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Baby Gift Baskets
The whole point of Baby Gift Baskets is that they are personalised making them a lovely bespoke baby gift. They start with a pretty white wicker basket which is fully lined with pink or blue gingham. These delightful Baby Gift Baskets are ideal for use in the nursery afterwards for baby`s toiletries. Then there is a 100% white cotton Bib with Velcro fastening and gingham appliqu� teddies in Blue or Pink. The Bib will be embroidered with your chosen name and date of birth to add that truly personal touch! If you know baby`s birth weight and time of birth, that can be put on too this is great idea! Then there is a traditional fully-jointed teddy along with a pair of gorgeous bootees with either Pink or Blue trim, as well as an essential baby soft Brush and Comb set. To complete all of the Baby Gift Baskets there is a stunning Silver Plated First Tooth Box, embossed with a teddy design in either pink or blue enamel and individually boxed.

Band Merchandise
Bands use a variety of merchandise to promote their concerts and new albums. At any major concert you`ll see plenty of Band Merchandise on sale and it`ll look great when waved in the arena or placed onto a bedroom wall. Any band that is looking for suitable types of Band Merchandise to help promote their records can find specialist suppliers who print posters and banners, or emboss fridge magnets and bottle openers. Simple types of promotional Band Merchandise like badges can be given away but they`ll help to boost the band`s image and increase ticket sales for concerts. In fact, as promotional pieces go, Band Merchandise like pin badges can be of real benefit for all types of music groups. Pick from any number of the pin badges and you`ll be able to choose sizes and colours or download your own artwork. With a distinctive style on a highly visible item of Band Merchandise like pin badges, your band will be able to reach out to whole new audiences. You can utilise your Band Merchandise to good effect and produce an advertising campaign that will certainly help to get you noticed. Imagine streets filled with people that are wearing your pin badges or fridges that have your band`s name on the front of them? In modern times we have come to rely on items of promotional pieces to help get our message across. Therefore, if you have a struggling band or just want to remind your fan base who you are, Band Merchandise can be marvelous at promoting your group.

As the days grow longer, peaches, plums and nectarines are ripe for the picking ? and a must-have for summer meals

(NC)?REEDLEY, Calif. ? As Mother Nature turns up the heat, peaches, plums and nectarines will begin arriving in abundance at the local supermarkets and fruit stands. Like hot days and balmy nights, these delicious summer fruits begin arriving in late spring and disappear with the first hints of autumn.

There`s nothing quite like biting into a juicy, fragrant peach or a plump, flavorful plum at the peak of ripeness. Perfect in a lunch bag or as an afternoon pick-me-up, peaches, plums and nectarines are the ultimate healthful summertime treat.

What`s more, of course, is they`re just as great in recipes as they are eaten fresh. They add distinctive color, flavor and pizzazz to summertime meals ? at any time of the day. The versatility of peaches, plums and nectarines is one of the reasons chefs love to cook with them ? and why you`ll find them in recipes from breakfast to dessert, from the very simple to the very elaborate.

The California Tree Fruit Agreement, an organization representing California`s 2,000 peach, plum and nectarine growers, held a recipe contest earlier this year to get chefs thinking about the abundance of tree fruit available during the summer months. Chefs from all over the United States and Canada responded with an incredibly wide range of creations: waffles with toasted pecans and juicy plums, an almond crusted pork loin with a colorful peach chutney, and a spinach salad with nectarine vinaigrette and marinated flank steak were among the winning recipes.

Variety is the spice of life

Peaches, plums and nectarines come in an abundance of varieties. The state of California, which produces more than 80 percent of the fresh peaches, plums and nectarines packed each spring and summer in the United States, commercially produces more than 200 varieties of peaches, 200 varieties of plums and 175 varieties of nectarines.

Most peach varieties are freestone, meaning the flesh of the fruit easily slips away from the pit. For nectarines, freestone varieties are generally available in June and July. All plum varieties are clingstone.

Over the past few years, California growers have been producing increasing quantities of Summerwhite peaches and nectarines. Summerwhite peaches and nectarines have a pale white skin with splashes of bright pink, while the flesh is light pink or white. Summerwhite varieties represent about 20 percent of the peaches and nectarines packed in California. They tend to be sweeter than the traditional yellow varieties and are increasingly popular with consumers across the country.

Selecting, Storing And Handling Summer Fruit

When purchasing peaches, plums and nectarines in the grocery store, they often feel hard to the touch and are not fully ripe. The best way to ripen stone fruit is to place the fruit in a paper bag, fold the top of the bag over loosely, and place the bag on the counter for one to three days. Never store hard fruit in the refrigerator, in plastic bags, or in direct sunlight.

Check the fruit daily. When it is ripe, it will be aromatic and will give slightly to gentle pressure. Once ripened, it can be stored in the refrigerator for about a week.

Peaches, plums and nectarines are easy to prepare: simply rinse under cool water and they`re ready to go. Unless a recipe calls for it, you never need to peel any of these fruits: in fact, many of the nutrients found in stone fruits are contained in the peel, and it`s highly recommended that the peel be consumed along with the flesh.

For more information on peaches, plums and nectarines, please visit the California Tree Fruit Agreement`s Web site at http://eatcaliforniafruit.com.

- News Canada