Yes, the growing season is in the summer, but there is a perfectly reasonable explanation for why we celebrate the stone fruit now. Chief among them is to mark the shipment of 12 varieties of cherry trees from Yokohama, Japan, 110 years ago this month. Those trees still grow along DC’s Tidal Basin and attract visitors when they bloom. George Washington’s birthday is also tied to cherries, due to the president’s legendary history with the tree. And we think cherries are a perfect treat to help celebrate Valentine’s Day, too. Here are a few of our favorite ways to eat them this month, both savory and sweet.
Alborz Persian Restaurant
Think cherries are best as mere punctuation in a savory dish? Think again. The albaloo polo here is dyed purple with the juice of a liberal helping of sour cherries buried among the grains of rice. The result is just sweet enough to rouse the palate for a kebab or two. Our favorite item to pair with this oversized mound of rice is the marinated filet mignon known as barg. 8417 Old Courthouse Rd., Vienna
Bistro L’Hermitage
Cherry-thyme sauce makes the magret de canard here stand out from other fine-dining duck breasts. The fruits themselves are tender almost to the point of melting with the crisp-skinned meat. But don’t worry—it won’t make you think of dessert. That’s partly thanks to the presence of al dente haricots verts and a pile of cheesy Israeli couscous on the side. 12724 Occoquan Rd., Woodbridge
Cheng’s Asian House
Owner Louis Cheng is a master of the flaming dessert. Trust him (or a well-trained staffer) to cook up a cherries jubilee for you, tableside. He begins by zesting and juicing an orange in a pan. Lots of butter, a passel of cherries, and a douse of rum later, the pan is filled with fire. Poured over vanilla ice cream, the hot fruit is an ideal winter treat. 4090 Airline Pkwy., Ste. G, Chantilly
The Swiss Bakery & Pastry Shop
It’s not a cherry article without one of our favorite desserts. At this bakery, the Black Forest cake is available whole or in slices. The chocolaty layers are brushed with kirsch syrup to amplify the fruity flavor contributed by an unusually generous helping of cherries that are carefully deposited within layers of fluffy whipped cream. And on top? Well, you know. 5224 Port Royal Rd., Springfield
Feature image of Alborz Persian Restaurant by Rey Lopez
This story originally appeared in our February issue. For more stories like this, subscribe to our monthly magazine.
