By

Miriam McGuirk

What the Cherry Tree Symbolizes –

“Throughout Japan, the Cherry, or ‘Sakura’ tree is representative of good fortune, new beginnings and revival. … It’s because of this that the Cherry not only represents beauty and innocent pleasures, it also teaches us to appreciate the brief time we share with our loved ones.”

My favourite fruit at this time of the year is the heart-shaped black Napoleon cherry. Packed with Vit C, potassium, and other health benefits, why not start your day with a Zing?

Add them to your fruit bowl for breakfast.

It has been proven, cherries may help with sleep and anti-ageing. Many of us would happily welcome some extra zzz’s of slumber methinks. But, how many kilos must we eat to improve our quality of shuteye and wish to look younger I ask?

The sight of cherries piled high at the Sunday, Farmers Market, when I lived in southwest Turkey, takes me right back to my first visit to Paris with my father and sister. I was only nine.

I recall tasting the rich-coloured, intense flavoured, red cherries, working my way through a whole bag full most days.

I wasn’t even put off years later when I watched the film, The Witches of Eastwick,

when Jack Nicholson and Daryl Hannah in their famous scene, regurgitated endless cherries.

I buy this succulent and locally grown fruit, in July and August, ( a short season), feeling lucky to live in Rye

Thanks to our committed farmers, English cherries have made an amazing comeback.

East Sussex is a rich and bountiful fruit-growing county. Let’s continue to support market gardening and our fruit growers, now more than ever.

Happy eating and baking in the weeks to come. Do post your favourite fruit of the season

or fruit you love to grow in your garden or allotment.

on Social Media FB or Insta or Threads