* WHAT IS IT? A small, stone fruit that ranges in color from white to dark red. There are sweet varieties for eating and sour ones for cooking. The most popular sweet cherry in the United States is the Bing.

* HOW TO USE: Cherries can be eaten alone or pitted and sprinkled in salads. Cook them in pies and pastries or use them to create both sweet and savory sauces for desserts or poultry and game. Cherries can also be dried for longer storage.

* LOOK FOR: Fruit should be brightly colored and plump. Cherries should be firm, but not hard. Those with stems still attached will last longer.

* STORAGE: Place in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. Wash just before using.

- Kathy Stephenson

Cherry sorbet

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup water

Zest of 1 lemon, removed in wide strips

3 cups fresh sweet cherries, pitted, preferably Bing

2 cups unsweetened cherry juice*

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Special equipment:

Ice cream maker

Place sugar, water and lemon zest in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat and let syrup steep, uncovered at room temperature for 30 minutes. Discard lemon zest.

Place 2 cups cherries in a small saucepan. Add cherry juice and 3/4 cup of sugar syrup. Cook over low heat until cherries are very soft, about 15 minutes. Set remaining sugar syrup aside.

Using an immersion blender, purée cherries in saucepan. (Or let the cherry mixture cool slightly and purée in a blender or food processor).

Transfer puréed cherries to a medium-size bowl and refrigerate, uncovered until thoroughly chilled, about 4 hours.

Add lemon juice to cold purée. Taste of sweetness, add more sugar syrup as needed. Place cherry mixture in the bowl of an ice cream maker and churn following manufacturers directions.

Meanwhile, chop remaining 1 cup cherries. Add to ice cream maker during last 5 minutes of churning.

Transfer sorbet to an airtight container and freeze at least 2 hours before serving. For longer storage, place a piece of plastic wrap directly on surface of sorbet to prevent ice crystals from forming. Covered tightly, the sorbet can be frozen for up to 2 weeks

*Look for unsweetened cherry juice, usually from concentrate, in the fresh fruit section of the grocery store.

Source: Food to Live By, by Myra Goodman (Workman Publishing Co., $21.95)