The story
A metaphor, from the idea of picking through a bowl of cherries and seeking the best for oneself, or the idea of picking off the cherries for oneself from a cake or dessert.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.
cherry-pick
Today it means: To pick out the best or most desirable items from a list or group, especially to obtain some advantage or to present something in the best possible light. Full definition →