February is National Cherry Month. Even though fresh cherry season is in July, you can guess that National Cherry Month honors George Washington, born February 22, 1732 and immortalized for his honesty in the legend of the cherry tree (he ‘fessed up to his father that he cut down the precious tree).

This chocolate chip cookie recipe uses delicious dried cherries, made from last summer’s harvest.

And don’t stop with cookies: Enjoy the dried cherries in everything from breakfast yogurt, cereal and pancakes; to luncheon salads; to sauces for meats and poultry at dinner. For snacks, make cherry caramel corn by tossing hot popcorn with sweet butter and adding dried cherries and honey-roasted pecans; then drizzle with caramel. Or, make a cherry trail mix.

Cherry chocolate chip cookies: a yummy twist. Photo courtesy Cherry Marketing Institute.

• Get fun cherry facts and the history of cherries. (By the way, George Washington did not cut down a cherry tree—his biographer made up the story!)