Sour cherries

Use a cherry stoner over a bowl, or push the stone out with a chopstick while holding each cherry over the bowl. Wear an apron: the juice stains and can splatter.

For a pie filling, simmer pitted cherries with sugar and a little cornflour for about 5 minutes, until the juices thicken. For a crumble, put the fruit straight into the dish and bake at 180 °C until bubbling, usually 30–40 minutes.

Yes. Rinse and dry them well, spread them on a tray to freeze separately, then transfer them to a sealed freezer bag; remove the stones after thawing if needed. For easier baking, pit them before freezing.

Their sharp flavour works with almond, chocolate, vanilla and warm spices such as cinnamon. Use them in a crumble, Black Forest-style cake, compote or a savoury sauce for duck.

Usually, but sour cherries need more sweetening and can release more juice. In a cake or pie, taste the fruit first and add sugar gradually; allow for a little extra thickening if the filling is runny.

Yes. Sour cherries have a sharper, tangier taste, while sweet cherries are milder; sour cherries are especially suited to baking, preserves and sauces.

Keep them unwashed in a breathable container in the fridge and rinse just before eating or cooking. Use them promptly, as bruised or damp cherries can spoil quickly.

Yes, the fruit is safe to eat raw once washed, though many people find it too tart to enjoy by itself. Remove the stone before serving to young children.