Trending ingredient: It’s cherry time
If you’re seeing red, it’s probably because cherries are popping up everywhere – in retro desserts, snazzy cocktails and even in pickles. As luck would have it, they’re just coming into season in South Africa.
Fresh cherries. Maraschino cherries. Dried cherries. Sour cherries. Boozy cherries. Pickled cherries. Cherries in old-school desserts, cherries in cocktails, cherries in spice blends. It seems that 2025 is the year the world simply can’t get enough of cherries.
Abigail Donnelly, food director at TASTE, confirms the trend: “Cherries are all over: Maraschino cherries in cocktails and on ice cream, with that 70s vibe. They’re being used to decorate desserts, and then of course there’s cherries in Amaretto – whether you make your own or buy those lovely jars. These are used in sweet and savoury dishes. There’s pickled cherries, preserved cherries, even cherry harissa.” (Abigail likes the cherry trend so much that she did a whole story on them in the forthcoming Christmas issue of TASTE – be sure to keep an eye out for it.)
Bougie cherry tiramisu cake recipe
When cherries are in season, we make...
Alex Windebank, chef behind the much-loved and newly relocated Farro restaurant in Gardens, Cape Town is also a big fan of cherries. With his English background – and being used to the glorious English berry season – Alex has watched with interest as the quality and flavour of locally grown cherries has improved over the last eight years or so.
Alex says he recently received his first batch of seasonal cherries and is looking forward to integrating them into Farro’s menu. (The 26-seater restaurant went from serving an á la carte menu at Gabriëlskloof wine estate to a set, highly seasonal five-course meal at their new Cape Town venue.) “I’m playing around with the idea of a milk-and-cherry dessert, something that echoes the feel and flavour of a classic cherry-and-almond tart – maybe a creamy panna cotta with poached cherries, a cherry sorbet, a cherry gel for a bit of sweetness, and a Florentine for crunch.”
He’s also planning on processing the big batches of seasonal cherries that will soon be available so that they can be used later in the Farro kitchen. “It’s nice to be able to revisit ingredients that are no longer in season, for example, in winter. We’ll make pickled cherries, I think, and use them with meat courses later – obviously they’ll go wonderfully with duck; that’s such a winning combination. And I’m sure we’ll preserve some cherries in brandy to use at the bar.”
The bar in question refers to Farro’s cocktail bar, which is under the helm of Alex’s partner in life and work, Eloise Windebank. Eloise loves cherries as a cocktail ingredient. “When we get to the glut of cherry season, I’m probably going to make a big batch of cherry brandy and some preserved cherries in Amaretto syrup,” she enthuses. Her plans include using cherry syrup as the sweetener in an old-fashioned cocktail, where that “subtle, sour cherry tang” will really come into its own. Like Alex, she’s thinking about later months, when cherries aren’t in season anymore. “I’m working with the idea of a cherry brandy and Amaretto sour – but as a clarified milk punch, which preserves the cocktail into something that is shelf-stable, so you can batch it and serve it for months.”
That sounds like something to look forward to! In the meantime, local cherries are coming into season now (lucky us), which means it’s the perfect time to head to the kitchen and see what you can do with this magnificent little fruit.
Seasonal cherry combinations to inspire you
Cherries and gammon
Cherries and gammon are a winning team, as you’ll find in this showstopping Christmas recipe for gammon with sticky brandy-infused cherries.
Sugared gammon with sticky cherries recipe
Cherries and duck
Like pork, duck gets on extremely well with any kind of sweetish sauce made with stone fruit – of which cherries are an example. For an alternative to your usual Christmas chicken or turkey, try this moreish recipe for slow-roasted duck with cherry sauce.
Slow-roasted duck with cherry sauce recipe
Cherries and alcohol
Yes, you could simply add a Maraschino cherry to your tipple for a pop of sweetness and those retro vibes – but you could also go to town with fresh cherries, as we did in this drink, where ripe cherries are muddled with vodka to make a tangy, wonderfully vibrant sipper.
Fresh cherry vodka sour recipe
Cherries and almond
The reason cherries and almonds get on so well is that the cherry stone already contains nutty notes reminiscent of almond. Lean into this classic flavour pairing with an old-school cherry-and-almond tart – with a scoop of crème fraîche on the side.
Cherries and chocolate
Black Forest cake is famous for good reason. Chocolate, fresh cherries and cream – what’s not to love? This easy-to-bake version by Siba Mtongana makes clever use of muffin pans for the ultimate individual dessert.
Baking Mini Black Forest cakes recipe
PSA: Woolworths is going big on cherries this holiday season. Keep your eyes peeled for a range of new cherry-themed products on the shelves, including:
- Cherries in a Cape Port sauce: perfect for desserts, cheeseboards or as a sauce for roast meat.
- A special boozy Christmas version of cherries in brandy:
- A decadent and delicious-looking chocolate cherry profiterole dessert:
- For all the panettone fans out there, a limited-edition black cherry panettone!
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