We are always thrilled to join our friends on Coast Live, which airs weekdays at 9 a.m. on WTKR News 3 in Coastal Virginia, with segments available at WTKR.com/CoastLive
In our latest segment, we explore blueberries; July is National Blueberry Month, and we find out more about a regional blueberry farm, and enjoy a Wild Blue Highball made with the seasonal fruit.
And in honor or Bastille Day – and Eat Something French Day, we make a yum-mazing Ham + Brie Baguette with Spicy Apricot Sauce.
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EATS, DRINKS + DOS
FOOD FIND: BLUEBERRIES FROM WILD BLUE ACRES
Enjoy the freshness of blueberries this season from one of the area’s newest farms.
Wild Blue is a 20-acre property located on the Albemarle Sound between Hertford and Elizabeth City, N.C. It’s owned by our friend Lindsay Bennett, owner of Press 626 restaurant in Norfolk.
On site: a three-acre blueberry farm, along with a guest house and main house available for vacation rental and small events. The blueberry field has around 2,000 bushes started about 18 years ago. They are rarely pruned and now stand 10-12 feet tall and 6-8 feet wide. The berries are grown naturally with no spraying.
You don’t have to drive to North Carolina to enjoy Wild Blue Acres blueberries; pints are also sold at B&L Farm Market in Virginia Beach and at Press 626 in Norfolk.
Here are some blueberry tips and tricks:
— Look for plump, ripe blueberries. They should have a good color and be firm, but not mushy.
— When you get the blueberries home, gently sort through berries, removing stems as well as soft berries, or berries that have a cut or pierced skin.
— Handle blueberries very gently; they are fragile.
— Do not wash blueberries until immediately before use.
— If you are going to use blueberries the same day, or before the second day, keep them on the counter. If you are going to use them later, refrigerate.
— Use blueberries within 3-5 days of bringing them home.
— To wash, rinse gently under cold running water, and pat dry softly with a paper towel.
— You can easily freeze blueberries. On tops on preserving berries, email PatrickEvansHylton@gmail.com with “Freezing Blueberries” as the subject.
For more, www.facebook.com/WildBlueAcresNC
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