Cherries the inspiration behind Tart is Smart

Tart is Smart is taking a page from the success of POM Wonderful, the pomegranate juice/health drink that’s making headlines. The Othello, Wash.-based company is now selling its juice made from tart cherries at Albertsons and Safeway stores in the West. The juice will make its nationwide debut just before Christmas.

The family-owned TPG enterprises, which produces Tart is Smart, has been growing more than 300 acres of tart cherries in the Othello area for the past eight years. The cherries used to be sold to other producers as ingredients. Last year the company started making ready-to-drink juices in four flavors from the fruit, including: Tart Cherry, Cherry Berry, Cherry Blueberry and Cherry Grape, according to product manager Loren Queen.

Like POM, Tart is Smart is packed with antioxidants, Queen says. The cancer-fighting compounds have also been found to alleviate arthritis pain and gout by doctors at Michigan State University and the University of Texas at San Antonio, he added in a news release.

Drink the juice straight up or blend it into a smoothie or a drink. It can also be used for dessert sauces, salad dressings and barbecue sauces.

For more information and a few drink recipes go to www.tartissmart.com.

Share your favorites with us

I know. It might seem a bit early to be talking about Thanksgiving. But that chill in the air reminds me that I need help from readers for a couple of holiday stories this year.

I want to know: Who carves the bird at your Thanksgiving feast? Is Grandpa the go-to guy for slicing the turkey each year? Does he have an apprentice who will eventually carry on the tradition? Or do people run from the kitchen when it’s time to carve the bird?

Share your stories about carving traditions, mishaps and more for an upcoming story.

Also, starting at Thanksgiving and running through Christmas, we’d like to share readers’ favorite holiday cookie recipes in The Spokesman-Review. So dig out your most spattered recipe card – the one for cookies everyone anticipates year after year – and send it our way. Include a little something about where you got the recipe, why it is special to you and any hints for making perfect cookies.