It’s officially spring! Ah, I feel like we all needed this breath of fresh air. I’ve always looked at spring as the season of fresh starts! The sun even shines differently – things feel lighter, brighter and full of color. To us at Starr Ranch Growers, our spring season is one of our most beloved times of year. Of course, we have to admit that we also LOVE fall because well, that means harvest is here and our apples are on their way to you! However, spring is sort of that ‘guiding light’ that leads the way to harvest, sets the stage for the season ahead and generates excitement for what’s to come in our orchards.
Our orchards truly come alive during springtime. Our trees are brighter, apple and cherry blossoms are blooming and sweeping our orchards in a blanket of white flowers, bees are busy pollinating and the sun is shining down on our crops for that much longer each day. Our growers love watching this process of nature unfold, and being one step closer to bringing the fruits they’ve cultivated all year long to each and every one of you!
Not only do we love spring in our orchards, but we love spring in our kitchens, too! With that extra hour of daylight lately, I find myself going on more walks with my puppy in the late afternoon, or putting on some tunes, decompressing and whipping up new creations in the kitchen. I love utilizing colorful, in-season florals and using spring as an opportunity to create light, colorful dishes, snacks and desserts that I can eat, share and even save for later. One of my favorites I have created lately was this JUICI Apple, Fig & Raspberry Pretzel Pie. It was crunchy, creamy, light, yet filling in a balanced, satisfying way. It’s full of sweet flavor and tastes even better after it’s been frozen, meaning – no food waste here, you can just keep storing it in the freezer every few slices (win-win!).
This spring apple pretzel pie essentially consists of ground up pretzel pieces for the crust, a thick, homemade whipped cream filling, honey soaked Starr Ranch Growers apples and lots of fruit, florals and herbs. Need we say more? I love the idea of making this ahead of Easter Brunch in a few weeks – it’s light enough that you can definitely enjoy it mid-day. Or, you can be like me and sneak into the freezer every night for a bite (or two ;-))
Do you love spring as much as us? What is your favorite part? The longer days? Blooming flowers? Or is it the excuse to cook and bake yummy spring recipes all season long? Maybe it’s all the above! To sweeten up spring even more, we launched our Bites & Blooms Giveaway this week and will be sharing the opportunity to win giveaways the next two weeks that will bring even more joy to this sweet season we all love.
Head to our Instagram @starr_ranch_growers for a chance to WIN your very own shipment of fresh JUICI apples, a beautiful spring flower arrangement and a $100 gift card. Our first winner will be announced this Sunday, 3/28 via Instagram stories.
Here’s to celebrating fresh starts, fresh recipes and longer, sunnier days ahead!