Let’s hear it for old-time cherries, with a dozen recipes

Though the modern world of fruits and vegetables seems relentlessly focused on the newest varieties, specially bred for a variety of reasons that rarely have anything to do with flavor, there are a few hardy old-timers around. And one of the best is the Bing cherry.

Grown for more than 100 years and still by far the predominant commercial cherry, Bings have just about everything you could want — they’re sweet with bright acidity and real depth of flavor. When they’re at their peak they’re almost crunchy, bursting with cherry juice.

To get them at their best, choose cherries that are so dark red they are almost mahogany-colored.

The other types of cherry you’re most likely to find are the Queen Anne and the Rainier cherry. These grow nearly identical fruit that is a lighter “cherry” red with a golden cream blush. The flavor is generally a little sweeter and not quite as rich as a Bing.

The Queen Anne is actually older than the Bing, but the Rainier is a modern development. Well, relatively speaking — it was introduced in 1952. Still, it’s good enough that we shouldn’t hold its youth against it.

How to choose: Look for cherries with firm, shiny, smooth skins. Usually the darker the red the better (with the most common varieties, this is a sign of ripeness). Also check the stems. They should be green and flexible; they turn brown and woody in storage.

How to store: Refrigerate cherries in a tightly sealed plastic bag. They’ll last a couple of weeks (at least theoretically; you’ll probably have eaten them by then).