The Fruit Company

This just in! Summer is a great time to enjoy tasty fresh fruit! That’s right, you can celebrate fresh fruit and vegetables by adding a tasty fruit to each meal.  Whether it’s as a main course, side dish or a tasty dessert, fruit is a great part of your diet. Below are five ideas on adding tasty fruit into your day.  Enjoy!

Apple Slice Snack: A great idea for any time of year! Start the day by coring and slicing two apples. Take two Ziploc bags and put an apple into each bag.  Put them in the fridge and use as a nice cold snack during the day or grab one for your drive in the afternoon!

Cubed Tomatoes:  Yes tomatoes are fruit and the great thing about this fruit is that it goes great with most dinner dishes.  Whether you are eating Enchiladas, Spaghetti, or a tasty garden, salad cube a tomato up and serve it as a topping to any of these dishes.  The flavor and acidity of the tomato adds a great taste combination for any palate.

Fruit Salad: A great treat for breakfast or dessert is a delicious fruit salad that is simple and easy to make.  Find a small watermelon, a cantaloupe, a honeydew melon, and a carton of strawberries.  Cube the melons and slice the strawberries.  Mix them together gently in a bowl.  Quickly put them in the fridge to chill. That’s it.  Now you have a perfect summer breakfast side dish or dessert for a nice summer evening.

Frozen Blueberries: Summer is generally warm.  A great way to enjoy a nice cool treat is to freeze blueberries! Either pick or purchase enough blueberries to fill a one pound Ziploc freezer bag.  Rinse the blueberries and let them dry for about fifteen minutes. Place the blueberries in the Ziploc freezer bag and place them in your freezer.  After one day any time you want a sweet icy cool treat, grab a handful or fill a bowl and enjoy the tasty flavor.  Perfect for a summer afternoon and for kids!

Fruit Recipes: One of our favorite things to cook here at The Fruit Company is main courses that involve a strong fruit flavor.  A recent recipe that we made here and featured on our blog was a tasty Pan-Seared Pork (or Chicken) with a Pineapple-Kiwi Salsa.  This mixture of fruit and protein was a delightful main course that had a great balance between the ingredients! Try it out and see for yourself!

Recipe

Father’s Day is getting close, and what better way to celebrate the Dad in your life then with food. Summer is an exciting time for fruit with the arrival of Cherries, Peaches, Nectarines, and Plums. But don’t forget the snacks! The Fruit Company also has a wide selection of cheese gifts, crackers, sausage, smoked salmon, and more. If you are having trouble deciding which amazing gift to send, here is a helpful guide for Father’s Day gifting.

• The Sports Dad: With the World Cup starting this week our Mountain of Gifts Snack Tower might be the perfect treat. Enjoy the game while munching on fresh fruit and gourmet treats, with plenty to share with friends and family.

• The Retired Dad: There are very few things more relaxing the sitting outside in the summer sun snacking on fresh fruit and enjoying a cold drink. Try our Orchard Allure with Sparkling Pear Cider or our 3-month HarvestClub Americana with Blueberries in June, Cherries in July and Peaches in August.

• The Outdoor Dad: For the Father on the go and out in the wild, send one of our organic baskets or boxes loaded with fresh fruit and treats like dried fruit and organic trail mix.

• The New Dad: If you know someone who just became a Dad, send a Dad’s Day Basket or the Classic Plaid Tower. It’s the perfect way to say Congratulations and Happy Father’s Day!

Explore all of our Father’s Day Gifts, Gourmet Towers, and Monthly Clubs

The Fruit Company has designated every Friday as “Fruit Friday” – a time when local customers and visitors can purchase world-renowned orchard fresh fruit at favorable discounted prices.

The fruit is of higher quality than can be typically found at the grocer’s, but is available because it does not meet The Fruit Company’s extremely stringent gift grade. Excess inventories of gourmet goodies are also on hand for purchase.

On Friday, June 1st, The Fruit Company is holding a one-time Warehouse Extravaganza – to be held from 8 am to 10 am and 12 pm to 3 pm – to clear out its spring inventory. Customers may choose from decorative boxes or wicker baskets and fill them with delectable fruit and gourmet treats – all on sale.

According to Scott Webster, CEO of The Fruit Company, “This is a wonderful opportunity for the local community to come visit our gifting facility, where some of the world’s finest fruit gifts are created, and choose their favorite varieties at a very special price.”

To sweeten the offer, the first 50 customers who arrive at the warehouse, located at 2900 Van Horn Drive in Hood River, will receive a decadent box of 36 individually-wrapped Bellows Chocolate Ganache Brownies, absolutely free. Since the Ganache Brownies will be offered on a first come, first served basis, it is essential to arrive early; doors open promptly at 8 am.

Fruit Friday items are for purchase in person at the Hood River location only. Orders are not accepted and items cannot be shipped. Fruit Friday selections change from week to week. So be sure to sign up for The Fruit Company’s emails to keep in-the-know about the following Friday’s choices. To find out more about The Fruit Company visit the website at http://www.thefruitcompany.com.

About The Fruit Company:
The Fruit Company, located in the Hood River Valley of Oregon, has dedicated itself to delivering the finest orchard fresh fruit and gourmet gifts. The company heritage, spanning three generations, is focused on delivering the best-tasting, healthy items from their vast product offerings. As one of Oregon’s Top 15 growing companies and part of Internet Retailer’s Top 50 “Best of Web”, The Fruit Company continues to impress and amaze with a wide selection of gift items – for all occasions – shipped throughout the United States. Today they are one of the top gift basket companies and employ more than 200 people during their peak season. For more information on The Fruit Company’s gift selections and sustainable practices, please visit their website at http://www.thefruitcompany.com.

This refreshing and zesty salsa couldn’t be easier to make and is perfect for welcoming the warm days of summer ahead.

Ingredients

2 cups pitted, peeled, and chopped mango
3/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
2/3 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
4 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

Directions

Mix all ingredients in small bowl. Season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. (Can be made up to 6 hours ahead. Cover and chill.) Garnish with sprigs of cilantro. Makes approximately 3 cups of salsa.

Click here to place your order for fresh Mangoes!

One of the world’s most popular tropical fruits, the Mango comes in many sizes, shapes and colors and can be prepared in ways you’ve never considered.

50% of the world’s tropical fruit are mangoes, so goes without saying that there are innumerable means in which people of many countries have come up with to consume the sweet, juicy fruits.

The mango is native to southern Asia and is now grown throughout the world’s equatorial regions, including Central and South America, Africa, and the Arabian Peninsula. While there is limited production of mangoes in theUnited States, the vast majority of the mangoes consumed in North America come fromMexico and Puerto Rico.

Mangoes range in color from green to scarlet to vivid yellow, depending on the variety. The flesh consistency and flavor also varies with the mango type, but the most commonly consumed mangoes in the US have a very sweet, creamy and juicy flesh. Occasionally the flesh can be more fibrous than others, but the best mangoes, such as the Champagne Mangoes we send with the Exotica HarvestClub, are renowned for their consistency and lack of stringiness.

Besides eating fresh, one of the most common uses for mangoes is in chutney, which inIndiais much tarter than what we’re accustomed to here. They use sour, unripe mangoes, hot chilies and limes. In fact the super sour, unripe mangoes are very popular around the world, especially when accompanied with salt and/or chili powder. Street vendors inMexicooften sell the fruit on a stick dipped in a mixture of chili and salt. Mangoes are a key ingredient in muesli and oat granola. In Southeast Asiathe fruit is pickled with fish sauce and rice vinegar. There the mango is also served on top of sweet rice as a dessert.

You can also use mangoes to make juice, as filler for pies, blended with milk and ice for milkshakes, or mashed into ice cream.

Besides being incredibly delicious, mangoes are wonderful for you. One mango has nearly half your recommended daily intake of Vitamin C, as well as being rich in antioxidants, dietary fiber, carbohydrates, and essential vitamins and minerals. One mango has only 70 calories and, due to its high water content, is rather refreshing. So go ahead and indulge!

Mother’s Day is drawing closer and as it does we all will start searching out the perfect gift for our mothers, sisters, grandmothers, and other special moms in our lives. Here at The Fruit Company this is one of our favorite holidays!  We work hard each year to design and provide a variety of special gifts for you to share with those close to you.  One of the favorite’s here is our Decadent Springtime Tower.  Filled wit the finest northwest grown pears and apples, gourmet Gouda cheese with Honey Wheat crackers, decadent shortbread cookies, licorice, toffee almond crunch popcorn and more. Nothing says Happy Mother’s Day like a tower of tasty treats. This tower includes free shipping and is on sale for $59.95

The Golden Supreme Apple is one of the most popular and enduring apple varieties worldwide, and for just cause. Tasting mellow and sweet with a gentle tang, its slightly crisp texture and striking pale yellow color have garnered many lifelong fans. It can be difficult to find a perfect Golden as they are thin skinned and bruise very easily. Your best bet is enjoying one soon after harvest, when they are bursting with a warm and agreeable flavor and crispness.

West Virginia’s Clay County is reportedly the first place where these Golden
s were grown, as they were discovered there as a chance seedling in 1890. They were originally known as Mullin’s Yellow Seedling, but were renamed in 1916 and the rest is delicious history.

While eating a Golden fresh is always the best way to enjoy the full extent of its flavor, the delicate apples also do remarkably well in fresh cut salads as they resist browning. They also make great baking apples, especially as they’re so sweet that you don’t need as much sugar when using them in pies and desserts.

This apple is a favorite here at The Fruit Company® and featured in our Harvest Club Americana® for the month of April!  For more information visit our Harvest Club Americana® page here.

In honor of the Sweet Sixteen fever this weekend we decided to post our own Sweet Sixteen competition!  Go to facebook and vote between the eight matchups listed below featuring the best fruit direct from The Fruit Company® Happy voting!

CLICK HERE TO VOTE

Matchup #1

Strawberries:

This powerhouse fruit, in production since the 18^th century, ripped through the competition in the early rounds knocking out top seeded favorites Honeycrisp Apples and Comice Pears. With overall four million tons produced last year, this berry clearly has support, but does it have what it takes to make it all the way to the finals?

Asian Pears:

A relative newcomer, Asian Pears have taken the United States by storm in the last few years, as evidenced by their quick victories over Passion Fruit and Baby Bananas. But many people still don’t know quite what to make of Asian Pears. Are they an apple or a pear? Do you cook with them or eat them fresh? This lack of familiarity may hurt them later in the tournament.

Matchup #2

Comice Pears:

Knocked out in the first round by Strawberries, the Comice Pears were brought back by The Fruit Company CEO after the White Nectarines were found cheating; something about “juicing”. Once called the “Cadillac” of pears, do these soft and sweet pears still have the power to make it to the finals?

Nectarines:

An underappreciated sibling of the Peach, Nectarines have made great strides in developing their own strength in recent years. Many commentators prefer the smoother skin over the fuzz of peaches and apricots. But can this trait take it to the finals, and what happens if Nectarines are forced to face off against Peaches?

Matchup #3

Anjou Pears:

Commanding an amazing 34% of all pear production in the Unites States, Anjou (or D’Anjou) Pears are the true workhorse of the tournament. No flash, no storied history, the Anjou Pear simply gets the job done and is enjoyed by many. Will the classic hardworking Anjou Pear beat out the flashier and more perishable competitors?

Ugli Fruit:

The underdog of the tournament, Ugli Fruit has the worst appearance and even poorer recognition. The Ugli Fruit did however manage to best popular Bosc Pears and Jonagold Apples and outlasted all other citrus except Tangelos to make it to the Sweet Sixteen. Once people experience the Ugli Fruit for themselves, they are hooked, blown away by its flavor and humble mystique.

Matchup #4

Pomegranate:

With a history as old as time itself, the Pomegranate is poised to power its way to the finals. A bonafide superfood, the Pomagranate regularly makes headlines in the health and wellness world. With its anti-oxidizing ferocity and widespread popularity, will the Pomegranate be unstoppable?

Bing Cherries:

Dark, mysterious and full of flavor, Bing Cherries are a dominant stone fruit player in the competition. But will the fact that they are only available a couple months out of the year heightened their buzz or cause them to burn out early?

Matchup #5

Forelle Pears:

Named for the German word for “trout”, Forelle Pears are beautiful and elegant, and gracefully swept past rival Granny Smith Apples and Quince. What they lack in size and physicality, the more than make up for in appearance and style, and any fruit would be foolish to dismiss them as a challenger.

Pink Lady Apples:

The Pink Lady Apples hade a couple of close calls against the exotic Starfruit and sugary sweet Seckel Pears, but managed to make it to the Sweet Sixteen. Look for them to foster their avant garde texture and bright colors in their battle to the finals. The Pink Lady Apples may not have the recognition that the other apples in the tournament have, but don’t count them out yet.

Matchup #6

Tangelos:

Also known as Honeybells, Tangelos are a hybrid fruit combining the power and flavor of grapefruit and tangerines. Recognized by their odd shape and vibrant color, Tangelos are the favored citrus fruit in the competition. They have a tough fight ahead, but are supported by two of the largest states, Florida and California.

Rainier Cherries:

The prima donna of the tournament, Rainier Cherries are fragile, temperamental, and absolutely amazing! While they had an easy couple of rounds against the unknown Custard Apples and erratic Apricots, Rainier Cherries are an extremely popular fruit and favored by many against the other stone fruits in the competition.

Matchup #7

Fuji Apples:

While Fuji Apples don’t have the history of heirloom varieties or the recent popularity of apples like the Honeycrisp or Pink Ladies, they prove year after year that they have the flavor and crunch to be a formidable opponent and fan favorite. Will their reliability and sweetness be able to carry them to the finals?

Kiwi:

You can definitely say that Kiwi are unique in the competition. There is nobody else that looks, tastes, or performs like they do, making the Kiwi a force to be reckoned with since its introduction to the United States in the 1950s. Love them or hate them, the Kiwi are in it to win it.

Matchup #8

Peaches:

One of the most popular fruits in the world, Peaches are sure to put on an impressive show in their march to the finals. But having faced two citrus fruits early with Navel Oranges and Kumquats, are Peaches set to fall in a competition dominated by stone fruit?

Watermelon:

There are very few fruits more recognizable and enjoyed in the tournament than Watermelon. A picnic favorite, Watermelons are practically synonymous with summer time fun. Their size and thick rind could pose a problem however against smaller more versatile fruits.

If you happen to be in the company of your gift giver, a verbal thank you is all that is required of you. A follow-up thank you note is a very gracious gesture of thanks, but by no means necessary.

Try to send the thank you note as soon as you can, especially if you received the gift by mail so the sender knows that you did in fact receive it. Make sure to address the note to whoever signed your gift’s card, and always mention the gift specifically. If you’re thanking someone for an event such as a dinner party, address it to the host and possibly anyone else that might have helped with the occasion.

There is never a wrong way to write a gift card, just remember to speak genuinely from the heart. Taking the time to write your note by hand, especially in the age of emails and cell phones, really adds a special touch. You don’t need to write an essay—keep it brief and to the point.

If you’ve sent a gift to someone who is ill, possibly a patient in the hospital, proper etiquette dictates that a thank you card from them isn’t necessary until they are well enough to write one, for obvious reasons.

The phrase “better late than never” certainly applies to thank you cards. While you really should send one as soon as possible, a nice note or letter is appreciated at any time. In fact, you probably have a few people you should be thanking right now, don’t you think?

Spring in the Hood River Valley means two things: orchards full of delicate blossoms and the inevitable frosts that threaten them. Weather monitoring allows fruit growers to keep a closer eye on the temperature during this time of year, and if at night it dips below freezing alarms will sound and people rush into the orchards to protect the sensitive blooms. For decades the main line of defense was diesel-fueled smudge pots that are placed amongst the trees and used to chase away the cold. In more recent years gigantic fans can also be used to push the rising warm air back to the earth and displace the cold drafts.

Here at The Fruit Company we are proud to that our orchard operation has gone entirely propane with our smudge pots. Instead of adding to the diesel pollutants in the air we are now burning propane gas, which is drastically better for our environment.

Pollination is also incredibly important during the blooming season. Honeybee hives are placed in the orchards in order to pollinate the blossoms and ensure a bountiful crop in the autumn. Many blocks of pear trees have crabapple trees interspersed throughout as they are more attractive to the bees and it prevents them from straying and seeking other flowers in the vicinity. Once the honeybees are done pollinating an orchard their hives are moved to another orchard to continue to process, oftentimes with many different fruit growers sharing the same bees in a season.

Besides propane smudge pots and natural pollination, we are also utilizing a new innovative planting style in our orchard operations that will not only increase fruit production but also improve the safety for all employees working in the orchards and conserve land use in our beautiful Hood River Valley.