Holiday 2008 Contact: Marcy Erhard Lewis & Neale Inc. 35 East 21 st Street New York, NY 10010 Phone: (212) 420-8808 Email: marcy@lewis-neale.com THIS YEAR, MAKE BEAUTIFUL BLUEBERRY GIFTS Looking for the perfect gift? Stop looking and start making! A personal gift you create yourself is always appreciated, whether it s for a holiday present, a warm welcome to a new neighbor, or a thank-you for a hostess. Even if you don t consider yourself a talented crafter, you can make extra special food gifts. Blueberries are the secret ingredient for handmade presents that are both delicious and beautiful. Blueberry gifts packaged and wrapped in festive ribbons convey your care and good wishes. Who wouldn t love to receive a sweet box of Blueberry-Chocolate Clusters! (photo) And who would guess that these two-ingredient goodies are so simple to make. Choose dark, milk or white chocolate to cover fresh blueberries, and for an extra tasty gift, mix two or three colors of chocolate in the same box. Kids and others will enjoy digging into a jar of Blueberry Party Mix (photo), a blend of dried blueberries, nuts and crunchy snacks. No cooking involved: just toss the ingredients together, pour them into a decorative jar and tie a pretty bow around it for giving. The rich color and sweet berry flavor of Blueberry Vinegar (photo) make it -more-
ideal for tossing with salads. To complete your gift, write the recipe for Blueberry Vinaigrette on a tag to hang from the bottle. The simple blueberry-flavored vinaigrette is wonderful on greens, and just as good mixed into spinach-bacon salad or drizzled over cold asparagus. You can find many more recipes and information at www.blueberrycouncil.org. Blueberries are available every day of the year. In North America, the blueberry harvest begins in April in the Southern states and moves north to Canada, extending through late September. In the winter and early spring, blueberries are imported from South America where growers and packers use some of the world s most modern techniques and equipment. Throughout the process, rigorous quality control measures assure that the fruit arrives in the U.S. as fresh and flavorful as possible. And, frozen and dried blueberries are always in good supply. The USDA recommends adults eat two cups of fruit a day all year round. Fresh or frozen blueberries can help you fulfill that recommendation. A one-cup serving of blueberries is a good source of dietary fiber, vitamin C and manganese. They also contain antioxidants thought to help reduce the risk of chronic diseases.* * Wu, X. et al. J Food Composition and Analysis 2004, 17: 407-422. -more- 2
BLUEBERRY-CHOCOLATE CLUSTERS 1 cup fresh blueberries 1 cup chocolate chips (dark, milk or white) Line baking sheet with wax paper or parchment. In small bowl or top of double boiler, over barely simmering water, place chocolate; stir until melted. Remove bowl from hot water; gently fold in blueberries. Make clusters by spooning 4 or 5 warm chocolate-coated blueberries onto wax paper, 1 inch apart. Or, spoon mixture into silicone candy molds.* Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes. Transfer to airtight container and refrigerate for up to three days. For gift presentation: place clusters in pleated paper candy cups and arrange in box. Yield: 18 to 24 clusters * Silicone candy molds can be found at craft stores or www.cakesandthings.com or www.candylandcrafts.com. 3
BLUEBERRY PARTY MIX 1 cup dried blueberries 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts 1 cup thin pretzels, broken 1 cup ready-to-eat cereal (such as Wheat Chex, Cheerios, etc.) In large bowl, combine blueberries, walnuts, pretzels and cereal. Store in airtight container. Best if used within a week. Yield: 4 cups 4
BLUEBERRY BALSAMIC VINEGAR 4 cups fresh or frozen blueberries 1 quart white balsamic vinegar 1/4 cup sugar Zest from 1 lime, green part only, in strips 1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick In a large non-reactive saucepan with a potato masher or back of a large spoon, crush blueberries. Add vinegar, sugar, lime zest and cinnamon; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, 20 minutes. Cool slightly; pour into large bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 2 days for flavors to blend. Place strainer over another bowl. In batches, ladle blueberry mixture into strainer; with large spoon, press out as much liquid as possible; discard solids. Pour vinegar into clean glass bottles or jars. Refrigerate, tightly covered, until ready to use. Use in a favorite salad dressing recipe or the following Blueberry Vinaigrette. Yield: approximately 5-1/2 cups Blueberry Vinaigrette: In measuring cup, combine 1/4 cup olive oil, 3 tablespoons Blueberry Balsamic Vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper. Serve on salad greens tossed with fresh or dried blueberries. Yield: about 1/2 cup 5