You already know how I spent a pretty good part of last Sunday afternoon - pitting fresh cherries. I’m not the only one who’s noticed how sweet and special this year’s crop seems to be, and I could eat them by the handful - and do! But once the fresh ones are gone for the season, what I find in the frozen food section get a bit on the expensive side. So thanks to a good shipment of the dark, sweet cherries that I especially love, I’ll have a nice bounty of my own in my freezer, and no where near what it would have cost for the prepackaged frozen ones.

   But I invest in one of my favorite fruits for another important reason; the antioxidant properties. The tart variety is even being called the "new superfruit," and there are products on the market made from them, like concentrated gel tablets. The tart cherries are full of melatonin, which many of us already know is a natural sleep aid. But studies also show an impact on reducing inflammation, along with helping the immune system thanks to the antioxidants. The bad news is here is that 97 per cent of the Michigan tart cherry crop was destroyed this year when things got warm too quickly in March, followed by an April freeze that killed the early blossoms. Damage to the crop in New York and Wisconsin as well. So expect to see those cherries replaced by a crop grown in other areas, like Poland or Turkey.

   Cherries are also celebrated fruit with the National Cherry Festival each July in Traverse City, Michigan. Ever considered Cherry Chili? Or how about a Sweet and Spicy Seared Tuna with Cherry Cabbage? Okay, okay...and pie, of course. Don’t forget what an important addition to a smoothie cherries can be (mine always includes a good low-fat Greek yogurt) for a powerful start to the morning. What’s the nutritional content of one cup of cherries? There’s a mere 87 calories, low in fat, sodium and cholesterol and a good amount of vitamin C. But all good things in moderation; there’s also 18 grams of sugar in that cup. You could also try  Cherry Dessert Soup, a Cherry Vanilla Green Tea smoothie that sounds unusual but is loaded with vitamin A, antioxidants, potassium and much more. And of course, a Cherry pie. I'd love to see your favorite recipes; we'll choose one of those at random to win a copy of Alton Brown's latest cookbook!

   Check the fresh markets that are still open this time of year for seasonably fresh fruits and vegetables, like the Hyde Park Fresh Market the first Sunday in August. They are the official sponsor of Kelly’s Kitchen!

WORDS OF WISDOM FROM KELLY’S KITCHEN

Life is just a bowl of cherries, don't take it serious, its mysterious. Life is just a bowl of cherries, so live and laugh and laugh at love, love a laugh, laugh and love - Bob Fosse