What do you do with your Suriname cherries?

[From the sea]

You know besides eat them out of hand.

I make jam with them and it comes out good.

[SocalKoop]

Besides eatings them fresh? Throw them at squirrels. Perfect size for a slingshot...

[bsbullie]

You know besides eat them out of hand.

I make jam with them and it comes out good.

I would make a jelly out of them if I ever would up with enough AFTER eating them out of hand...

[TREESNMORE]

They make good wine.

[FlyingFoxFruits]

also try juicing, or making fruit leather...

If I could could drink wine, I'd make some...

but juicing and dehydrating are my favorite options.

[fisherking73]

Throw them at squirrels. Perfect size for a slingshot...

BWAH!!

[From the sea]

Thanks for the ideas, this is the first time I haven't been able to eat all of the fruit from the trees.

[franciscu]

Haven't tried it, but I have always thought that Surinam cherries could be made into a fabulous syrup for over vanilla ice cream. But, as others have indicated, I have never had enough to  survive the trip between my trees and the kitchen!

[BigIslandGrower]

Watch them shrivel up and drop to the ground.   

[FlyingFoxFruits]

Watch them shrivel up and drop to the ground.   

Sounds like you got a real special variety...maybe u should start grafting them.

[gnappi]

When I had three bushes, I let them fall to the ground, ultimately I pulled the bushes. Yuk!

[FlyingFoxFruits]

When I had three bushes, I let them fall to the ground, ultimately I pulled the bushes. Yuk!

have you ever tried fruits from a grafted tree? or named variety?

[gnappi]

When I had three bushes, I let them fall to the ground, ultimately I pulled the bushes. Yuk!

have you ever tried fruits from a grafted tree? or named variety?

Mine were grafted, they were named yuk :-) VERY resinous, like drinking kerosene. When they were very nearly black/purple they were almost palatable but I'd rather not. If there is a variety that doesn't have the resin flavor, I'd give them a shot again... maybe.

[Hollywood]

They make a good Brazilian cocktail. Cachaca, cherries, sugar, lime.

[FlyingFoxFruits]

I think there are some excellent varieties out there.  Part of the equation is finding a good variety....but that's not going to solve the problem for sure.

I think there are some people who just hate the resinous taste so much, they will detect even the smallest trace of resin in the fruit.  And even the best varieties will have trace amounts of resinous flavor...undetectable to some, but not all!

I've personally noticed that although every surinam cherry ive tasted has a resinous flavor, not all of the resins taste the same...some taste like diesel fuel, but the resins of best varieties taste more like carrot/tomato.

If I find one that has absolutely no trace of resin I will let you know, but I haven't tasted that one yet...(Have heard reports of this, but it's subjective).  This year I might get to taste a few new varieties...the Smooth type, and another red variety I got from a forum member...i forget the name now.  So far the best i've had was zill black...(not the same zill black that's sold today, the original tree was lost)...the original zill black taste much like welches grape juice to me....very very little resin flavor, and a resin flavor profile I could appreciate...but maybe it's all in my head?   

When I had three bushes, I let them fall to the ground, ultimately I pulled the bushes. Yuk!

have you ever tried fruits from a grafted tree? or named variety?

Mine were grafted, they were named yuk :-) VERY resinous, like drinking kerosene. When they were very nearly black/purple they were almost palatable but I'd rather not. If there is a variety that doesn't have the resin flavor, I'd give them a shot again... maybe.

[fisherking73]

Gotta go with Gnappi on this one. We had some bushes that came with the house, tried some, then just turned it into a permanent hedge.  Finally ripped em out. Have tried some at our archery range where they are everywhere growing pretty much wild, same thing, one and done. If I were to find one that tastes good would plant it as a not so manicured hedge somewhere around the house.

[From the sea]

There must be a lot of bad trees up there, because I have never had one that had a diesel flavor. Some are way better than others. I wonder if it is because its warmer here?     

[bsbullie]

Gotta go with Gnappi on this one. We had some bushes that came with the house, tried some, then just turned it into a permanent hedge.  Finally ripped em out. Have tried some at our archery range where they are everywhere growing pretty much wild, same thing, one and done. If I were to find one that tastes good would plant it as a not so manicured hedge somewhere around the house.

There is a huge difference between a graftef variety and a random hedge plant.  Most of the plants found in random hedges, as inexpensive plants purchased from local landscape nurseries,  are just seedlings grown for the purpose of landscape stock/material.   Most of the fruit from these plants are truly insipid.   I am not saying you cant find a good fruit from a hedge plant (that is where the original Zill black/dark came from) but the chances are low.  With that being said, if you plant enough seeds from good fruits, you will probably eventually find one decent or even very good selection.

Bottom line,  I will not guarantee that you will like it however i would suggest trying a fruit from a grafted named variety of a hand picked seedling selection as your opinion of the fruit may change for the better.

[Coconut]

My Zill I got at Excalibur is turning color now. Blackstar from sevenhead ebay is starting set second year crop. Vermillion, Champa, Florida Giant, FAU's Red,  Franciscu's  Jumbo Black have another  year or so to go before a taste battle. Wait till it turn black, seeded it & coat it with belgian chocolate & it makes cordial cherry suitable for the Dumpster.  A fine ripen selected variety fruit will enhance chocolate coating to the next level! 👍👍👍😎.

[gunnar429]

Rob, what named varieties do you have at excalibur?

[From the sea]

never thought of dipping them in chocolate 

[bsbullie]

Rob, what named varieties do you have at excalibur?

Zill Dark and possibly (if there are any left) another grafted variety that slips my mind at the moment.

[gunnar429]

I think there are some excellent varieties out there.  Part of the equation is finding a good variety....but that's not going to solve the problem for sure.

I think there are some people who just hate the resinous taste so much, they will detect even the smallest trace of resin in the fruit.  And even the best varieties will have trace amounts of resinous flavor...undetectable to some, but not all!

I've personally noticed that although every surinam cherry ive tasted has a resinous flavor, not all of the resins taste the same...some taste like diesel fuel, but the resins of best varieties taste more like carrot/tomato.

If I find one that has absolutely no trace of resin I will let you know, but I haven't tasted that one yet...(Have heard reports of this, but it's subjective).  This year I might get to taste a few new varieties...the Smooth type, and another red variety I got from a forum member...i forget the name now.  So far the best i've had was zill black...(not the same zill black that's sold today, the original tree was lost)...the original zill black taste much like welches grape juice to me....very very little resin flavor, and a resin flavor profile I could appreciate...but maybe it's all in my head?   

When I had three bushes, I let them fall to the ground, ultimately I pulled the bushes. Yuk!

have you ever tried fruits from a grafted tree? or named variety?

Mine were grafted, they were named yuk :-) VERY resinous, like drinking kerosene. When they were very nearly black/purple they were almost palatable but I'd rather not. If there is a variety that doesn't have the resin flavor, I'd give them a shot again... maybe.

So, you had Zill's black surinams that were different than the zill's dark/black being sold at excalibur?

[fisherking73]

Rob you know I am down to taste pretty much anything except a kumquat LOL change my mind would be fine.

[zands]

Are Zill's black that much better other blacks...production etc? As far as reds pick them dark red and ripe to over ripe. Gather them and eat later. This way it is easier for you to toss any clunkers. But darker they are the fewer astringent ones you get.