Just Picked

Last Minute Gift Ideas - Stocking Stuffers

Who enjoys the last minute hunt for stocking stuffers?  These are some of the most fun gifts to give (and yes - get!).  We still have plenty of great items that are perfect for the stockings.

You can't go wrong with chocolate and candy.  We've got so many different varieties, some from local New England companies such as Taza, Equal Exchange, Vermont Nut Free Chocolates and Lake Champlain.

 
 
 
 

And we have our own line of Fruit Center chocolate bars

 

Here's a couple ideas for the kids - our friends at Ginger Betty's have a Make-Your-Own Gingerbread Man kit that includes a large gingerbread man cookie, frosting and plenty of candy to stick on the cookie.

 

We also have our own hand-dipped caramel apples

 

For wine lovers, we have half-bottles of great wine and wine accessories

 
 
 

Last Minute Gift Ideas - Stonewall Kitchen Edition

It's no secret that the Fruit Center loves Stonewall Kitchen.  Great flavors, elegant packaging and they're a local New England company (just north of us in Maine) - you really can't go wrong if your gifting these items. We've got the widest selection of Stonewall products on the South Shore so you're bound to find something for everyone on your list.  Here's just a small selection of what you'll find on our shelves this year:

Grill Sauces and Marinades

 

Hand Soaps and Hand Lotions

 

We've even wrapped some of soaps and lotions ... how easy is that??!!

 

Mini Jams - a great stocking stuffer

 

No Christmas morning should be without SK Pancake and Waffle Mix

 

We offer nearly every variety of Stonewall Kitchen Jam available

 

And you'll find some of SK's best baking mixes

 

Last Minute Gift Ideas

Everyone has their opinions about holiday shopping - some enjoy every moment, others not so much.  Whatever your personal feelings, take heart in the fact the Fruit Center has you covered.  Even just five days before Christmas, we've got plenty of gift options for everyone on your nice list.

Stonewall Kitchen Gift Sets

 

Traditional Holiday Treats

 

Gift Ideas for the Kids

 

 

 

Here's a special gift for wine lovers: we've got Veuve Clicquot at an amazing price. See our monthly flyer for our sale price.

 

Centerpieces and Decorative Plants

 

Fruit Baskets and Gourmet Gift Baskets

 

 

Locally-made Items

 
 
 

Don't forget, we've got party platters and gift cards as well. 

Happy Holidays from everyone here at the Fruit Center!

 

The Berries of Summer

When the full-force of summer bares down with all its relentless heat (it's already reached into the 90's here on the South Shore!), you're probably craving something that's refreshing and healthy. Look no further than nature's summertime gift, fresh berries. Whether you're a fan of strawberries, blueberries, raspberries or blackberries, they're really a perfect warm-weather snack or sweet addition to many dishes. And at this time of year, we've got berries that are grown locally here in Massachusetts. As of this writing, we're offering native blueberries from Kosinski Farms in Westfield, MA; a family farm just about 100 miles from our stores. We've also got native raspberries and native-style strawberries.

Throughout the month of July, we'll be featuring recipes that will help you get the most from your berries. Seeing as we have local blueberries in-store right now, here's a few fresh blueberry-focused recipes:

Lemon Blueberry Bread

Blueberry Walnut Salad

Blueberry Beef Burgers

Grilled Salmon with Blueberry Corn Salsa

Blueberry Mango Dessert

New Items: Hildon, Nicky's, Falafel Republic and our own chocolate

Hildon Mineral Water

Until recently, you could only enjoy this English mineral water at a particular Boston restaurant (the restaurant that sells "seafood legally", wink, wink). Available in both still and sparkling varieties, Hildon is extremely proud of their product, including their glass bottle design - there's a whole page on their web site devoted to it. That's not a knock - it just goes to show the level of detail this company puts into it's product. And it's certainly reflected in their water.

Nicky's Dipping Oil

For all it's mystique and contributions to New England culture, you don't always think of Martha's Vineyard as a source of great food products. Here's one that will change that perception. From Vineyard Haven's Nicky's Italian Cafe come Nicky's Dipping Oils, a line of flavored oils that will add bursts of flavor to any number of dishes, not to mention a simple piece of dipping bread. Look for four varieties: Classic Italian Herb, Zesty Lemon, Piccante and Nero's Revenge.

Falafel Republic

Another local product from right down the road in Needham, MA, is this Middle-Eastern staple. Falafel Republic crafts fresh falafel with a simple list of ingredients. And their products are gluten-free, dairy-free and have no trans-fats.

Fruit Center's Own Chocolate Bars

After much investigation, and loads of sampling, we finally found a chocolate bar that was worthy to put our name on. Introducing the Fruit Center's own chocolate bars in both milk and dark varieties. They passed our rigorous inspection, so we hope you enjoy them too.  Let us know what you think by commenting here.

New Items: Teather Snack Strips and Naked Nuggets

Teather Dried Whole Fruit and White Tea Snack Strips

These are not your kid's fruit snacks. First off, look at the ingredients - Teather is all real organic fruits (Ever look at the ingredient list on some other brands? Some don't even contain any real fruit!). They also add white tea leafs which help to boost the phytonutrients in each serving. And they're a local company based out of Brookline, MA. Look for three varieties: Mango Goji Citrus, Berry Cherry Acai and Strawberry Pomegranate.

Blue Ribbon Naked Nuggets

For anyone under eighteen, chicken nuggets are a cornerstone of their diet. Unfortunately, most of the major brands are not as nutritious as we'd like. Seeing an opportunity, and hoping to please their own kids, the folks at Blue Ribbon Restaurants set out to create a healthy chicken nugget. Their solution was to remove the breading and grill the chicken rather than fry. The result is a healthy, gluten- and allergen-free nugget. Check out their web site for some recipe ideas.

New Item: Modern Mermaids Eco-friendly Products

How many toxic chemicals are in your home? The number is probably somewhere between sixty-two and eighty-seven. How many toxic chemicals do you need to keep your home clean? According to the women who founded Modern Mermaids, none!  Audra and Amy, the environmentally-conscious duo who met on Cape Cod, have developed a line of eco-friendly products that are non-toxic yet effective for a variety of household uses.

Look in our cleaning section for the Mint Foaming Soap, Vitalizing Fruit & Veggie Wash, Mint All-purpose Glass Cleaner and Mint Bathroom Cleaner.  

Award Winning Heirloom Tomatoes

So many of the best things in life are fleeting and these heirloom tomatoes that just arrived today (pictured at left) are no exception. These top-notch tomatoes came to us from Kimball Fruit Farm in Pepperell, MA. How good is Kimball Farm at growing tomatoes? Kimball just won an award at the recently held Massachusetts Tomato Fest for the heaviest tomato (congrats!). For all you foodies and tomato enthusiasts, visit Kimball's web site to watch an informative video about the heirloom tomatoes they grow and their various uses (scroll to the bottom of their home page for the video). Interesting nuggets of info from the video: many of the original heirloom seeds were brought over to America from European immigrants and the seeds from any heirloom tomato can be planted to grow your own heirlooms. 

We've got a nice variety of these heirlooms on hand but, as previously mentioned, get them soon - we'll only have them for a few days. As with almost any heirloom, they're so flavorful that you can simply slice and eat, but here are some simple recipes that feature heirlooms:

Tomato Fritters

Heirloom Tomato Basil Mozzarella Salad

Heirloom Tomato Tart in a Parmesan Crust

Heirloom Tomato and Watermelon Salad

Heirloom Tomato and Grilled Peach Salad

Fresh Local Peaches

Apples? Sure. Cranberries? Of course. But peaches? They may not be the first thing you think of when you think about local New England produce. Truth is that our local agricultural scene is wonderfully diverse and fresh locally-grown peaches are just one of the treasures now being harvested.

If the local peaches you pick up here at the Fruit Center are not quite ripe here are three different methods for ripening. Also, here are five different recipes to try:

Peach French Toast

Cold Peach Soup with Rum and Honey Whipped Cream

Roasted Beet, Peach and Goat Cheese Salad

Grilled Chicken Sandwiches with Sherried Peaches

Halibut with Peach Salsa

If you try one of these recipes, let us know what you think in our "Comments".

New Product: Reusable Produce Bags

The Fruit Center is always on the hunt for products that are locally made and environmentally friendly. If we find a product that fits both of those criteria - jackpot! We were lucky enough to be approached by Christine Fiske, Milton resident and entrepreneur. Christine is passionate about sustainable products and eating locally. Combining those two interests led her to develop her company, Bite, and her first product, reusable produce bags.

These bags are sturdy and machine washable as well as stylish. And - added bonus - they're made in the U.S. There are several designs to choose from (three are pictured here) and all have a secure drawstring to hold your produce safely. So, next time you're selecting some perfect fruits or veggies here at the Fruit Center, consider moving on from the typical plastic bags and purchasing a reusable produce bag. You'll find them in our produce department.