The Cerise de Montmorency — A Very French Cherry

The Cerise de Montmorency — A Very French Cherry

In this episode of Fabulously Delicious, we’re diving into the story of one of France’s most iconic fruits: the Cerise de Montmorency, a bright, tangy sour cherry with centuries of history behind it. From its first written descriptions in the 17th century to its status as a prized delicacy for Parisian nobility, this small fruit has played a surprisingly big role in French food culture.

We explore the cherry’s deep roots in the town of Montmorency, just north of Paris, where it became a local treasure and a seasonal obsession. You’ll hear how thousands of baskets of cherries once traveled daily from the Montmorency valley to Paris, why Parisians rented cherry trees by the hour in the 19th century, and how the famous “gaudrioles” became part of everyday life and leisure.

The episode also follows the Montmorency cherry’s journey beyond France, tracing how it spread to North America and became the most widely grown sour cherry in the United States and Canada. We look at modern production, culinary uses, and how this tart cherry continues to thrive in pies, preserves, juices, kirsch, and both traditional and contemporary French cooking — even as cultivation in France has become more limited.

Finally, we turn to the present and the future, including the 2023 publication of the cherry’s fully sequenced genome and what that means for growers, researchers, and flavor lovers alike. It’s a story of agriculture, gastronomy, and heritage — all wrapped up in one vividly red, unapologetically tart, and very French cherry.

Transcript

Speaker: 0:04

Bonjour. I'm Andrew Pryor, and The longest running French food As a MasterChef Australia French food author and long time I love uncovering the stories that make French cuisine so irresistible. Today we're getting juicy, we're talking about the one and The Cerise de Montmorency family, a true classic of French gadreel or short tail cherry. This cultivated variety of Prunus cerasus is instantly recognizable for its bright, inviting color, delicate skin, tender flesh, and a slightly tangy, colorless juice that gives it just the right touch of acidity. Whether you bite into one fresh from the tree or enjoy a tart or preserve. It's a small fruit with big stretches back centuries. In French, the word for cherry is cerise, spelled c, e I, s e. The name actually comes from the Latin Cirsium, which referred to the cherry tree and its fruit and passed into Old French as cerise. The series de Montmorency is bright, glossy red skin and just a hint of tartness. These cherries can have a short or long tail, depending on the subvariety, and their colorless juice adds a subtle zing to any dish. They hail from Montmorency, a Paris where they've been celebrated as one of France's Montmorency is a picturesque department in Ile de France. Nestled in the northern suburbs of the centre of Paris, once the oldest noble families, the town with charming residential life. Today, it's known for its leafy the Collegiate Church of Saint on the slopes overlooking the away from the bustle of the for an easy trip into the city. Montmorency's history stretches Its name was first recorded AD as Mons Maharashtrians, Gallo-Roman landowner, and over influential Montmorency family, rocky promontory above the town. though the castle or chateau was destroyed during the Hundred Years War. The family name lived on in retained its noble associations During the turbulent years of the French Revolution, the commune even changed names briefly for political reasons, before finally returning to Montmorency in eighteen thirty two. Today, Montmorency is a delightful blend of history and modern life. The town hosts annual events local produce such as Le devoted to nature, artisan food visitors each spring. Surrounded by green spaces and Montmorency, it's also a lovely appreciating the slower rhythms The history of Montmorency cherry stretches back several centuries, and its reputation as a prized fruit was already well established by the late seventeenth century. A work from sixteen ninety and late, with a particular it ideal for both eating fresh Even though two subvarieties were noted, one with a long tail and one with a short tail, the long tail variety is considered more esteemed in the local language. These cherries were called kulas, a term derived from the Old French word couleur meaning to flow. The name probably comes from delicate, juicy flesh that Generations of growers in unique characteristic, giving and a special place in the By the end of the eighteenth had become a major supplier of thousand eight thousand baskets The cherries from Montmorency, along with those from the hills of Meudon, were especially popular with nobility, prized for their delicate flavor and tender flesh. But with such high demand, the Montmorency cherry was eventually overexploited and its numbers declined. In the nineteenth century, the seasonal treat in Paris. It was so popular that people would rent trees by the hour to eat the cherries straight from their orchards. Cherry picking became a social to the orchards to enjoy the Even with periods of decline, endured as a symbol of the A quick pause. Fabulous listeners, what even Well, you can join my fabulously share exclusive food, finds, scenes podcast extras, and don't hear on the show. You can subscribe for free or go and help support this podcast. Find the link in the show notes Com for more information. Come for the croissants! Stay for the Fabulously If this podcast brings, well, into your life, you can support show notes for this episode. Your contribution helps keep fabulously delicious, independent and fuels future episodes, food, adventures and delicious research. Merci all your support. It means the world. Today, the Montmorency Cherry still exist in its French birthplace, but its cultivation is much more limited than it once was. While national cherry production in France overall runs into the tens of thousands of tonnes each year. Recent estimates put that cherry harvests around thirty thousand to thirty eight thousand tonnes annually, depending on the season. Sour cherries like the slice of that total and are orchard areas such as around communities like Suzhou, French cherry orchards as a whole have adapted to modern agriculture with improved harvesting and storage methods, but the area planted with sour cherry trees has declined over the past decades as growers focus more on sweeter table cherry varieties that dominate domestic markets. The Montmorency cherry didn't stay only in its French homeland, though from Montmorency. The treat was taken to England, and from there it made its way all across the Atlantic to North America. It's been cultivated in the United States since at least the early twentieth century, where growers found that its flavor and productivity suited the climate in northern states, especially in Michigan and other cooler regions. In fact, the Montmorency is by far the most widely planted sour cherry variety in both the US and Canada, accounting for the vast majority of commercial tart cherry production in North America. In the United States, roughly three quarters of sour cherry acreage is concentrated in Michigan, with smaller plantings in New York, Utah, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania. It's become such a staple that events like the National Cherry Festival in Traverse City, Michigan celebrate the harvest with parades, cherry pies, and community gatherings. Though detailed global export cherries aren't tracked Generally, cherries remain a widely traded fruit worldwide, worth billions of dollars in the international trade. In French cuisine, Montmorency cherries are prized for their balance of sweetness and tartness, making them ideal for both traditional and contemporary dishes. Traditionally, they've been used clafoutis, and Confucius, which For those that don't know where their delicate flavor and tender flesh shine, the cherries are also cooked down into sauces for savory dishes, particularly with duck or pork, adding a subtle, fruity acidity that complements rich meats. Modern French chefs and home cooks have expanded the uses of Montmorency cherries, incorporating them into drinks, cocktails and health focused products like tart cherry juices and concentrates. They're also popular in baked goods, granola, and even chocolate desserts, where they're bright and acidity cuts through the sweetness beautifully. While the Montmorency cherry can be eaten fresh, its tart flavor means it's most commonly used in processed forms. It's one of the top priorities because its flavor becomes holds its shape well in recipes. The main commercial use is in products like cherry pies, jams, and preserves. Think classic American cherry pie fillings or rich cherry chart jams. A traditional cherry brandy called kirsch can also be made from sour cherries like Montmorency. In twenty twenty three, scientists published the complete sequenced genome of the Montmorency cherry, a milestone that opened the door to a deeper understanding of this iconic fruit. By mapping its entire DNA, like flavor, acidity, disease in much greater detail. This kind of research could help growers improve cultivation methods and develop more resilient trees, and even enhance the cherries taste and quality. From its origins in the orchards of Montmorency to its journey across the world, the Montmorency cherry has left a remarkable mark on both history and cuisine. Its bright, tangy flavor has enjoyed fresh baked into tarts, into juice and kirsch. Today it continues to connect us inspiring chefs and home cooks in modern French cuisine. The Cerise de Montmorency isn't piece of culinary heritage, its people, and a love for Want more fabulously delicious Follow me at Andrew Prior, Threads, and at Fab French sized French food history, scenes moments and plenty of And if you want to watch the podcast, not just listen, you can find the full video episodes on YouTube. More food, more stories. More fabulous. Come join the party! It's Trey scrollable. ET voila! That's the end of today's If this episode made you crave Street or dream of wandering the If you enjoyed, leave a review, lover and come say bonjour! I always love hearing from you. And if you liked this episode, episodes on French food and deep dives into butter or rum or Just search for them on the There's plenty more to this. Just waiting. Until next time, eat well, stay curious, and remember life is always better with French cherries. And as I always say, whatever Merci beaucoup. Bon appetit. A attributedto.