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Wishing you Strawberry Dreams this summer

Imagine a field of flowers waving gently in a warm breeze. Nearby a boat made of bananas and filled with strawberries floats gracefully down a stream. On your lips you sense the taste of something wild and sweet.

The stuff of a summer daydream - perhaps. And that's what the makers of Sunkist Naturals are sure fans of their new Strawberry Dream smoothie will feel when they drink the delightful beverage.

Strawberry Dream is made with strawberries vine-ripened in the California sunshine. Growers who take true pride in their work lovingly pick and deliver them to Sunkist Naturals in a flash.

The beautiful berries are juiced into their purest essence. This juice is then rounded out with a puree of bananas and a splash of Sunkist orange juice. The result is a delightful pink smoothie that offers both vital nutrients and heavenly flavor. No wonder it makes us imagine such lovely things.

Strawberry Dream is a good source of potassium and is rich in the powerful antioxidant vitamin C, natural omega 3's, and fiber.

Burst: Super Succulent Strawberries With Banana.

Benefits: Double the Daily Recommended Serving of Vitamin C, and a Good Source of Potassium.

...driving the economy one lolipop at a time...

Guess what's recession proof these days?  Markets that are driven by people who don't know what the word recession means (that alone should tell us something about attitude).   

Earlier in the week we saw how the infant and young kid's clothing market is on an up-tick.  And now, goodies with sugar as a main ingredient are the new *it* item. 

(Which kinda makes it ironic that the company United States Sugar just sold a 187,000 acres and two refineries in Florida to the Federal Government recently in a land conservation deal - but that's seriously beside the point).

In terms of market trends, Mars,   recently bought out Wrigley's in an $80/share cash deal.  This makes it the largest confectionery company in the world - the buyout was financed by uber business trend harbinger, and official richest man in the world, Warren Buffet in April.  “Those of you who know me, know that I have been a big fan of Wrigley’s business model for many years, and I love their products,” Mr. Buffett said in a statement. 

Globally, the confectionery market grew 44 percent from 2002 to 2007, and my guess is that will continue to rise in not only candy, but well-branded lines of baked goods.  (See Bethanny Bakes launch and the surge of Sprinkles Cupcakes popping up all over).

So what's the upshot of this?  Markets driven by young children are hot!  Places like Dylan's Candy Bar and Sprinkles are where the new *in* crowd hangs.   

For more insight, check out Peter Alexander's report from the Today Show.

Sunkist Naturals introduces the first authentic Alphonso Mango Smoothie to the US

American foodies dreamed about them for decades - the Alphonso Mangoes - the King of Fruits - the food of gods - authentic only to Maharashtra, India, where the trees have been lovingly cultivated for centuries - and the fruits are nursed through those unique 3 main seasons.  It's said that once you've tasted one, you'll sneer at the mangoes available in markets here.

So when Sunkist Naturals was formulating their mango smoothie recently and the news that true Indian mangoes would finally be available in the United States, they knew the mythic Alphonso had to be the primary ingredient in their blend.  They named it Golden Mango, after the unique bright yellow skin of the Alphonso.

Sunkist Naturals Golden Mango begins with authentic Indian Alphonso Mangoes which are blended with passion fruit, banana, apple, and orange juice to arrive at perfect tropical balance.

Loaded with potassium, omega-3's, fiber and a rich dose of antioxidants vitamins A & C, Golden Mango is as healthful as it is delicious.

To read about the incredible Indian Mango background, visit the New York Times travel section.

Sunkist Naturals Golden Mango is available throughout the United States. 

   

Schweppe's is bursting; Adida's is Pink

I came across Debbie Millman's very intriguing eponymously named blog this morning and was really knocked out by these two promotional video/ads from Schweppes's and Adidas.  Millman, who is the President of the Design division at Sterling Brands, a brand identity firm in New York, is also a gifted painter.  Her work, and the art of others makes the site interesting and a breath of fresh air.   

Naturally I love the creativity of these videos, the way they get you to think about their products in a new light.  They lift the notion of viral video to a new level and put art into pop culture without being too esoteric.   

This is berry, berry good...

When fall comes we think of rich tones like pumpkin, cranberry, and mossy green.  We also think Mulberry is great, with its deep red-plum hue, it’s the perfect shade for fall.  Now we know there are several types and colors of Mulberry, but for the sake of color, let’s think about the red variety.  To incorporate this gorgeous color, and fruit into your fall lineup, we’ve assembled a few items to keep in mind:

Laura Mercier Lip Stain in Mulberry ($20) - offers the natural translucence of a stain, but with the sexy sheen of a gloss. 

Zensation Brightening Mask ($100) – This remarkable product new to the US from Switzerland relies on the brightening and healing power of Seabuckthorn, Mulberry, Watercress, and Strawberry Begonia as its main ingredients. 

Boscia Jujube Rejuvenist Whipped Body Creme ($30) An amazing body moisturizing that contains Vitamin-rich Jujube Fruit, Mulberry and Peony extracts.

Mulberry Tea is known to help inhibit the absorption of sugars by the body, thereby making it a remarkable product for diabetics and sugar sensitive people.   This one from Culinary Teas is $1.59 per oz.

And no cup of tea can be more charming than when served with honey and a freshly baked mulberry muffin.  AllRecipes.com has a great recipe you should try

coffee, tea and diddy

It should be no secret that I love Starbucks – it’s just my thing.   Latte Grande with a slurp of pumpkin syrup and I’m happy as a ten-year-old with a bag full of candy bars!  I also love the iPod/iTunes –convenient, eco friendly and great for those of us who thrive on instant gratification. 

So next week when Starbucks unveils its Song of the Day promotion, I’ll be first in line. 

According to the official press release, from October 2 to November 7, more than 10,000 U.S. Starbucks locations will dole out "Song of the Day" cards redeemable on Apple's iTunes store for a complimentary song hand-selected by the good folks at Starbucks.  I hope they pick a wide range of both obscure and well known artists and genres so it gives us a great way to experience music we may not otherwise hear.

Starbucks will give away 1.5 million downloads a day during this time period and customers will have until the end of the year to redeem the song on iTunes.

What a treat just in time for Halloween! 

my new chicken wing

So, I have a few favorite foods.  I'm not the steak and lobster type - too fussy and too much guilt involved (for the critters).  But I do have a huge love of sassy flavors like BBQ Chicken Wings, French Fries (MacDonald's has the best fast food fries of all the chains bar-none), fresh popcorn, and Organic Earl Grey Tea from Mighty Leaf.

Being close to vegetarian, I've pretty much wiped BBQ Chicken Wings off my list, unless they happen to be organic, which is quite unusual.  This sort of leaves me without a spicy snack to call my own.   

So imagine my joy when I first came upon these Blue Diamond Almonds in Wasabi and Soy Sauce at the market a few weeks ago.  Open a can and it's really impossible to stop.  The ingredients do list coconut oil, which is not a great thing to consume en-masse, but otherwise the list is fairly guilt-free (if eaten once in a while only).

The flavor is BOLD as advertised on the label, but also well balanced so the horseradish, soy sauce and wasabi all do come through.  The fresh almonds add a great textured crunch.  Naturally I love the whole snacking package!   

An added plus is that the wasabi and horseradish are great for allergy season (clears out the sinuses in a wallop.)

If these gems aren't carried in your local grocery, check into the Blue Diamond website at www.bluediamond.com 

About $3 a 6 oz can

The Prince’s Wild Honey.

When The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall visit the US this week, no doubt the couple's every move will be recorded and dissected.

I hope it goes well for Charles and Camilla, I think they deserve a break after all these years. Sadly, insatiable interest in The Prince's personal life has overshadowed his remarkable environmental and humanitarian side - one that will now, hopefully be brought forward.

A prime example is the Prince's pioneering efforts in the organic and sustainable goods field. One of the first in his country to experiment with organic farming back in the early 1980's on his Duchy Home Farm, Charles became an early advocate of the practice.

His interests led to the founding of an extraordinary British organic label, Duchy Originals. From organic bread and award winning Scottish Heather Honey, to an outdoor furniture collection made from sustainably sourced sweet chestnut wood, the royal brand offers dozens of high quality, socially responsible products.

All profits generated from the sale of Duchy Originals products are donated to The Prince of Wales's Charitable Foundation. To date about £3.5 million has been raised for the Foundation.

To find out more about Duchy Originals and to browse the complete collection visit http://www.duchyoriginals.com/index.htm - or to purchase in the US visit http://www.thebritishshoppe.com/ (located in Madison, CT) where you can find a good selection of Duchy Original food items.

Trend: It’s a Cupcake Nation

If you’ve been scoping the lifestyle media lately you know the food to be right now is a cupcake.

From decorating competitions to shops that will bake and deliver you a dozen to order, this lovely little dessert has become a favorite coast to coast.

My guess is that the next culinary trend will be cupcake decorating stores where you can do your own decorating onsite, picking from various toppings as you would at a salad bar. 

The cupcake came into being sometime in the early 1800’s and was initially named for the amount of ingredients needed to make a small batch – a cup of flour, cup of sugar, cup of butter – all baked in a tea cup shaped mould.

In the mid to late 1900’s the cupcake was summarily cast out of the adult party realm – large sheet cakes picturing, or in the shape of, "adult themes" became the trend.

But children gave up their exclusive hold on this delightful little perk-me-up a few years ago when five star pastry chefs fell in love with their small scale, and since the cupcake’s social stock has been rising steadily. 

From Dulce De Leche-Filled Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache Frosting to Matcha Green Tea cupcakes with pistachio cream and Totoro "truffles" the heights to which a cupcake can now aspire is remarkable.

And don’t naively set them out on a dinner plate decorated humbly with a smear of red frosting, as that would be passé – rather find and offer them adorned with the care and majesty of an Italian Renaissance cathedral.

Many cupcakes are decorated so lovingly it’s difficult to imagine actually eating them – but enjoy them you should.  A cupcake generally offers a limited portion, thereby constraining calorie and fat intake if you buy and devour just one.

Gift them the way you would a bouquet of flowers with the help of San Francisco’s Kara’s Cupcakes http://www.karascupcakes.com; or build an exquisite tower for a party or wedding like they do at New York’s Cupcake Café http://www.cupcakecafe.com – and you’re right on-trend.

Treat a Bat this Halloween

As I contemplate the end of Daylight Savings Time and realize that Halloween is just one week away, it suddenly hits me -- Chocolate Season is officially here!   

It’s not news anymore that chocolate with at least 70% cocoa is actually recommended fare by heart surgeons and general practitioners.  As an antioxidant, high cocoa chocolate helps keep arteries clear and helps block those nasty free-radicals that endanger our health.  (Just don’t overdo, recommended dosage is about an ounce per day).

So when I picked up a few bars from the Endangered Species Chocolate Company at my local Whole Foods over the weekend, I was pleased in a variety of ways.

Endangered Species Chocolate Company (ESCC) makes a wide array of scrumptious 3 oz goodies to choose from - all with their cocoa content marked clearly on the label.

My favorites are The Rainforest Bar (70% Cocoa: Dark Chocolate with Deep Forest Mint), and The Wolf Bar (70% Cocoa: Dark Chocolate with Cranberries and Almonds), but there’re 18 in the 3 oz group alone – enough of a selection to please any chocolate connoisseur.  It’s important to note that the ESCC chocolate taste is rich and pleasant, not bitter and overwhelming as some high cocoa bars can be.

ESCC also offers Baby Bars that are a delicious 1.4 oz size.  Bars from all collections are offered in hauntingly beautiful paper wrappers – each adorned with images of the animals they’re named for.

But aside from the beautiful packaging, delicious flavor, and great price, the ESCC does one better.  10% of the profits from the sale of each bar go to protect a large array of endangered species – from the oceans to the rainforest; from Bats to Black Rhinos, pick your favorite critter and buy a bunch. 

Imagine offering the little ballerinas and vampires who come banging at your door on Monday night something that’s good in so many ways.  I personally will be handing out the Bat Bars.  To learn more about ESCC Fair Trade, Shade Grown products, and to find a buying guide visit http://www.chocolatebar.com

The results are in – Bellybar is the critics flavor favorite.

           While a snack bar may not be considered fine dining by some, About.com was impressed enough with the new Bellybar to give it a 5-Star rating. 

In a recent review, the informational web portal sited Bellybar’s perfect blend of chewy and crunchy.  “I could actually distinguish the tastes of the different ingredients like graham cracker and big chunks of almond,” writes about.com reviewer Stephanie Brown.

The article goes on to site Bellybar’s terrific healthy ingredients, excellent vitamin content, and the fact that it’s appealing to women in all stages of their pregnancies – before, during, and after.

“We worked very hard to make this the best pregnancy snack on the market,” says Leslie Sagalowicz, co-creator of Bellybar.  “It’s rewarding to know that objective reviewers of our product feel we’ve achieved our goal.”

To read the entire review, please visit www.nutrabella.com, or http://babyparenting.about.com/od/gettingready/gr/bellybar.htm.

Bellybar is sold through parenting boutiques, grocery stores, and specialty retailers, and was launched in summer 2005. 

NutraBella was founded in 2004 by Leslie Sagalowicz and Meredith Lincoln.  The company’s goal is to improve the nutritional wellbeing of women by delivering delicious, nutrient rich products uniquely formulated and conveniently available.  NutraBella is headquartered in San Mateo, CA.

This Frozen Moment

    

          It’s getting to be that time of year when we all seem to have a yen for anything that comes from the ice box. 

          Keep two spoons in there for an under-eye perk up…freeze candles to make them burn cleaner and longer…and my fav—place organic seedless red grapes in a freezer bag and keep near the ice till a sugar jones hits (for me this is always mid afternoon) -- then pounce. 

          Enjoy the frosty little bites – super low cal and very satisfying for even the most die-hard sugar fan.  I like organic grapes for many reasons, mostly because the flavor is more complex than conventional grapes.

Cheers!  Carolyn