Yum! Cherries!

Cherries, named after Cerasus, a city in Turkey, are divided into two general groups: sweet and sour.
The United States is the world's largest producer of sweet cherries, and Washington state produces about 40 percent of the nation's crop. Varieties of this dark red, heart-shaped fruit include Bing, Lambert and Tartarian cherries. Other sweet cherry varieties, such as Royal Ann and Rainier, are yellow with red tinges.
You also know sweet cherries by a different name: maraschinos. To make maraschinos, the cherries are bleached, dyed red and steeped in a sweet syrup. They are named for the Italian liqueur with which they were originally soaked.
Sweet cherries are available May through August, with peak season in June. Select plump, glossy, hard fruit. The ripest cherries have the deepest color. Fruit with stems left intact last longer.
Refrigerate unwashed cherries in a plastic bag up to 5 days. Freeze individual cherries on cookie sheets until solid, about 1 to 2 hours; transfer to a freezer bag to use later in pies and other baked goods. Frozen cherries are at their best only up to 4 months.
Posted on Wed, Aug. 01, 2007 in the State (SC)

For the best in Sweets, Desserts & Drinks , Log on to...

http://www.mysweetsguide.com/

FUN FACTS ABOUT ICE CREAM

To this day, the history about Ice cream remains a mystery. However many say that the first Ice cream is credited to Emperor Nero of Rome. It was a mixture of snow, nectar, fruit pulp & honey. Others proclaim that Marco Polo, a 13th century adventurer, brought ice cream to Europe from the Far East. So which countries like ice cream the most?
The United States , New Zealand, Denmark & Australia top the list. The favourite flavour is the classic Vanilla. then comes Chocolate, strawberry, Neapolitan & Chocolate chip. How do these line up with your own list of favourites?
The most popular topping for ice cream... Chocolate syrup. Around 13% of men & 8 % of women will admit to licking the Bowl clean after eating the ice cream. Biggest Ice cream sundae - 12 ft tall. This one was made with 4667 gallons of ice cream in California in 1985. The average single scoop ice cream takes 50 licks to finish.

sourced from Grandma.... webmaster at the Baby names Box.

For the Best in Sweets, Desserts, Indian Sweets & Exciting Coolers,
subscribe to....

http://www.mysweetsguide.com/

SMOOTHIES

A Smoothie is a blend of fruit, fruit juice and ice. But you can also add sorbet, ice cream, yogurt, soy milk, protein powder and even ground Flaxseed for flaour and extra nutrition. If you are in charge of what goes into the lender, you can make your smoothie into a meal that’s packed with proteins, fiber, energizing carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals that help stave off age related diseases.Here’s a guide to smoothie- making basics: Start with a lender with a tight fitting lid. Cut all ingredients small so that they blend completely. Put ½ cup crushed or cubed ice in the blender, then add the following:FRUIT (select two or three) : ½ cup berries (strawberries, blueberries or black berries- fresh or frozen); medium orange; 1 medium kiwi; ½ banana; ½ cup pineapple; ½ cup cubed papaya or mango.JUICE (select one or more; use half cup total): carrot, cranberry, grape, grape fruit, guava, kiwi, strawberry, pineapple, prune or tomato; 3/4th cup plain yogurt( non fat or low fat); 3/4th cup milk or soy milk; 1 scoop isolated soy protein or whey protein powder.FROZEN TREATS (optional for taste) : Fruit sorbet; frozen yogurt; ice cream ( low fat or regular)EXTRAS (To add nutritional boost and/or flavour; select one or two):2 tbsps ground nuts (good source of vita E); 2 Tbsps Flaxseed meal ( good source of omega-3 fats); 1 Tbsp cocoa powder; 1 Tbsp honey; 1/4th tsp vanilla extract; 2 Tbsp wheat germ or oat Bran( this thickens your smoothie, so you may need to add more lquid). Put all moist ingredients (fruit, yogurt etc) in the blender and spin on high for about 30 seconds.Kick the speed to low and blend for a few seconds longer. If you are including dry ingredients like protein powder or cocoa, add them now on low, to help keep them from sticking to the sides.Stop the blender ad jiggle it to get an idea of the consistency, if you need more liquid, add it and blend for another 15 seconds.

For the best in sweets n desserts, subscribe to...

http://www.mysweetsguide.com/