# Sour cherries: any hope for 'em?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sour-cherries-any-hope-for-em/409072>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [June 23, 2007, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sour-cherries-any-hope-for-em/409072 "2007-06-23T00:56:01Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\
**Post date:** [June 23, 2007, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sour-cherries-any-hope-for-em/409072/1 "2007-06-23T00:56:01Z")

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I bought a bag of dark red-skinned cherries from the store. I washed 'em and put them in a plastic container. But when I started in on them, I noticed they were unusually firm. Then I bit into one. The flesh was much lighter than normal, and the taste was sour. I ate a few more to be sure - they were all like that.

Are they just underripe? If so, would keeping them in the fridge for a while help? In other words, is this batch salvagable for cherry goodness?

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**Author:** ![RetroVertigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@RetroVertigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RetroVertigo)\
**Post date:** [June 23, 2007, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sour-cherries-any-hope-for-em/409072/2 "2007-06-23T03:09:39Z")

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Put them in a brown paper bag with an apple, for a few days in the back of the fridge. The ethylene the apple releases helps the fruit ripen.

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**Author:** ![Hunter\_Hawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/50afbb/32.png) [@Hunter\_Hawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hunter_Hawk)\
**Post date:** [June 23, 2007, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sour-cherries-any-hope-for-em/409072/3 "2007-06-23T05:13:55Z")

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Could you maybe try making [clafoutis](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clafoutis)? I’ve never actually made one, as I always just each cherries fresh, but I’ve always thought it sounded intriguing.

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**Author:** ![Ms\_Macphisto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b487fb/32.png) [@Ms\_Macphisto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms_Macphisto)\
**Post date:** [June 23, 2007, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sour-cherries-any-hope-for-em/409072/4 "2007-06-23T08:27:46Z")

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If they’re actual [sour cherries](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sour_cherry), and not just under-ripe, they’re wonderful for baking. Sour cherry pie is probably my favourite kind of pie. Jam made with sour cherries is great too. I’ll agree that they’re not great for eating as is, though I have been known to do that in small quantities.