Our Winter Jamboree

 

Our Winter Jamboree

In the height of summer, people often ask us at Seaquist Canning what occupies our winters. While Seaquist Orchards Farm Market is quiet, the Seaquist Processing is closed up tightly and the cherry and apple trees are taking a deep sleep, our canning kitchen is hosting a loud, fragrant and fun Jamboree. These are the months we have to prepare the many delicious jars of products you purchase all season long.

So what does our jamboree sound like? It is the sound of jars clanking, lids popping, music blasting and laughter. What does it smell like? It is almost indescribable! Today it smells like fragrant, sweet, mouthwatering raspberries. We can always tell the flavor of the day by the smell in the air. What does our jamboree look like? We have 7 full time staff working so hard to make and perfect each jar of jam, jelly, salsa and pie filling. We appreciate them so much! In just three weeks’ time that staff made over 36,000 jars of our top flavor, Chopped Cherry Jam. They are a super team!  This week we are working on “small” flavors and then we move onto another top flavor, Cherry Pie Filling. This year we will make about 17,000 jars of our famous cherry pie filling.

The Seaquist family is very thankful that we are able to bring our fruit full circle, from our orchards to your kitchen. We hope that you taste the love and commitment in each bite of our products!

 

First Kiss Cupcakes

These cupcakes look delicious, and would make a wonderful Valentine’s Day treat!

The perfect way to celebrate National Cherry Month!

Here at Seaquist Orchards Farm Market, our bakery is closed up tightly for the winter, but our homes are bustling with baking, cooking and all kinds of fun!  Winter in Door County is a busy time, but a different kind of busy than the summer season.  We are always thinking about cherries however, no matter what time of year it is!

The recipe is below.  It may look long and complicated, but it’s really quite simple, and very delicious!

Enjoy the cupcakes!

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Ingredients

CHOCOLATE CAKE:
1 cup cocoa
2 cups boiling water
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chocolate extract
Paper baking cups
Vegetable cooking spray
24 milk chocolate kisses

CHERRY FROSTING:
1/2 cup butter, softened
3 tablespoons cherry jam
1/4 cup whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 (16-oz.) package powdered sugar

TOPPINGS:
24 red maraschino cherries (with stems)

CHOCOLATE GANACHE:
1 cup whipping cream
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine cocoa and 2 cups boiling water in a large heatproof bowl, stirring until blended and smooth; cool completely. Beat butter with a mixer until creamy; gradually add sugar, beating until blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition. Combine flour and next 3 ingredients; add to butter mixture alternately with cocoa mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. Stir in chocolate extract.

Place paper baking cups in 2 (12-cup) muffin pans, and coat with cooking spray; spoon batter into cups, filling two-thirds full. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Do not cool.
While cupcakes are still warm, press 1 chocolate kiss into the center of each. Let cool completely.
To prepare cherry frosting, beat first 5 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating at low speed until blended. Beat at high speed 2 minutes or until creamy. Makes 3 cups.
Frost each cupcake with Cherry Frosting.

To prepare ganache, cook cream in a heavy non aluminum saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, just until it begins to steam (do not boil); remove from heat. Place chocolate in a glass bowl. Slowly add hot cream to chocolate, beating with a whisk until chocolate melts and mixture is well blended. The mixture will thicken as it cools. Makes about 2 cups.
Dip cherries in Chocolate Ganache, and place 1 on top of each cupcake.

(recipe from southern living.com)

 

This isn’t Kansas!

No Ice Cream on Cherry Pie???

At one time, it was illegal to put ice cream on top of cherry pie in Kansas!  We don’t know why that law existed, but we here at Seaquist Orchards Farm Market Bakery are definitely glad those good folks in Kansas can enjoy eating cherry pie alamode. It’s almost the best way! If not ice cream, whipped cream will do….. or plain isn’t bad either……

Always remember, eating cherry pie isn’t a fattening thing to do, it’s a healthy thing to do, because cherries are so darn good for you!  We raise all the cherries we use in our bakery right here at Seaquist Orchards, in beautiful Door County Wisconsin!

National Cherry Month!

It’s National Cherry Month!  We love February!

It’s National Cherry Month! It seems to come every February, doesn’t it? We thought it would be fun to share news, fun facts, and even fictional information regarding cherries. You may need this info some day!

The view down Seaquist Road may look a bit dreary today, but we don’t mind it!  Our cherries are resting, getting ready for another summer bursting with cherries, hopefully!

Do you know the name of the most popular tart cherry? It makes up about 95% of the tart cherries in the world, with the Morello coming in a very distant second. It’s the Montmorency cherry!  If you intend to do some baking, these tart cherries are the ones to use, because they have such a wonderful flavor! Here in Door County, Wisconsin, we at Seaquist Orchards raise Montmorency cherries, and lots of them! We have them fresh, when it’s cherry season, and frozen in a variety of sizes at Seaquist Orchards Farm Market. We also put them into our jams, pie fillings, and salsas at Seaquist Canning, along with pies, doughnuts, and other baked goods, not to mention our smoothies too! They are delicious!

National Cherry Month! Even in Nashville!

It’s National Cherry Month! Wahoo!  Seaquist Orchards Farm Market in beautiful Door County Wisconsin loves National Cherry Month, and cherries!

                             

It’s also the week of a great learning time in Tennessee, with fellow farm marketers, at the NAFDMA, Farmers Inspired conference.

Here’s our cherry tidbit for today: Juicy Fruit has come out with 2 starburst flavors, and one of them is CHERRY! Way to go Juicy Fruit!

                

Time to make pies!

Time to make pies! Buy 5 pie fillings of your choice, and we will send you a quart size jar of our homemade peach pie filling.                                                                                         Yep!  Our pie fillings are made right here at the Seaquist Orchards Production Facility in Sister Bay, Wisconsin Processed locally, loved worldwide!                                    Order soon, this offer expires July 13,2013

$9 Shipping!   How’s your appetite these days?                                                                    Do you need a lumberjack size breakfast?  For only $9 shipping, (regularly $14) our “Door County Lumberjack Gift Box” is perfect, with Door County Maple Syrup, two of Uncle Tom’s delicious pancake mixes, Door County Crème Coffee, and a jar of Seaquist Orchards Apple Butter.  That will fill you or some friends up, for sure!                                                                                                                                   This offer expires July 13,2013

MOM is worth it!

MOM is worth it!  Especially when there is free shipping!  Place an order for $65 or more, and you will get free shipping!  Just think of it, a few things for yourself, some treats for your mom, and we’ll pay to get it to you!  What a gift!  This special begins today and ends May 10^th, so order soon please! We will take off the shipping.

Happy Mother’s Day!

National Cherry Month “Interesting Cherry Fact” #28

National Cherry Month “Interesting Cherry Fact” #28

This is it!  The last fact!

The Seaquist family LOVES cherries – that’s a fact!  🙂

Remember to come to Seaquist Orchards Farm Market in friendly Door County Wisconsin!  We open for the 2013 season on May 15, 2013, – but you can order online at http://www.seaquistorchards.com – any day, any time!

We hope you have enjoyed these cherry facts.  Keep your eyes peeled for other interesting info here at http://www.seaquistorchardesfarmmarket.wordpress.com

National Cherry Month “Interesting Cherry Fact” #27

National Cherry Month “Interesting Cherry Fact” #27

You may have read some of these facts previously on this blog, – but one of them is really worth repeating.

Which one?  The cherry pie filling one, in particular!

•Cherry pie filling is the number one pie filling sold in the US.

•Tart cherries contain 19 times the of beta carotene of blueberries and strawberries.

•They are also rich in Vitamin C and Vitamin E and also provide potassium, magnesium, folate, iron, and fiber.

•Tart cherries are one of the few known food sources of melatonin. Melatonin is an antioxidant that helps regulate our circadian rhythms and natural sleep patterns.

•A recent study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that tart cherries ranked 14 in the top 50 foods for highest antioxidant content per serving size—surpassing red wine, prunes, dark chocolate and orange juice. (from http://www.wherefoodcomesfrom.com)

 

 

Remember, – you can order cherry pie filling year round at http://www.seaquistorchards.com.  Seaquist Orchards Farm Market will open its doors for the 2013 season on May 15, 2013.  The snow will have all melted by then, and you will be able to come on in and purchase pie filling right off the shelves.  We are busy making filling right now at Seaquist Canning.  If you are in the area, you are welcome to watch our products being made, all winter long, at our new production facility, in Door County Wisconsin.

National Cherry Month “Interesting Cherry Fact” #26

National Cherry Month “Interesting Cherry Fact” #26

If you lined up all of the Seaquist cherry trees north to south, how far would they extend?  Well – this may not be an actual fact, – but we think it’s pretty close.  They would extend down towards southern Illinois!!!

But – we still do have a few cherries up here in Sister Bay, Door County, Wisconsin at Seaquist Orchards Farm Market.  Order online at http://www.seaquistorchards.com, and Tom will ship them to you just as quickly as you can say, “Cherries!”