The Cherry Hut Gets National Media Attention

In the Christian Science Monitor: Want fruit with that burger?

The burgers at the Cherry Hut restaurant in Beulah, Mich., are a hit with customers. But these aren't ordinary hamburgers. Every summer, when tourists come to sample the state's bumper crop of cherries, the restaurant's co-owner Andy Case starts taking orders for the restaurant's popular burger. After broiling the patties in the kitchen, he slides them onto a bun and tops them with fixings. It's in this moment, before the first bite, that customers stir with anticipation because the Cherry Hut is home to an unlikely specialty – the cherry burger.

The burgers are filled with tart, or sour, cherries grown in northern Michigan – the cherry capital of the world.

Although people come to the Cherry Hut for the restaurant's cherry pies, the cherry burger has become a popular seller and a conversation starter. Mr. Case says he probably sells more cherry burgers than regular burgers. "People want to be more health conscious," he says. The cherry burger is "tasty, juicy, healthier."

The Fruits Of Summer

The first peaches and apricots were at the Traverse City Farmer's Market last Saturday. Here are some guides to making this goodness last throughout the year:

National Center for Home Food Preservation - How do I? Can, Freeze, Dry, Cure & Smoke. Ferment, Pickle, Make Jam & Jelly

University of California guides to Canning & Food Preservation

Cook's Illustrated - How to Freeze Summer Fruits:We froze six kinds of popular summer fruits, using up to seven different methods, then thawed them six months later to find out what worked best (PDF).