my the sour cherries. I already made a crumble, which was fantastic, but want to do something different this time. And I'm not really feeling very pie-y. Any suggestions?

JackieK wrote:I bought sour cheeries at Green City Market last Saturday but have noticed they're not as plentiful as they were a few weeks ago.

I was surprised to see them too this past Saturday, but when I tasted some I found that they were not sour enough for me and decided against purchasing them. I got there a little late though (after 11:30) so maybe there were some better ones earlier. I always buy the buckets of frozen, unsweetened sour cherries on my trips to Door County and that's about as good as they get.

JackieK wrote: I need ideas for how to use my the sour cherries.... Any suggestions?

cherry-wine-porcini reduction with meat

Mhays wrote:There's a stand at the Evanston Farmer's Market that sells pails of pre-pitted sour cherries - they still had some last weekend. They are at the end of the market closest to University Place and nearer Maple Ave. than the train tracks.

Seedlings, all the way to the northwest on University place, furthest from Maple avenue, also had pitted sour cherries this last Saturday.

Incidentally, many of the sours I saw this Saturday were larger and darker in color - closer to the bings than the smaller, more orange sours I am used to seeing. While I tasted some difference when i tried them both raw, I baked up both kinds in a pit-in clafouti last night and found the difference to be negligible.

JackieK wrote:I bought sour cheeries at Green City Market last Saturday but have noticed they're not as plentiful as they were a few weeks ago.

As a side note, I'm glad I saw this thread - I need ideas for how to use my the sour cherries. I already made a crumble, which was fantastic, but want to do something different this time. And I'm not really feeling very pie-y. Any suggestions?

Hungarian Sour Cherry Soup (aka Meggyleves) is yummy, and very refreshing in warm weather.

mignonnette wrote:I haven't seen them at any of my local farmer's markets!

I would also buy them fresh-frozen.

Thanks!

Didier Farms carries pitted Door County cherries in buckets. I saw them in the freezer case the other day. Here is their web page: http://www.didierfarms.com/pages/farmstand.php

Thanks for the great suggestions - I think I may try the soup!

No idea of their provenance, but I've bought frozen sour cherries in reasonable-sized bags at Argo Georgian Bakery on Devon Ave. I imagine other places that cater to East Europeans carry them as well.

Sunset Foods in the northern suburbs usually has big bags of frozen sour cherries in the frozen fruit section, year round.

Any sightings of sour cherries at the farmers markets yet this year? I don't get to the markets much because of the abundance of the CSA box, but I am determined not to miss sour cherry season this year. I want to get a flat or two and freeze some.

Jen

Pie-love wrote:Any sightings of sour cherries at the farmers markets yet this year? I don't get to the markets much because of the abundance of the CSA box, but I am determined not to miss sour cherry season this year. I want to get a flat or two and freeze some.

Jen

I saw plenty last weekend from a few different farms. Shouldn't be a problem finding them right now. Act fast, the season doesn't last long.

Haven't been this year yet, but we bought frozen cherries last summer at the Skokie farmers market Sunday mornings on Oakton by the library, from a farmer who always has excellent fresh fruit. They have been terrific. Pitted, in bags -- I think we got 4 bags, 2.5 lbs each. On the east side of the market, a big long booth a bit north of the middle of the market. I don't actually recall anyone else there selling sour cherries -- you have to ask for the frozen ones, and maybe even arrange a week in advance -- I don't quite recall.