Fruit Heaven

I think I may have experienced the ultimate fruit experience of my entire life. 

 

No, really.  

I had no idea that this fruit even existed. 

 

I am speaking about the experience of consuming Ranier cherries while IN their native state of Washington. 

 

I have long joked that the Seattle area would be a wonderful place to live, except for the treat of tsunami, earthquake and volcano that one must live with there.  These babies may make the threat seem trivial if I could be assured of consuming them for a couple of weeks each year.  

Let me show you their portrait . . . 

credit:  Gilbert W. Arias/Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Don't they look stunning hanging on the tree.  

According to an article in the Seattle PI, each cherry is picked by the stem and PLACED, not dropped into the picker's basket.  These things are real treasues - only about 4,000 tons of Raniers are produced annually.

I wasn't sure how long they would keep in the truck and so was only able to buy about 4 lbs or so.  I am indulging in some each day, and already mourning the end of them.

Here, let me show you a closer look . . . 

I wish I had put something in for size comparison, because they are huge.  Each is fully twice as large as my thumb.  

Wait, let me get in really close for you to more fully appreciate their lusciousness.

There, how's that? 

 The other picture that I didn't take was one of the inside.  

They are not red like regular cherries.  

These are gold.  

And sweet.  

Heaven