National Cherry Turnovers Day is observed annually on August 28th. Cherry turnovers are a sweet pastry made by placing a cherry filling on a piece of dough, folding the dough over, sealing it then either baking it or frying it.
It’s hard to say when the Turnover first came into existence, but we do know that the first recorded instance of them was in 1440 in France in response to an edict preventing bakers from making pies, saying they could only be made by “patisseries.” This in turn, led to the creation of the turnover by incorporating a filo pastry like substance previously invented by the Romans. From there they’ve never gone out of style, and in fact now are incredibly popular in roadside diners and family restaurants. Cherry Turnover celebrates the best of these and encourages us all to indulge!
FUN CHERRY FACTS:
- Related to plums, peaches and nectarines, cherries are drupes or stone fruits.
- Cherries were brought to North America in the 1600s by the English colonists.
- There are more than 1,000 varieties of cherries in the United States.
- There are an average of 44 cherries in one pound.
- The cherry is the fruit of many plants of the genus Prunus, and is a fleshy stone fruit.
- The name ‘cherry’, often as the compound term ‘cherry tree’, may also be applied to many other members of the genus Prunus, or to all members of the genus as a collective term.
- The fruits of many of these are not cherries, and have other common names, including plum, apricot, peach, and others.
- The name ‘cherry’ is also frequently used in reference to cherry blossom.
- Turnovers originated in ancient times and are classified as “portable pies.”
- Common turnovers fillings include fruits such as apples, blueberries and cherries, meats like chicken, beef and pork, vegetables such as sweet potatoes, and savory ingredients like cheese.
Sources:
