Blueberry Festival fundraiser attracts a thousand pancake lovers over July 24, 25 weekend

BOTHWELL, ON  (July 27 2010) –   The Rotary Club and  Sertoma Clubs of Thamesville flipped blueberry pancakes and grilled sausages for a crowd of a thousand over the July 24, 25 weekend.  All proceeds from the $10 entrance tickets went to local good works and international relief causes.

“We’ve never done this before so we’re very happy with the foundation that we’ve laid for the future,” says Ken Corlett, President of the Thamesville Rotary Club. “We received many compliments on the pancakes.”

“For a first year, we thought it went very well,” says Floyd Smith, Sertoma Club. “Everyone had fun and worked well together.”

The logistical planning brought in members from all Rotary clubs in Chatham-Kent, building a strong network of volunteers working on a common cause.  Threatening skies, rainshowers and other community events put a dent on attendance which is expected to grow as the festival gains a following. 

“We look forward to offering Parks Blueberries as the site for future fundraising efforts,” says Bill Parks.  “We have the infrastructure here for crowds to enjoy a memorable family outing.”

The U-pick operation is at the peak of blueberry picking.  The season is expected to last until August 21 while the bakery and retail store remains open until Christmas. 

For more information, please contact:

Karen Davidson

416-252-7337 ext 202

417-557-6413 cell

The Thamesville Rotary and Sertoma Clubs will be Fund Raising!

 And so Parks invites you to bring your family and friends out for a day or two in the country.The Blueberry Field is at its best and it will be a wonderful chance for you to taste the juicy and sweet blueberries freshly plucked from the farm– (remember how healthy blueberries are) Pails are available and we have guides that can help you …… Come and Join, The Bounty of the County!!!

 Parks Family

Parks New Menu

          Soup & Salad                                                                 

Soup                                                     $4                 

A rich bowl of today’s home style soup                                   

Soup & Tea Biscuit                                  $5                 

Soup with a tender, flaky tea biscuit                                       

Soup and Salad                                       $8                 

Soup & Garden salad (add $1 for Caesar)                         

Garden Fresh Salad                                 $6                 

A fresh toss of garden greens                                         

Caesar Salad                                          $7                 

The Classic, Add chicken for $2                             

House Specialties

Quiche of the Day                    $6

fresh baked, rich & fluffy, made w/Parks pastry

Quesadilla                                   $9

tortillas, chicken, onion, peppers & cheese blend w/sour

cream & parks Blueberry Salsa

Chicken Caesar Wrap                  $9

A soft tortilla stuffed w/Caesar Salad

Blueberry Chicken Salad              $12

Blueberries, almonds. Romaine, cucumber, chicken

breast$ Blueberry Poppy seed dressing    

Sandwiches

Deli-Fresh sandwich                       $7

Your choice of turkey, ham or B.L.T

Salad Sandwich                              $7

your choice of Egg , Tuna or ckicken

Chicken Ranch                              $9

Chicken, bacon, melted cheese blend,

Ranch dressing, lettuse & tomato

Great Turkey Club                         $9

Classic turkey, bacon, lettuce, tomato , mayo         

Pizza

Pepperoni               $8

Tomato sauce, pepperoni & cheese blend

Margherita             $8

Fresh basil, tomato, onion& cheese blend

BBQ Chicken          $9

Chicken, bacon, BBQ sauce & cheese blend

Hawaiian                $8

Ham, pineapple, peppers, sauce & cheese

Mediterranean        $9

Tomato, olives, onion, peppers, cheese & Feta

All Parks Sandwiches and Pizzas are made fresh on rustic Ciabatta rounds: white or whole wheat.

Add Soup or Garden Salad to any House Specialty, Sandwich or Pizza for $3 or add a Caesar for $4

See You Soon!!!

Mother’s Day is the most special day to celebrate the companionship of mothers. It’s the occasion to commemorate her presence in your life and to honor her with all the due respect and love.

MOTHERS, YOU ARE A GIFT AND A BLESSING!

And so Parks Blueberries prepared something special for you.

·         Free Tea or Coffee for Moms and    Grandmoms.

·         Fruited Crepes served with Bacon Slices $10.00 + tax

·         Blueberry Chicken Salad Plate $12.00 + tax

·         Roast Beef Dip $11.00 + tax

·         Parks Gift Certificates/ Gift Baskets 

Hope to see you and together we will celebrate this glorious  day.

Thank You!

Parks Blueberries

It’s that time of the year again and; Parks has opened for 2010! Our Café is featuring a brand new menu, we are busy scratch-making delicious pies, cookies and goodies thoughout the day, our store shelves are stocked with new items, and it’s time to restock your freezers with Oh-So-Good-For-You frozen berries.Come experience everything that’s fresh and new this Spring and enjoy a visit in the country with the Parks Family!

We are open from 8: 00 am to 6:00 pm daily!

http://parksblueberries.com/index.php

And here’s a recipe for you to enjoy!

                                 INSTANT BLUEBERRY CREME BRULES

This recipe is very easy and fast to make… and  so  so glamorous!  

You will need oven proof ramekins to make.         

Frozen/Fresh blueberries                         sufficient to cover  bottom  ramekin           

Yogurt/Sour Cream                                  to cover the blueberries  

Brown Sugar                                             to cover the yogurt or sour cream                   

Have ramekins filled to brim and fully sealed with the brown sugar.                                                           

Place under a pre heatead broiler set 500.                                                                                                     

Broil for 3-4 minutes, watching carefully until the brown sugar has melted and carmelized. Take care not not

to burn. Wonderful served hot with the cold centers or cold. Can be pre made and broiled at last minute.

Have a Beautiful Spring!!!

Thank You!!

It’s that time of the year again and; Parks has opened for 2010! Our Café is featuring a brand new menu, we are busy scratch-making delicious pies, cookies and goodies thoughout the day, our store shelves are stocked with new items, and it’s time to restock your freezers with Oh-So-Good-For-You frozen berries.Come experience everything that’s fresh and new this Spring and enjoy a visit in the country with the Parks Family!

We are open from 8: 00 am to 6:00 pm daily!

http://parksblueberries.com/index.php

And here’s a recipe for you to enjoy!

                                 INSTANT BLUEBERRY CREME BRULES

This recipe is very easy and fast to make… and  so  so glamorous!  

You will need oven proof ramekins to make.         

Frozen/Fresh blueberries                         sufficient to cover  bottom  ramekin           

Yogurt/Sour Cream                                  to cover the blueberries  

Brown Sugar                                             to cover the yogurt or sour cream                   

Have ramekins filled to brim and fully sealed with the brown sugar.                                                           

Place under a pre heatead broiler set 500.                                                                                                     

Broil for 3-4 minutes, watching carefully until the brown sugar has melted and carmelized. Take care not not

to burn. Wonderful served hot with the cold centers or cold. Can be pre made and broiled at last minute.

Have a Beautiful Spring!!!

Thank You!!

It’s that time of the year again and; Parks has opened for 2010! Our Café is featuring a brand new menu, we are busy scratch-making delicious pies, cookies and goodies thoughout the day, our store shelves are stocked with new items, and it’s time to restock your freezers with Oh-So-Good-For-You frozen berries.Come experience everything that’s fresh and new this Spring and enjoy a visit in the country with the Parks Family!

And here’s a recipe for you to enjoy!

                                 INSTANT BLUEBERRY CREME BRULES

This recipe is very easy and fast to make… and  so  so glamorous!  

You will need oven proof ramekins to make.         

Frozen/Fresh blueberries                         sufficient to cover  bottom  ramekin           

Yogurt/Sour Cream                                  to cover the blueberries  

Brown Sugar                                             to cover the yogurt or sour cream                   

Have ramekins filled to brim and fully sealed with the brown sugar.                                                           

Place under a pre heatead broiler set 500.                                                                                                     

Broil for 3-4 minutes, watching carefully until the brown sugar has melted and carmelized. Take care not not

to burn. Wonderful served hot with teh cold centers or cold. Can be pre made and broiled at last minute.

Have a Beautiful Spring!!!

Thank You!!

Another blueberry season is about to begin at Parks.  Our u pick is opening Wednesday, July 15, 2009 and it will be open daily 8am – 5:45 pm weather permitting.

We will have ready pick blueberries available for you inside and for the more adventurous type, come out and pick your own.

Our friendly and courteous staff will be glad to greet and inform you of the different types of blueberries ready to pick and give you a lesson on blueberry picking if you decide to pick your own.

After an outing at blueberry picking, don’t forget to join us in our store for delicious treats and check out our wonderful selection of crafts.

For those of you visiting with an empty tummy, come in and have a delicious lunch, or just a cool drink.

Thanks to all of you that have supported us all these years.  Your loyalty means a great deal to us here at Parks.

Come out, have a wonderful time and make Parks the first place you think of when you think Blueberries.

Thank you,

Bill and Diane Parks

Tom and Shelly Parks

For further updates as to picking conditions, check out our website at www.parksblueberries.com

For a refreshing summer treat, try a Blueberry Banana Smoothie:

1 cup milk

1 cup orange juice

½ tsp vanilla extract

2 medium bananas

1 cup applesauce

1 cup Parks blueberries

(For a colder treat, use Parks frozen blueberries.)

Combine all ingredients in a blender and run for 30 seconds or until desired consistency.  Pour into glasses and serve.  Makes 4-6 servings.

On sunday May 10, Mother’s Day 2009, Parks would  like to invite your family to bring Mom to Parks for a wagon ride around our fields, and a chance to browse our store and have a chance to sit together in our café.

We are approaching bloom in the blueberry field and with Sunday’s weather forecast we’re anticipating a beautiful spring day in the country.

Our guides will be able to explain what is occurring in the fields while the blueberry bushes are pushing bloom.

The wagon rides will run at 10:30, 11:30, 12:30, 1:30 and 2:30.

The café staff would like to offer a Fruited Waffle with coffee at $8.99 + tax

Blueberry Salad Plate with a tartlet dessert plus tea or coffee at $15.00 + tax

For the afternoon tea we will have the tartlet dessert with tea or coffee for $5.00 + tax

Our regular menu featuring our custom make sandwiches and quiche will run throughout the day.

Our bakeshop is there to help Mom with all her baking needs. Baking with blueberries offers all the healthy benefits which blueberries provide.

Helping Mom’s keep the family healthy.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the Moms of every age.

Bill and Diane Parks

Tom and Shelly Parks

Welcome back,

            Another season at Parks is about to begin.  We are opening tomorrow, April 22, 9am – 6 pm daily.  The blueberry bushes are starting to push buds and the fields will soon be filled with beautiful blossoms and happily buzzing bees making a new crop of berries for us to enjoy.  We still have a plentiful supply of frozen berries until the fresh crop in July.  The girls have been busy setting up for a new and exciting year for you.  Our phones have been steadily ringing with anxious customers eagerly awaiting our opening day.

            We would like to invite you to come in and check out our new gift shop displays and items.  Don’t forget to say hi to our friendly and courteous staff who are always happy to help any way they can.

            As a special treat for Mom we are offering a guided blueberry blossom tour on Mother’s day May 10.  Wagon rides will be at 10:30, 11:30, 12:30, and 1:30.  It will be a fun ride for the family around the blueberry field with beautiful scenery.  While you’re here for the tour take Mom into the store for our Mother’s Day Tea.

            We will be pleased to welcome you back and thank you for your continued support of our blueberry business.  The most important people to visit us are you, our valued customers.

Hope to see you soon,

Bill and Diane Parks

Tom and Shelly Parks

P.S. we’ve attached a blueberry cornmeal cake recipe that is excellent with blueberry sauce on it and is sure to become one of your favorites.

Blueberry Cornmeal Cake

Blueberry Cornmeal Cake & Crushed Blueberry Sauce

Yield: 8-10 servings

Prepare glaze ahead of time and set aside.

Glaze:

1 ½C                        powdered sugar

2 Tbsp.                    lemon juice

Stir with spoon until smooth. Add more lemon juice if required.

Stir glaze until blended. While cake is still very hot, drop glaze by spoonfuls onto cake; spread to within ½”of edge. Glaze drips down sides of cake.

Serve slices with Crushed Blueberry Sauce

Cake:

1 C                           buttermilk (1C milk + 1 tsp. lemon juice)

1/3 C                       yellow cornmeal

Mix together and set aside for 5 minutes.

½ C                          melted margarine, cooled

¾ tsp.                      vanilla extract

2                              large eggs

Blend and add to buttermilk/cornmeal mixture

1 ½ C                       all purpose flour

¾ C                          sugar

3 ½ tsp.                   baking powder

½ tsp.                      salt

1 Tbsp.                    finely grated lemon peel

1/2C                        frozen or fresh blueberries

Grease and flour a 9” cake pan with 2” high sides. 

Mix dry ingredients together. Add blueberries at end and flour with dry ingredients. Pour buttermilk mixture and melted margarine into flour mixture. Using rubber spatula,

Fold liquids into flour mixture just until blended (do not overmix).

Place in greased and floured pan and bake at 350F (preheat oven) for 30-35min. or until cake tester comes out clean and cake is pulling away

from the sides.

Immediately run a knife around sides; place a rack on top of pan and using oven mitts, hold pan and rack firmly together and invert cake onto rack. Remove pan from cake.

Place another rack on bottom of cake; invert 1 more time so that cake is top side up. Ice with glaze

Crushed Blueberry Sauce

Yield: 1 ½C

3C                    fresh or frozen blueberries

2/3C                packed brown sugar

2 tsp.               lemon juice

½ tsp               finely grated lemon peel

Simmer on stove or micro in a large bowl the above ingredients. When liquid is syrupy and berries soft then gently press blueberries against side of pan until lightly crushed.  Sauce may be made up a few days ahead.

Serve chilled or heated over cake slice