It’s cherry time in Puglia in May and June.
This succulent fruit that is loved by adults and the little ones is among the typical Apulian cultivation.
And you can notice it if you drive around the countryside where you will see wide fields of red fruits trees.
It is supposed that cherries appeared in Italy around the I° century B.C. during the Roman Empire, while they were imported from Turkey and were known with the greek name “keraros“, then turned into “cerasa“, still used in some local slang.
The traditional round shape and the bright red colour, sometimes really dark, make cherries delicious for sight and especially for taste, thanks to the good and sweet flavour and the crisp texture.
They have many beneficial properties: they are rich in vitamins A and C and antioxidant, who prevent the skin aging, they have also diuretic and depurative effects and help to purify the liver.
Anyway, they are also very delicate and sensible to thermal changes and bad weather, which is a factor that heavily affects the market valuation every year.
In Italy there are about 20 different types, and the most popular in Puglia are:
– the “Ferrovia” cherries: among the most famous cherries produced in the province of Bari, in the territories of Conversano and Turi and in the north of Bari, it is exported abroad because of its good preservation. The „Ferrovia“ cherry was usually loaded on trains to Europe, that’s why it took the name “ferrovia” (railway), in order to be quickly recognized during the harvest and set aside for shipment. Another theory says that the first tree of this type of cherry was located just near the railway line in the South-East of Bari, from which then the nickname.
The Ferrovia cherry is ripe in June, later than the other cherries, and it is definitely among the most loved.
– the “Bigarreau” cherries: it is curiously shaped like a heart, red-brown coloured, and has a sugary pulp.
They are among the first cherries to appear on the market in Mid-May. As the name suggests, it comes from France, where it has a large production.
– the “Giorgia” cherries: it presents a bright red colour and a sweet taste slightly acid. It is harvested between May and June, it has italian origins and the name reminds the first producer.
It is said that “one cherry leads to the other“, it’s not possible to eat just one time; fortunately, they are low in calories, therefore they are suitable for any diet.
They are also very good to eat at the table or to prepare jams or pastries.
viaggieitinerari... in Puglia by Valeria Dicarlo 