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© Cooking Light 2004
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In the July 2004 issue of Cooking Light magazine, Wild Blueberries from Maine are the summertime stars. Cooking Light contributor Amy Sutherland, author of “Maine’s got the blues,” talks about the unique taste and health attributes of Wild Blueberries, as well as the colorful characters who bring this special fruit crop to harvest. As Wild Blueberry grower Sanford Kelly is quoted as saying, “It’s a love affair. The blueberry fields are just so beautiful.”
Cooking Light profiles Wild Blueberry farmers, Maine B&B owners, restaurant chefs, and prize-winning home cooks, all of whom eagerly anticipate the Wild Blueberry harvest in late summer. Kate Nelson, owner of The Wildflower Inn in Searsport, Maine, puts up quarts and quarts of Wild Blueberry jam every season because, she says, “Her guests always want something with Wild Blueberries in it.” She describes the Wild Ones as “little bundles of flavor.”
Nutritional Standouts
Author Amy Sutherland also includes the latest information on blueberries and health, stating, “It may be the blue in blueberries that makes them such nutritional powerhouses. Anthocyanins, which give the berry its pleasing hue, are phytochemicals, which may combat the free-radical damage linked to cancer and heart disease.” She cites USDA studies that rank blueberries #1 in antioxidant capacity, compared with more than 40 other fruits and vegetables, noting that Wild Blueberries have been shown to have even higher antioxidant capacity than cultivated. She adds, “…the phytochemicals in blueberries might also counteract the effects of aging, including waning brainpower.” This is in reference to the work of USDA scientist Dr. Ronald Prior, a leading USDA researcher in the field of blueberries and anti-aging.
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“It may be the blue in blueberries that makes them such nutritional powerhouses.”
- Amy Sutherland, Cooking Light, 2004
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Cooking Light offers plenty of ideas on how to enjoy Wild Blueberries all year long. With six delicious recipes, from Blueberry-Blackberry Shortcake to Blueberry Cinnamon-Burst Muffins, the article notes that most recipes can be made with either fresh or frozen Wild Blueberries. According to John Sauvé of the Wild Blueberry Association, “There is no fruit that freezes better.” Adds Sutherland, “Frozen Wild Blueberries offer a taste of Maine all year long.”
© Cooking Light 2004
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