Hidden Rose Apple

I have been waiting since September to try these apples. I first heard about them through my local supermarket’s magazine. They said it was a special order from Oregon and that it would be limited. What made me want them even more was that it also said the apples were green on the outside and pink on the inside, and that they tasted like lemonade. I was freaking out because I love apples, and this was something I just had to try. Well, I kept waiting and waiting every week for them to make it to the supermarket. Finally 2 months later they were finally in. It was worth the wait because they tasted so good. The apples are sour like a Granny Smith, and yet sweet like strawberry lemonade. I still can’t believe how good they were, and I can’t wait until next year when they’re brought back again.

Raspberries

One of the joy’s about summer in Canada is enjoying all the summer fruits and vegetables that are in season. They’re not only good for you, but are also cheaper to buy. While going to the supermarket and buying all these fruits and vegetables is fun, I also really enjoy going to farms and picking my own fruit. A local farm that I love is Brooks Farms, a farm just north of Markham Ontario (where I live). While Brooks Farms has many fruits to ‘pick’ from, my favorite to collect is the raspberry. Raspberries are in season from July to August, but it’s best to visit early in order to pick the best fruit first. Someone once told me that the raspberry is the champagne of berries, and after eating a couple I concurred. Raspberries are fragrant, sweet, and are good for your health. Raspberries contain lots of vitamins, and also have antioxidants that protect against free-radicals. The only negative part about raspberries is the price and the seeds they come with. Even though they are pretty expensive, I figure I would much rather spend my money on something that is not only delicious and healthy than on some fast food junk that is bad for my body and can upset my stomach. As for the seeds, they’re not much of a bother because I like to scarf the berries down when I eat them, lol. However one solution to the seed problem that I have found is to make raspberry juice and remove the seeds. To make raspberry juice is pretty simple; to start off after bringing home your berries you just want to give them a light wash. I then like to store mine in zip-loc bags, and I use a straw to suck all the air out of the bag so that I may store them in the freezer (for up to 12 months). Then whenever I am ready to make juice I defrost the bag for a few hours, then put it in the blender, add some sugar and water and mix. Once it is fully mixed I like to strain the juice to remove the seeds, and finally put it in a pitcher with lots of ice. Once that is done you can sit back and enjoy a nice glass of raspberry juice and reflect on all your hard work.




Brooks Farms website:
http://www.brooksfarms.com/
YouTube link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1w4rUquIp10