Cherry

The cherry is a fruit of great aromatic complexity, linked to the presence of benzaldehyde (the molecule responsible for the bitter almond scent), particularly concentrated around its pit. This is why haute cuisine often recommends cooking the cherry with its pit to infuse the flesh. Roasted in the oven or pan-fried in butter, the cherry's sugars caramelize intensely (a fruity Maillard reaction), transforming the fruit into a meaty condiment, halfway between a red berry and a roasted almond.