The cherry is a fruit that comes in both sweet and sour varieties, both of which are used for culinary purposes, although the sweeter version is generally preferred for raw eating. Fresh, ripe cherries are best enjoyed in Britain during the prime of summer, but the dried variety are also great to have on hand year-round. The cherry has a beautiful, deep, rich flavour of varying tartness, depending on the cultivar and the individual fruit itself, and are thus often paired with alcohol (cherry brandy or kirsch are prime examples).

In savoury dishes, duck and pork in particular, do well with their heavier flavours offset by the sweetness and bite of cherries. Mark Jordan garnishes his honey-roasted breast of duck with griottine cherries, while Nuno Mendes’ pork secretos with artichokes and red wine tapioca recipe is adorned with kirsch-soaked cherries for a spectacular finish.

The Black Forest gâteau from Stephen Crane illustrates how well cherries work with chocolate to make a classic dessert cake. For something a little less rich, but still quite luxurious, Pascal Aussignac's griotte cherry clafoutis is gorgeous as a dessert or for a French-inspired tea. Matthew Tomkinson's cherries jubilee with vanilla and yoghurt panna cotta is another notable dessert.