Ruma's Fruit and Gift Basket World

More recipes!

2012-02-24T16:05:00.000-05:00

We've been adding recipes to our site! Whether it's peaches, avocados or Granny smiths you have laying around, we have you covered! Let us know what you concocted and make suggestions for others!

Recipe of the Week: Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries

2011-07-21T17:26:00.000-04:00

Nope, you didn't stumble into Bizzaro world. Yup, you read that title right. As it turns out, someone came up with the best idea since strawberries went ON your cheesecake. Why, oh why, didn't we think of this??? No time to dwell on that...let us just be thankful that someone did!

And while we're handing out thanks, we really must give a shout out to Twitter. We know some people are loath to get on board with the thought-truncating machinations of that most ubiquitos of social media options... but guess where we found this recipe? Seriously, we can no doubt live without knowing what Ashton Kutcher had for breakfast, but we're pretty sure we can't live without cheesecake stuffed strawberries! So thank you Twitter, thank you @localinseason and thank you @nutmegnanny!

Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries

You need:

1 pound large strawberries
8 oz. block cream cheese
3-4 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (may also use almond or lemon, depending on your preference)
Graham cracker crumbs

Directions:

Rinse strawberries and cut around the top of each strawberry
Remove tops and clean out insides, a paring knife works well
If you want strawberries to stand up-right for presentation, cut a bit off the bottom
Set berries aside
In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla
Put cream cheese mix in a piping bag and fill strawberries (be sure let some 'overflow' the top
Put graham cracker crumbs on a plate
Dip tops of strawberries in the crumbs until fully coated
Enjoy!

Find more great fruit and produce recipes on Ruma's web site!

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Recipe of the Week: Raspberry White Chocolate Mousse

2011-07-14T15:35:00.000-04:00

It's Bastille Day and it's raspberry season, so we thought we'd honor both occasions this week by celebrating with a delectable raspberry white chocolate mousse! Your family and friends will be storming the kitchen for second helpings. (Sorry, we're as weak in the face of wordplay as we are in the face of dessert.)

As if being super yummy weren't enough, this mousse has a bonus feature. It can also be used to fill or ice a cake! Franc-ly (sorry) we think it would be best to try both! Ouiiiiiiiii!

Raspberry White Chocolate Mousse

You need:

10 ounces fresh raspberries
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 tablespoons orange liqueur
1 3/4 cups heavy whipping cream
6 ounces white chocolate, chopped
1 drop red food coloring

Directions:

Process berries in a blender or food processor until smooth
Strain mixture into a small bowl and discard seeds
Add the sugar and liqueur and stir until sugar dissolves
In a heavy saucepan on low heat, warm 1/4 cup of the cream and the white chocolate
Stir chocolate constantly until it melts
Let mixture cool until it is lukewarm
Stir in one tablespoon of raspberry sauce and the drop of food coloring
Transfer mixture into large bowl
In a medium bowl, whip remaining 1 1/2 cups of cream to soft peaks
Fold into melted chcolate mixure, one-third at a time, until no streaks remain
Layer into parfait dishes and serve with the sauce

Find more great fruit and produce recipes on Ruma's web site!

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Always have fresh fruit on hand - join Ruma's Royal Fruit Club or purchase a monthly plan for a friend! Shipping is FREE

Recipe of the Week: Frozen Fruit Pops

2011-07-07T12:27:00.001-04:00

New England or not, we think it's now safe to say summer is truly here. (If it snows next week, feel free to blame us.) One of the things we love best about this season is the amazing abundance of berries! Between the blueberries and the raspberries, it sure gets wild in our neck of the woods once the calendar flips to July.

This week we wanted to bring you a recipe that not only highlighted some of summer's best berries, but served as a tasty way to cool off. We think we've found it with these super simple ice pops - featuring three kinds of berries along with bananas and yogurt, they're also bursting with nutrition!

Frozen Fruit Pops

You need:

2 cups fresh blueberries, raspberries, strawberries and sliced bananas, mixed
2 cups plain or vanilla yogurt
1/4 cup white sugar
8 small paper cups
8 popsicle sticks

Directions:

Place the berries, sliced banana, yogurt and sugar into a blender
Cover and blend until fruit is chunky or smooth, as desired
Fill paper cups 3/4 full with fruit mixture
Cover the top of each cup with a strip of aluminum foil
Poke a popsicle stick through the center of the foil on each cup
Place the cups in the freezer for at least 5 hours
To serve, remove foil and peel off the paper cup

Recipe of the Week: Grilled Peaches

2011-06-27T14:43:00.000-04:00

IT. IS. ON!

We're talking about summer, we're talking about the grill and we're talking about peaches!

For a minute there it looked like we had entered into some strange weather wormhole and wound up back in November - but hey, that's New England for you! Like the hardy breed we are, we hung in there and we're feeling pretty good about the prospect of some REAL summer weather sticking around for a bit.

And just to show we're serious, we're busting out a recipe that screams summer. Sure, these days you can get your hands on peaches for most of the year, but they never taste as good as they do in the summertime. Take it a step further and put that juicy little Georgian on the grill and it's like the culinary equivalent of the last day of school, the fourth of July, fireflies and dips in the ocean all rolled into one!

And, to top it all off, this one's as easy as a Summer breeze.

Grilled Peaches

You need:

3 tablespoons white sugar
3/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons freshly ground black peppercorns
2 large fresh peaches, halved and pitted (don't remove skin)
2 1/2 ounces fresh crumbled blue cheese

Directions:

In a saucepan over medium heat, stir together the white sugar, balsamic vinegar and pepper
Simmer until liquid has reduced by one half (it should become slightly thicker)
Remove from heat and set aside
Preheat grill for medium-high heat
Lightly oil the grill grate
Place peaches on the prepared grill, cut side down
Cook for about 5 minutes or until flesh is carmelized
Turn peaches over, brush tops and sides with the balsamic glaze and cook for another 2 or 3 minutes
Transfer the peach halves to individual serving dishes, sprinkle with blue cheese and drizzle with remaining glaze

Find more great fruit and produce recipes on Ruma's web site!

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Always have fresh fruit on hand - join Ruma's Royal Fruit Club or purchase a monthly plan for a friend! Shipping is FREE

Recipe of the Week: Mango Sauce

2011-05-06T15:40:00.000-04:00

This week presented a tough call. On the one hand, it's May and things are getting all sunshine-y and warm and we're feeling more than ever like sinking our little choppers into some fresh fruit... or, better yet, sipping it through a straw. (Happy Belated Cinco de Mayo, by the way!)

On the other hand - also known as our practical-thinking hand - it's May in New England and we've lived here long enough (aka - all our lives) to know that calendars don't mean a thing and just because it's sunny and warm this afternoon, doesn't mean temps can't flirt with the lower 40s this evening.

What to do, what to do.

Then we came across the perfect recipe to satisfy our taste for springtime fruit - no matter what the weather brings! Cold night? Put it on your pork chops! Warm night? Vanilla ice cream's new best friend!

Mango Sauce

You need:

3 cups mangos, peeled, seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon orange juice
3 tablespoons water

Directions:

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine mangos, butter, brown sugar, lemon juice, orange juice and water
Stir until mixture thickens
Remove from heat and serve

Recipe of the Week: Fiddlehead Dijon

2011-04-29T16:40:00.000-04:00

Behold, the fiddlehead. Perhaps you've never seen one, or even heard of them. But the simple unfurled Ostrich Fern frond sitting on this plate is one sought after little veggie. You see, simple though it may be, getting it on that plate is more complicated than you might suspect. One of the few edible ferns, these little guys are strictly wild - meaning they aren't cultivated and don't grow on farms - so experienced pickers have to seek them out and pluck them by hand during their very short growing season of late April to mid June. Being that they're most abundant in Maine and Eastern Canada, many Northern New Englanders grew up with them and savor their unique asparagus-esque (with nutty undertones) flavor. A word to the wise: don't get between a Mainer and a fiddlehead. Intrigued? Get thee to your nearest "better" grocer, or better yet... it just so happens we know a guy... http://www.rumasfiddleheads.com/

Fiddlehead Dijon

You need:

1 1/2 pounds fresh fiddleheads
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup nonfat buttermilk
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
3/4 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

Clean and prepare fiddleheads; remove scales and wash thoroughly
Place fiddleheads in a vegetable steamer over boiling water
Cover and steam 20 minutes or until tender, but still crisp
Set aside, keep warm
Combine cornstarch and buttermilk in small saucepan; stir well
Cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly, stirring constantly
Remove from heat; stir in mustard, lemon juice, tarragon and pepper
Arrange fiddleheads on a serving platter; spoon sauce over fiddleheads and serve immediately

Find more great fruit and produce recipes on Ruma's web site!
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Recipe of the Week: Honey Sweet Haroset

2011-04-20T15:44:00.001-04:00

Apples, nuts, honey and wine? Yes, please! So simple, but so scrumptious together as haroset, we think this pallet pleaser deserves a spot on the table even when it's not on a Seder plate. In fact, many families make the highly symbolic dish in huge batches in order to enjoy it for breakfast, with lunch or as a snack. We say, why not all three? Shalom!

Honey Sweet Haroset

You need:

6 apples, peeled, cored and chopped
1 cup finely chopped walnuts
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon white sugar
3 1/2 teaspoons honey
1/3 cup sweet red wine

Directions:

Place the apples and walnuts in a large bowl
Mix the cinnamon and sugar
Sprinkle cinnamon and sugar mixture over the apples
Stir in the honey and wine
Serve immediately or refrigerate until serving

Find more great fruit recipes on Ruma's web site!
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Recipe of the Week: Papaya Bruschetta

2011-04-13T16:32:00.000-04:00

Don't know about where you are, but it is one chilly, rainy all around dreary day here in Boston. Blech. What we need is a lift, a little something bright and sweet and mmmmm, tropical! Nothing else quite fits this bill like the papaya. Our Vitamin A-rich friend is great on its own or in a smoothie or switching up your typical salsa. But today we're offering up a recipe that puts the papaya in a setting few are likely to imagine - perched atop a nice slice of crusty French bread... papaya's got a brand new baguette! (c'mon, like you could've resisted that one)

Papaya Bruschetta

You need:

1 papaya
5 plum tomatoes, diced
1/2 red onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons white sugar
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
2 green onions
1 French baguette, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

Directions:

Cut papaya in half and remove seeds
Reserve 2 tablespoons of seeds for the dressing
Peel and dice the papaya and place in medium bowl
Add tomatoes, red onion, red pepper and basil and set aside
In a food processor or blender, combine the papaya seeds, sugar, wine vinegar, oil, mustard and green onions
Process until smooth and thick and most of the seeds have broken up
Pour over the papaya mixture and stirl to coat all of the ingredients
Serve on slices of baguette

Recipe of the Week: Apple Brownies

2011-03-23T13:49:00.000-04:00

So, this apple walks into a brownie... actually, that's a bit misleading. For you see this week's recipe, while it may be called "Apple Brownies," has a lot more in common with what you might know as a "Blondie." In other words, there is no chocolate (brown) to be found here - just apple-y goodness along with the always welcome crunch of pecans. A better name would probably be "Applies" but since that's already a word and would require an ensuing explanation of pronounciation, we'll just stick with Apple Brownies.

Apple Brownies

You need:

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
2 Granny Smith apples, ppeled, cored, chopped
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar then beat in egg
Stir in apples and pecans
In a separate bowl, sift together dry ingredients
Add dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix well
Pour into a buttered, 8x8 baking dish
Bake for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes clean from center of brownie

Find more great fruit recipes on Ruma's web site!

___________________________________________________

Always have fresh fruit on hand - join Ruma's Royal Fruit Club or purchase a monthly plan for a friend! Shipping is FREE!

Recipe of the Week: Corned Beef and Cabbage

2011-03-16T15:33:00.000-04:00

*just a suggestion

Cead Mile Failte! We're having some techinical difficulties with our graphic elements today, so we hope you don't mind another green beer. Luckily, it still fits our theme!

Last week we brought you a rather non-traditional St. Patty's Day recipe to try - cookies made green by the magic of fresh produce. (OK, it was just shredded zucchini, but the taste was rather magical.) This week we're keeping it fresh while keeping with tradition... nothing makes a more traditional St. Patrick's Day than corned beef and cabbage.

It takes some time but, hey, you waited all year for this day, you can wait a few hours for this delicious dish! Besides, we're sure you'll figure out some way to pass the time*!
Slainte!

Corned Beef and Cabbage

You need:

4 1/2 pounds corned beef brisket
5 black peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 onion peeled and left whole
2 bay leaves
1 pinch salt
1 small head cabbage, cored and cut in wedges
6 large potatoes, quartered
4 large carrots, peeled and sliced
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons butter

Directions:

In a 6 quare Dutch oven, place beef brisket, peppercorns, garlic powder, onion, bay leaves and salt
Fill pan with water to cover everything, plus one inch
Bring to a boil and cook for 20 minutes
Skim residue from surface of water
Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 2 to 3 hours until meat can be pulled apart with a fork
Add the cabbage, potatoes and carrots, pressing them down into the liquid
Simmer for 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender
Skim oil from surface of water
Stir in butter and parsely
Remove from heat
Remove meat from pan and place on serving dish to rest for 15 minutes
Remove vegetables from pan and keep warm
Slice meat diagonally, against the grain
Spoon juices over meat and vegetables and serve

Find more great fruit recipes on Ruma's web site!

____________________________________________________

Always have fresh fruit on hand - join Ruma's Royal Fruit Club or purchase a monthly plan for a friend! Shipping is FREE!

Recipe of the Week: St. Patty's Day Cookies

2011-03-09T14:26:00.000-05:00

You know what really grinds our gears? Lazy attempts to Irish-up food around St. Patrick's Day. What do we mean by that? Well, for example, putting green food coloring in things like beer (see above) and insisting there's something special about it. Not that we're averse to "going green" for the holiday, we just think if you're going to do it there ought to be some value added. To wit: this week's recipe! Not only are we working for our green, we're adding flavor and nutritional value - to cookies!

Now, before you cringe at the idea of a cookie made with zucchini consider this: on a recent episode of "Top Chef All-Stars" one of our favorite chefs, Richard, whipped up zucchini cookies for guest judges Cookie Monster, Elmo and Telly. Even Cookie Monster had to admit they were tasty and Elmo LOVED them - and when have Muppets ever steered us wrong?

St. Patty's Day Zucchini & Chocolate Chip Cookies

You need:

1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup white sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups grated zucchini
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup quick cooking oats
1 cup granola
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C)
In a medium bowl, cream butter and sugar until fluffy
Stir in the egg and vanilla, mix well, then stir in the shredded zucchini
Sift together the flower, baking soda and cinnamon then stir into the zucchini mixture
Stir in the oats, granola and chocolate chips
Drop dough from a teaspoon ont an unprepared cookie sheet
Leave at least 2 inches between cookies
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven
Cool and serve; makes 2 dozen cookies

Find more great fruit recipes on Ruma's web site!

____________________________________________________

Always have fresh fruit on hand - join Ruma's Royal Fruit Club or purchase a monthly plan for a friend! Shipping is FREE!

Recipe of the Week: Bananas Foster

2011-03-03T11:29:00.001-05:00

Can it be that time of year already? Whoo hoo, next week (March 8) is Mardi Gras! To help you celebrate, we're offering up a very quick, but most decadent dessert recipe that's as closely tied to New Orleans as Fat Tuesday itself!

We're still making sure you get some fruit but in the spirit of the holiday it's in a really, really indulgent setting. Our friend the banana is the star of this famed NOLA dish and he's potassium-packed and ready to party. He's got no qualms about dropping peel and doing a sweet cannonball into a pool of butter, rum, vanilla and sugar. Won't you join him? C'mon, you only live once!

Bananas Foster

You need:

1/4 cup butter
2/3 cup dark brown sugar
3 1/2 tablespoons rum
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 bananas, peeled and sliced lengthwise and crosswise
1/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1 pint vanilla ice cream

Directions:

In a large, deep skillet over medium heat, melt butter
Stir in sugar, rum, vanilla and cinnamon
When mixture begins to bubble, place bananas and walnuts in pan
Cook until bananas are hot, about 1 to 2 minutes
Serve immediately over vanilla ice cream

Find more great fruit recipes on Ruma's web site!

_____________________________________________________

Always have fresh fruit on hand - join Ruma's Royal Fruit Club or purchase a monthly plan for a friend! Shipping is FREE!

Recipe of the Week: Tomato Basil Soup

2011-02-23T12:26:00.000-05:00

Well, what can we say? As expected, last week's little peek at spring was just that - a peek. We hope you made the most of it!

Now, before you go back under that blanket to wait out the rest of the winter, it might be a good idea to take some sustenance with you. And what could be better on a cold February day than a piping hot bowl of tomato soup? OK, maybe a piping hot bowl of tomato soup with a grilled cheese sandwich... mmmm. Well, we aren't going to go outside our area of expertise and tell you how to make the sandwich, but we sure can help with the soup part! (The tomato is a fruit, after all).

Normally, we like to go with fresh produce, but with local tomato season a ways off, we'll make an exception for this exceptional recipe. It's so quick and easy you'll be back under that blanket in no time!

Tomato Basil Soup

You need:

2 (28 ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
18 fresh basil leaves, minced
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup butter or margarine

Directions:

In a large saucepan, bring the tomatoes and chicken broth to a boil
Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes
Add basil and sugar
Reduce to low heat; stir in cream and butter
Cook until butter is melted

Recipe of the Week: Kiwi Sandwich

2011-02-18T14:13:00.000-05:00

Whee!

You'll never guess what we saw today! GRASS! That's right, honest to goodness growin' outta the ground, sproutin' up outta the dirt, smellin' all springy GRASS! If you're from pretty much anywhere in the U.S. that isn't Florida you probably understand our absolute giddiness at this discovery.

Friends, it has been a heck of a brutal winter. And while there may still be 5-foot-tall snowpiles on some street corners, we're gonna celebrate that little swatch of green that has reminded us spring is (fingers crossed) just around the corner. February-March (and, let's face it, April) is a tricky time, weather-wise, in New England and we're gonna savor the morsels of non-freezing temps whenever possible until we're safely in July! So while the thermometer hovers around 60, we're thinking green, we're thinking picnic, we're thinking seasonal fruit. Put all that together and what do you get - kiwi sandwiches! No really! Check this out...

Creamy Kiwi Sandwich

You need:

1 (8 ounce) package Neufchatel cheese
2 teaspoons lemon zest, finely chopped
2 tablespoons honey
1 cup chopped kiwi fruit
16 slices whole wheat bread

Directions:

In a small bowl, mix together Neufchatel cheese, lemon zest and honey
Refrigerate for one day to allow flavors to develop
Spread about 2 tablespoons of the cheese mixture over one side of a slice of bread
Top with about 2 tablespoons of chopped kiwi fruit, cover with another slice of bread
Repeat with remaining ingredients to make 8 sandwiches

Recipe of the Week: Invigorating Grapefruit Salad

2011-02-10T17:36:00.001-05:00

Our Hero

Is it still freezing cold outside? We're not sure because we've decided not to leave the house until April. Oh, OK, that's a bit of an exaggeration - but only a bit. Man, oh man, this winter is really starting to get to us. In our humble opinion, "sub zero" belongs on fancy refrigerators, not our weather reports. And with all this snow, the only exercise we've had since December is shoveling a path from the front door to the car door. Gloomy, sluggish and a little bit paunchy (too much winter comfort food!) - that's us.

But wait, what is this? A light in the darkness... in the form of.... clip art! This is the boost we've been looking for! We're so used to being around it, that we've overlooked the restorative powers of vitamin C-packed citrus fruit! Mr. Grapefuit here, has given us a fresh, juicy slap in the face. Look how happy he is - a ruddy-cheeked picture of good health. Not to mention a reminder that sunny days are on the way! We'll try not to think about the fact that his drinking of grapefruit juice is probably slightly cannibalistic and focus on finding a tasty grapefruit-centered recipe for you to enjoy.

Ah, here we go:

Crunchy Greens and Grapefruit Salad w/ Sesame Dressing

You need:

4 cups salad greens
2 tablespoons chopped red onion
1 grapefruit, peeled and sectioned
1/2 cup fresh sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup sliced water chestnuts
1/2 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing
1/4 cup Catalina salad dressing
1/4 cup sesame seeds, toasted
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cider vinegar

Directions:

In a large salad bowl, combine the greens, onion, grapefruit, mushrooms and water chestnuts
In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, Catalina dressing, sesame seeds, sugar and cider vinegar
Drizzle dressing over salad; serve immediately

Recipe of the Week: Easy Guacamole

2011-02-04T17:30:00.000-05:00

It's the most wonderful time of the year! OK, maybe the second most wonderful... it's time for "the big game." While it doesn't technically qualify as a holiday, it sure feels like one with all the friends, family and FOOD! Even if your team isn't vying for the title (sniff, sniff) that's no reason not to enjoy yourself.

This week we've got a great recipe to help you do just that, zesty guacamole* - easy, delicious and always a crowd pleaser. And to our local friends - just try to ignore the fact that it's green... sigh.

Easy Guacamole

You need:

3 ripe avocados - peeled, pitted and mashed
1 lime, juiced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup diced onion
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 plum tomatoes, diced
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 pinch ground cayenne pepper

Directions:

In a medium bowl, mash together the avocados, lime juice and salt
Mix in onion, cilantro, tomatoes and garlic
Stir in cayenne pepper
For best flavor, allow to refrigerate for one hour before serving

*yup, the avocado is a fruit

Find more great fruit recipes on Ruma's web site!

_____________________________________________________

Always have fresh fruit on hand - join Ruma's Royal Fruit Club or purchase a monthly plan for a friend! Shipping is FREE!

Recipe of the Week: Toasty Turnovers

2011-01-28T16:18:00.000-05:00

If you are reading this from pretty much any of the 50 United States, chances are you have recently been/will soon be/are currently cursing your local weather forecaster... and doing so through chattering teeth, shaking a wooly-mittened fist. You know what you deserve? Some warm delicious, soul-hugging comfort food! With this week's receipe, we think we've found the culinary equivalent of being wrapped up in granny's handmade afghan in front of a roaring fire with a trusty dog curled at your feet. Now if you could just find someone to make it for you while your fingers thaw out from shoveling...

Toasty Apple & Blueberry Turnovers

You need:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 cup butter chilled and diced
3/4 cup milk
6 apples, peeled and cored
1 cup blueberries
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon dried orange peel

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
Grease 7x11 inch baking dish
In a large bowl, mix flour, baking powder, salt and brown sugar
Cut in butter
Pour in milk and stir to form dough
Turn out onto a well-floured surface and roll out; cut into 6x6 inch squares
Fill the core of each apple with blueberries
Place whole apple in the center of each square and drizzle with maple syrup
Pull up corners of dough and pinch edges together to seal
Place dumplings in prepared pan and sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg
Combine remaining maple syrup with enough water to pour over dumplings to a 1 inch depth in dish
Submerge remaining blueberries and apple peelings with dried orange peel in the liquid
Bake 45 minutes, basting as necessary, until crisp and brown
Serve WARM

Recipe of the Week: "Strapping" Fruit Snacks

2011-01-19T15:25:00.000-05:00

Now that the holidays with their blended egg nog drinks are behind us and smoothie season seems so very far away your blender may very well have the blues. So bored, so lonely, tucked in the corner of the kitchen counter behind the bread box or - worse yet - disassembled and hidden away in some seldom-used lower cabinet.

Well it's time to bust this overlooked appliance out of its winter doldrums and put it to work making a healthy snack which can do the same for you! With a little help from the puree button, you and your blender can whip ordinary apples and pears into some rather strapping fruit leather. (Get it? Strapping? Leather? OK, we won't be quitting our day jobs.) The prep time is quick, but the cook time is rather extensive, so make sure the oven is free for the day/evening. The whole endeavor will be worth it, though, as you get 16 servings of a nutritious and delicious snack and your blender gets to be the star of the kitchen once more!

Strapping Fruit Snacks

You need:

1 cup sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
4 cups apples peeled, cored and chopped
4 cups pears peeled, cored and chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 150 degrees
Cover a baking sheet with a layer of plastic wrap
In the container of a blender, combine the sugar, lemon juice, apple and pear
Cover and puree until smooth
Spread mixture evenly on the prepared pan
Place pan on the top rack of the oven
Bake for 5 to 6 hours, leaving the oven door partway open
Fruit is ready when the surface is no longer tacky to the touch
Remove tray from oven, roll up on the plastic and store in an airtight container

Happy New Year! Happy New Recipe: Warm Baked Apples

2011-01-17T13:33:00.000-05:00

Happy new year, friends! We hope that 2011 is off to a great start for you! Since it's now a bit after midnight, in lieu of a toast, today we're bringing you a recipe that will help keep you toasty warm! (Not sure about where you are - but here in Boston, today's high temperature is expected to be around 19.) It also includes plenty of fruit, which is an important part of any healthy-eating resolutions you might have made... but don't worry, there's a lil sugar in there to sweeten the deal.

Warm Baked Apples

You need:

6 apples peeled, cored and sliced
1/2 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup whole milk

Directions:

Preheat overn to 350 degrees F
Grease a 2 quart casserole dish
Place apples in a large bowl
In a small bowl, mix the sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves
Stir spice mixture into apples until evenly distributed
Fold in the raisins and walnuts
Spoon into prepared dish and pour milk evenly over mixture
Bake in preheated overn for 45 to 60 minutes, or until soft and bubbly

Find more great fruit recipes on Ruma's web site!

_____________________________________________________
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Merry Christmas! A toast to you!

2010-12-24T11:43:00.000-05:00

We haven't forgotten you... nor have we abandonded our mission to bring you fun, delicious recipes each week! It's just that thanks to you guys, our little type-y fingers have been completely occupied filling holiday orders!

So, screeching in like Santa's sleigh at the last minute - we have a special Christmas recipe for you!

FRUITCAKE!

Just kidding... we wouldn't do that to you (though we do know a great recipe...)

RUM "ENHANCED" EGG NOG! (if you're wondering where the fruit is - we're counting nutmeg as a fruit today. just for today.)

Egg-stra Jolly Egg Nog

You need:

4 egg yolks
1 (5 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 1/2 cups milk
4 egg whites
1 fluid oz. rum
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl, beat egg yolks until they are thickened and light
Gradually stir in condensed milk, sugar, vanilla and milk.
Beat the egg whites until stiff, then add them to the milk mixture
Stir rum into the mixture (to taste)
Garnish with nutmeg

(makes 5 servings)

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Recipe of the Week: Sweet & Savory Pear Kugel

2010-12-02T16:35:00.000-05:00

Drooling and driving. It has many causes. Maybe you're driving by a bakery in the pre-dawn hours when all the fresh goodies are coming out of the ovens. Perhaps you pass a billboard with a gigantic juicy hamburger, several feet tall, staring back at you with its glistening onions and pickles. Or, perhaps you hear something delicious on the radio. Certainly this is one of the less common causes of drooling and driving, but it happened to us just the other day! Flipping stations, we heard the word "pears" (seriously, we're attuned to that sort of thing) and stopped. It was our local NPR affilate and on the eve of Hanukkah, a guest was sharing her favorite holiday recipes. Well, this lady had such a way with words, we could practically taste the dense pear and prune sweetened bread and savory sauted onions as she described her go-to recipe for kugel. Don't worry, we didn't try to write it down as we drove. We arrived safely home, looked it up on the Web and now share it with you. Happy Hanukkah and happy eating!

Sweet & Savory Pear Kugel

You need:

5 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 pounds ripe Bosc pears
2 small onions (about 1/2 pound), peeled and cut into 1-inch dice
salt to taste
1/2 loaf thick white bread, about 7 ounces
3/4 cup sugar
8 tablespoons butter or pareve margarine, melted
2 large eggs
2 cups pitted prunes
1 teaspoon cinnamon
juice of one lemon
1 cup+ water

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Grease 9-inch springform pan with 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil
Peel the pears and cut all but one of them into 1-inch cubes
Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat
Lightly saute the onions until translucent; remove from heat, salt lightly, cool slightly
Soak the bread for a few seconds in lukewarm water and squeeze dry
Put bread in large bowl and mix with 1/4 cup of the sugar and butter/margarine; stir in the eggs, onions and half of the diced pears
Pour batter in springform pan and bake for 2 hours
While kugel is baking, cook the compote - in a heavy saucepan combine 1 cup water, 1/2 cup sugar, prunes, cinnamon, lemon juice and remaining pears, set on medium-high heat and cook uncovered for 30 minutes
Finely grate the remaining pear and stir into the cooked compote
When kugel is finished baking, remove from the oven and set on rack to cook for about 20 minutes
Remove kugel from pan onto serving platter, spoon half of compote over kugel, serve the remaining compote on the side.

Looking for more great fruit recipes? Click here!

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Recipe of the Week: Ultimate* Cranberry Sauce

2010-11-18T14:24:00.000-05:00

The holiday season. It's a time for folks to gather together in peace and harmony. Well, the same is true of fruit. No, really! A couple of weeks ago on this very page (screen) we shared the story of the delightful union of the cranberry and the pear. Today we revisit these fine fruits to find they've forged a fantastic new friendship. The pear, the cranberry, the apple and the orange are all coming together for Thanksgiving and the result is an irresistable combination you'll love to invite to your table every year! (Also, there are pecans. Boy do we love pecans, and their role in this dish is one of the best we've seen outside of a pie-setting.)

*not to take anything away from the Cran-Peary Sauce recipe, but this one is pretty amazing.

Ultimate Cranberry Sauce

You need:

1 cup water
1 cup white sugar
1 (12 ounce) package fresh cranberries
1 orange, peeled and pureed
1 apple, peeled, cored and diced
1 pear, peeled, cored and diced
1 cup chopped dried mixed fruit
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Directions:

In a medium saucepan, boil water and sugar until the sugar dissolves
Reduce the heat to simmer and stir in the cranberries, pureed orange, apple, pear, dried fruit, pecans, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg
Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring ocassionally, until the cranberries burst
Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature

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Recipe of the Week: Savory Apple Stuffing

2010-11-11T16:04:00.000-05:00

Anybody can pour a box of prepared dried bread cubes into a pot of boiling water and later call it stuffing. But you're not anybody! Your family deserves better, and so does your turkey!
Maybe you're wondering why this turkey is emitting what appear to be golden rays of light. Well, it's because somebody filled it with the amazing savory cornbread and apple stuffing from this week's recipe. Sure, it's not as easy to make as that instant stuff - but just think how impressed your family will be when they gather around your golden-glowing bird! And when they taste it? Well, don't be surprised if they start glowing, too!

Savory Apple Stuffing

You need:

1 (9x9) pan cornbread, crumbled
4 cups herb-seasoned dry bread stuffing mix
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
3/4 cup butter
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped onion
2 cups apple juice
2 cups chopped apples
3 eggs
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Butter one 3 quart casserole dish
In a large bowl, combine the cornbread, stuffing mix, parsley, salt and ginger
In a heavy saucepan, melt the butter and saute the celery and onion for 8 to 10 minutes or until tender
Add sauted celery and onion to the cornbread mixture and mix well
Stir in the apple, pecans, apple juice and beaten eggs
Toss lightly then spoon into the prepared casserole dish
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. If you are baking the stuffing with meat, cook until the meat is completely done all the way through.

Recipe of the Week: Cran-pear-y Sauce

2010-11-03T14:19:00.001-04:00

When the pear first spied the fetching, ripe cranberries it was love at first sight. Sure, they might sound like an odd pear-ing, but when these two fall flavors combine you'll agree they were meant to be. In fact, they're such a great couple, we recommend inviting them to your Thanksgiving dinner. In addition to being delightfully warm and possessing great taste theywon't overstay their welcome - in fact, we're pretty sure they'll be gone before dessert.

Cran-pear-y Sauce

You need:

3/4 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 large ripe pears, peeled and quartered
1/2 cup fresh or frozen cranberries

Directions:

In a saucepan, combine water, sugar and cinnamon
Add pears and bring to a boil over medium heat
Stir in cranberries
Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally
Serve warm
Makes two servings

Recipe of the Week: Mini Pumpkin Treats

2010-10-27T13:13:00.000-04:00

Show-offs.

Among the inhabitants of every pumpkin patch, it is generally agreed that there is no higher purpose than to become a jack o’lantern. Scary, funny, fanciful - it doesn't matter - they're all waiting for the day when they are stoop-ified and filled with that magical inner glow on Halloween night while their roasted seeds are snacked upon and their innards added to soup or pie.

That is if you're a big, or even medium-sized pumpkin. But what of the little guys? You know the adorable palm-sized ones overflowing from wicker baskets at farmers markets and perched on the edge of your co-workers desk. Too tiny to be carved (sure sometimes they get a little face drawn on them with a marker or maybe poster paint but that’s not the same) and too tiny to be made into pie. The miniature pumpkin, like the mass of men, lives a life of quiet desperation* - their stature too small to dream big.

Well, we’re looking to change that today. We’ve found a recipe that elevates the fate of the wee sugar pumpkin – making it the centerpiece/edible fruit it was born to be. A recipe that allows these tiny gourds to make a great big delicious impression. And best of all, it couldn’t be simpler! When they're finished in the oven, they can still masquerade as festive display items until it's time to eat - making them both a trick and a treat! Neat!

Baked Mini Pumpkins

You need:

1 small sugar pumpkin
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon butter
2 pinches ground cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
Cut off the top of the pumpkin and scrape out the seeds
Place the butter and brown sugar inside the pumpkin and sprinkle with ground cinnamon
Put the pumpkin lid back on and place the pumpkin in a baking pan with a little water in the bottom
Bake for about 30 minutes or until tender

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*Apologies to Mr. Thoreau. Though we think he'd kinda like this recipe. He certainly liked pumpkins -"I would rather sit on a pumpkin and have it all to myself than be crowded on a velvet cushion."

Recipe of the Week: Gingered Pears

2010-10-20T12:31:00.000-04:00

Halloween is coming and to get into the spooky spirit, this week, we bring you a recipe that will appeal to your sweet tooth and get you that all important serving of fruit!

We are also pleased to have the opportunity to use this creepy pear picture. Something about it just gives us the willies. Weird, right? It's like "ooooh, bewaaare the peaaaaar!" But we digress.

After Halloween night, you'll have plenty of super-bad-for-you, highly processed candy to satiate your sweet tooth (not that there's anything wrong with that - can't wait for peanut butter cups!). But until then, we invite you to keep it real with this easy to make palate-pleasing pear treat.

Gingered Pears

You need:

4 medium ripe pears, peeled and quartered
1 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

Directions:

In a large skillet, place pears in water
Cover skillet and cook pears over medium heat for 25-30 minutes or until tender
Turn the pears over
Combine sugar and ginger then sprinkle mix over pears
Cover skilled and cook 5-10 minutes longer
Serve warm

Recipe of the Week: Easy Apple Dumplings

2010-10-13T13:07:00.000-04:00

It happens everytime we go apple picking. Intoxicated by the crisp fall air, blue skies and the smell of leaves, we run from orchard to orchard filling bag upon bag with every sweet looking fruit we see. Gala, Granny Smith, McIntosh - we'll take one of each... make that a dozen! How lucky we are to live in the Northeast at this time of year - we'll have pies, caramel apples, candy apples, apple cake, apple cider, apple sauce!

And then... we plum run out of things to do with our apples. And yet, we certainly haven't run out of apples to do things with. So this week we bring you a super simple recipe that will use no less than 15 of the little guys, meaning you can both fill your tummy and clear your counter tops! How do you like them... nah, too easy.

Easy Apple Dumplings

You need:

3 (12 ounce) cans of refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
15 medium apples, peeled cored and halved
2 cups sugar
2 cups water
1 cup butter or margarine, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees F
Grease two 13x9 baking dishes
In a bowl combine sugar, water, butter and vanilla and set aside
Flatten biscuits with hand
Wrap each biscuit around an apple half and place seam-side down in baking dishes
Pour half the sugar mixture into each pan
Sprinkle cinnamon over dumplings
Bake, uncovered until dumplings are golden brown and apples are tender; about 35-40 minutes
Serve warm

Recipe of the Week: Pear Scones

2010-10-08T12:30:00.001-04:00

Hmmm, decisions, decisions. All the fruit in that box looks tempting, but we're gonna go with the pears. And it's not just because they're in season and so yummy and full of nutrients.

No, those are all great reasons but to be honest, we're picking pears because we have this great recipe for scones that calls for pears. And, as previously mentioned, we kinda have a thing for breakfast so when the opportunity to incorporate pears into our morning meal presented itself we jumped at it with arms (and mouths) wide open!

Pear Scones

You need:

1 cup chopped pear
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 pinch salt
1/3 cup butter, chilled
1 egg
1/2 cup half-and-half cream

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt
Cut in butter until the mixture has a crumbly texture
In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg and half-and-half
Stir the egg mixture into the flour mixture until combined
Stir in the pear
Drop large spoonfuls of the dough onto an ungreased baking sheet
Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, about 15 minutes
Rest on cooling rack before serving

Recipe of the Week: Autumn Apple Salad

2010-09-29T14:42:00.002-04:00

So, it has come to our attention (mostly as we shvitz our way from the parking lot to the office) that while autumn has officially arrived, summer is having some trouble letting go. In other words, it's kinda hot. So this week we'll take a little break from the recent belly-warmers we've been serving up and concede to the summer's last ditch plea for attention.

We've still got your traditional autumn flavors, but this week we're putting them in a cool, yummy, easy to make salad. Apples, cranberries, cherries and almonds - all make an appearance, just not in their usual roles. All the same, we think they put in a stellar performance!

Autumn Apple Salad

You need:

4 tart apples, cored and chopped
1/4 cup blanched slivered almonds, toasted
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup chopped dried cherries
1 (8 oz.) container vanilla yogurt

Directions:

In a medium bowl, stir together the apples, almonds, cranberries, cherries and yogurt until evenly coated
Chill
Enjoy

The 2010 Catalog is Coming!

2010-09-28T15:23:00.002-04:00

We put an exclamation point at the end of that title because we are truly excited about this year's catalog. A lot (make that A LOT) of work goes into putting together a catalog each year, but for 2010 we really had our collective noses to the grindstone - taking new pictures, writing new copy, adding new products - in order to showcase the very best of what we offer in the very best way!

And by the way, when we say "we" it's not just us Rumas. From start to finish we get amazing assistance from friends in the business, and people in the business who have become friends. . It's not nearly as easy as you think. (Especially the pineapples, such divas.) We appreciate that the pros at the photo shoot didn't mind that our own in-house photog, Andrea, chronicled our (long) day at their facility... here are a few of the shots. We'll post the rest on Facebook soon! If you're on our mailing list - expect the, ahem, fruits of our labor to arrive in your home in early November. If not, you can sign up on our web site.

Jim poses with the star of our Tropical Treasure basket

Work it, fruit! The camera loves you!

/photographer preps Santa for his close up

Recipe of the Week: Amazing Apple Pancake Topping

2010-09-22T11:28:00.003-04:00

What were we just talking about? Oh yeah, breakfast! This week as we officially bid a fond farewell to summer, we want to embrace the autumnal equinox the best way we know how - with pancakes! The afternoons may still wind up balmy, but chilly mornings are here to stay for awhile, so why not make the most of them with something warm and comforting?

And since these are the first pancakes of the fall season, they ought to be special. No low-sugar, reduced calorie syrup in a squeezy bottle that's been on the door of your fridge since March. No, we've got something much, much better that - naturally - includes your morning helping of fruit!

Behold:

Amazing Apple Pancake Topping

You need:

4 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 Red Delicious apples - peeled, cored and diced
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 cup brown sugar
3 teaspooons ground cinnamom
2/3 cup chopped pecans, toasted

Directions:

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat
Stir in apples, brown sugar, corn syrup, cinnamon and pecans
When mixture begins to bubble, reduce heat to low
Simmer until apples are soft and syrup has slightly thickened, about 10 to 15 minutes

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Recipe of the Week: Apple Pumpkin Muffins

2010-09-16T12:05:00.000-04:00

Like it or not, those steamy, sultry days of summer seem to be behind us now. Being the sunny personalities that we are, we choose to like it! There's something about those first late summer/early fall mornings with their cool, crisp air that's at once invigorating and soothing. Another thing we like about a slightly chilly morning is that it calls for a tummy-warming breakfast!

So this week we bring you a recipe that will fill your kitchen with scents and flavors of fall and fill your tummy with something warm and yummy! Nothing says autumn like pumpkins and apples, and these dense, delicous muffins have both. (And streusel!) We recommend serving with fuzzy slippers, a crossword puzzle and some hot coffee.

Apple Pumpkin Muffins

You need:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup canned or cooked pumpkin
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 cups finely chopped, peeled apples
For streusel:
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 teaspoons cold butter or margarine

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
In a bowl, combine the first five ingredients
In a second bowl, combine the eggs, pumpkin and oil
Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients until just moistened then fold in apples
Fill paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full with the batter
In a small bowl, combine first three streusel ingredients then cut in butter until crumbly
Sprinkle streusel over batter
Bake in preheated overn for 35-40 minutes or until goledne brown
Cool for five minutes before removing from pans to wire racks

Looking for more great fruit recipes? Click here!

______________________________________________________

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Recipe of the Week: Quick Caramel Apple Dip

2010-09-08T13:51:00.000-04:00

It's back to school time and that means it's time for after school snacks! We realize that not every kid is as enthralled with fruit as we Ruma kids were (ok, maybe "enthralled" is a bit strong) so this week we have a quick and easy recipe that will make getting those all-important daily servings of fruit a little bit sweeter! (It even sneaks in a little dairy!)

Quick Caramel Apple Dip

You need:

16 individually wrapped caramels (unwrapped)
1/4 cup water
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese
1/2 cup brown sugar

Directions:

In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, melt caramels with water, stirring frequently
When mixture is smooth, remove from heat
In a medium bowl, cream together cream cheese and sugar
Fold in caramel mixture
Serve immediately

Recipe of the Week: Great Grilled Fruit Kabobs

2010-09-01T13:32:00.000-04:00

Remember last week when we were... oh, heck, forget about the past. The most important thing right now is that the unofficial end of summer is at our doorstep. (Sigh) So let us grill, grill, grill, like there is no tomorrow!

This goes especially for you, East Coast-ers, because tomorrow (and the whole weekend) could be a wash thanks to Earl.
So let's find some fruit and fire it up!

Grilled Fruit Kabobs

You need:

1/2 cup margarine
1/4 cup honey
3 fresh peaches, pitted and quartered
3 fresh plums, pitted and quartered
3 bananas cut into 4 pieces each
12 strawberries, hulled
12 skewers

Directions:

Preheat outdoor grill for medium heat and place a large sheet of foil on the grate
Melt margarine and honey together in a small saucepan over medium heat
Reduce heat to low and cook gently, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened - about 5 minutes (do not allow to boil.)
Put a peach quarter, plum quarter, banana piece and strawberry on to each skewer
Place skewers on the foil on the preheated grill and spoon honey mixture over each skewer
Grill until the fruit is softened and the sauce has thickened and cooked onto the fruit - about 5 minutes
Flip the skewers, spoon more honey mixture onto each skewer and grill about 5 more minutes

Recipe of the Week: Baked Fruit and Cheese Dip

2010-08-25T12:46:00.000-04:00

Remember that time (about a week ago) when we were complaining about - uh, observing - the miserable, unbearably oppressive brain-melting heat?
Well, it appears Mother Nature heard our cries and decided to go overboard in the opposite direction, making with the sheets of rain, blustery winds and chilly temps... you know, the stort of stuff that makes you want to snuggle up in a ball under your favorite blanky, never to emerge.
Of course, we're in New England so tomorrow it likely will be 102 degrees, but for now we're proposing that you un-snuggle just long enough to warm your belly with this recipe focusing on two of our favorite things - fruit and cheese!
If you must, you can bring the bowl back with you under the blanky.

Baked Fruit and Cheese Dip

You need:

1 (16 oz.) package of soft cream cheese with pineapple
3/4 pound shredded Swiss cheese
2 cups dried cranberries
2 tablespoons orange juice
1/4 cup apple juice
For dipping: silced apples, sliced pears and/or crackers

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
In a medium bowl, blend the cream cheese, Swiss cheese, cranberries, orange juice and apple juice
Scoop mixture into 9-inch pie pan
Bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until bubbly and lightly browned

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______________________________________________________

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Recipe of the Week: Succulent Grilled Pineapple

2010-08-18T16:58:00.000-04:00

It doesn't seem possible but... sniff... summer is winding down.

But, you know, even though there is nothing we can do to stop it, that doesn't mean we have to take it lying down... and neither do you! Get off that couch! Put on that apron! Now get out there and get grilling!! Oh, and bring a pineapple.

Succulent Grilled Pineapple

You need:

4 slices fresh pineapple
1 1/2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons cherry brandy
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Directions:

Combine honey, brandy and lemon juice in a glass dish or bowl and mix well
Add pineapple and coat well with marinade
Cover dish and marinate in refrigerator for 1 hour
Preheat grill to medium heat and lightly oil grate
Place marinated pineapples directly on the rack or in a basket and grill for about 10 minutes, turning, until pineapple is hot and caramelized

Recipe of the Week: Nectarine Dream

2010-08-11T12:38:00.006-04:00

Ahh, one of the true treasures of summer - the nectarine. All through the spring we dream about the time of the season when these perfect little fuzz-less peaches reach their peak. (What? Doesn't everyone dream about fruit?) Lucky for us, that peak comes in the dog days of summer when we are most in need of their juicy goodness!

Nope, there's nothing better than a ripe nectarine on a sultry summer day. Or so we thought. Then we happened upon this week's recipe... a smoothie so delightfully dreamy, we went out and bought a hammock just so we could have a special place to enjoy it. Sweet dreams...

Dreamy Nectarine Smoothie

You need:

2 large nectarines, pitted and quartered
1 banana, cut into pieces and frozen
1 large orange, peeled and quartered
1 cup vanilla yogurt
1 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon honey

Directions:

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth
Be all psyched that there was only one step and enjoy your smoothie!

Looking for more great fruit recipes? Click here!

______________________________________________________

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Recipe of the Week: Fresh Blueberry Scones

2010-08-04T13:40:00.000-04:00

We woke up this morning thinking, as we often do, about breakfast. What to have? Cereal? Toast? Bagel? Not again. Boring. Blah. But we had a bagel anyway. Sigh. Then (when it was way past breakfast time) inspiration struck! It's blueberry season, and we should know, as Ruma's is currently rife with shipments of fresh Maine wild blueberries... this delicious little superfood is just the thing to perk up bland breakfasts!

Tonight the following recipe is being put into service so that tomorrow we can get excited about our morning meal! Homemade scones with fresh blueberries... mmmm... perhaps with a cup of tea... out on the veranda... with a little morning breeze whispering across the tips of the dewy grass. Okay, so it will probably be in the car on the way to work with a cuppa DD coffee - but it's still gonna be awesome!

Fresh Blueberry Scones

You need:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter, chilled
1 cup fresh blueberries
3/4 cup half-and-half cream
1 egg
White sugar for sprinkling

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
Cut butter into mixture of flower, sugar, baking powder and salt
Add blueberries and toss to mix
In a separate bowl beat together cream and egg and slowly pour into dry ingredients, stirring with rubber spatula until dough forms
Knead just until dough comes together, 3 or 4 times; don't over handle the dough
Divide dough in half; on a lightly floured surface, shape each half into a 6-inch round; cut into 6 wedges
Sprinkle sugar, to taste, on top of wedges
Bake on ungreased sheet for about 20 minutes

Looking for more great fruit recipes? Click here!

______________________________________________________

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Recipe of the Week: Fruity Salsa and Cinnamon Chips

2010-07-28T15:06:00.000-04:00

Phew, it seems the heat has dissipated a bit - at least for now. So while we have this respite from oppressive weather we thought we might entice you to try a recipe that requires just a wee bit of oven use.

C'mon, you can do it - when you dip these crispy, delicious cinnamon tortilla chips in the cool fruity salsa we think you'll agree it's totally worth it!

Fruity Salsa with Cinnamon Tortilla Chips

You need:

1 Fuji apple, peeled, cored and diced
1 cup sliced fresh strawberries
2 kiwis, peeled and sliced
2 bananas, peeled and sliced
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons white sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
6 (10 inch) flour tortillas
3 tablespoons white sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Butter or margarine to taste

Directions:

In a medium bowl, mix together Fuji apple, strawberries, kiwis, bananas, lime juice, 2 tbs white sugar, 1/2 tsp cinnamon and 1/2 tsp nutmeg; cover and chill in refrigerator for about 20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
Spread butter or margarine to taste then sprinkle with 3 tbs white sugar and 1 tbs ground cinnamon on flour tortillas
Slice tortillas into triangles and place on baking sheet; bake for about 10 minutes or until crispy
Serve the warm chips with the chilled salsa

Looking for more great fruit recipes? Click here!

______________________________________________________
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Recipe of the Week: Keep Cool - Go Bananas!

2010-07-21T15:49:00.000-04:00

In our ongoing quest to help keep you cool during this crazy-hot summer, we're pleased to bring you a REALLY simple recipe for a sweet frozen banana treat. Three ingredients. No complicated instructions. We're so there.

Banana Sorbet

You need:

1 cup white sugar
1 cup water
1 cup mashed bananas (approximately 3 bananas - arms and faces optional)

Directions:

In a small saucepan, stir together sugar and water
Bring to a boil, then remove from heat and allow to cool
When the sugar syrup is cool, stir in bananas
Pour mixture into a freezer-safe baking dish
Freeze for 3 to 4 hours until set at the edges
Remove from the freezer and transfer to a mixing bowl, beat until smooth
Return to freezer until gently set, at least 2 hours

Looking for more great fruit recipes? Click here!

_________________________________________________________

Always have fresh fruit on hand - join Ruma's Royal Fruit Club or purchase a monthly plan for a friend! Shipping is FREE!

Recipe of the Week: Refreshing Mango Sorbet

2010-07-14T15:01:00.001-04:00

It's July. And yes, it's supposed to be hot in July. But, c'mon, it's soooo hot! And if you live in the Northeast like we do, you know that it's also soooo humid. Even when the crazy monsoon-esque rain comes, it barely seems to break the heat - it just makes it more huuuumid.

As you can see, all this heat and humidity makes us a little cranky and prone to complaining, not to mention lethargic... so this week we found a recipe that is cold (hooray!), sweet (yippee!) and best of all quick to make (yes!). Don't have mangos? Please, by all means, don't feel like you need to peel yourself off the chair and go to the store - just about any fresh fruit you have handy will do the trick. Ahhhh.

Creamy Mango Sorbet

You need:

2 mangos - peeled, seeded and cubed
1 cup sugar
1 cup cream
1 cup ice
1 large resealable plastic freezer bag

Directions:

Place all food ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth
Pour mixture in a large resealable plastic freezer bag
Seal and freeze for 45 minutes to an hour
Move the contents around in the bag every 15 minutes while freezing

Recipe of the Week: Sweet Raspberry Sauce

2010-07-07T11:47:00.001-04:00

This is one buff-looking raspberry (not to mention the bright eyes and shiny teeth.) But it makes sense, when you think about it because raspberries are one of the healthiest foods going. When this fella gets together with about a cup of his little friends - wach out! They pack a wallop of protein, potassium, omega 3 fatty acids and a full 8 grams of fiber!

So, now that we know how awesomely healthy these little berries are we won't feel so bad about suggesting you add some sugar and whip up this sweet sauce that we highly recommend pouring over a dish of vanilla ice cream. (It's all about moderation, friends.)

Sweet Raspberry Sauce

You need:

1 pint fresh raspberries
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons orange juice
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup cold water

Directions:

Combine the raspberries, sugar and orange juice in a saucepan
Whisk the cornstarch into the cold water until smooth
Add the mixture to the saucepan and bring to a boil
Simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly until the desired consistency is reached (the sauce will thicken further as it cools)
Puree the sauce in a blender or with a handheld immersion blender and strain through a fine sieve
Serve warm or cold
Refrigerate leftover sauce - it should keep for about 2 weeks

Looking for more great fruit recipes? Click here!

_________________________________________________________

Always have fresh fruit on hand - join Ruma's Royal Fruit Club or purchase a monthly plan for a friend! Shipping is FREE!

Recipe of the Week: Patriotic Pie for the 4th of July!

2010-06-30T14:58:00.002-04:00

Happy Birthday, U.S.A.! In honor of your special day, we're baking you a pie with all your favorite colors... to say nothing of the amazing flavors!

Red White and Blueberry Cheesecake Pie

You need:

8 sheets phyllo dough
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese
1/2 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 cups fresh blueberries
1/2 cup strawberry jelly

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F
On a flat surface, place one sheet of phyllo dough; brush it with melted butter and cover with another piece sheet of phyllo; repeat until all sheets are used
Using kitchen scissors, cut layered phyllo into a 12 to 13 inch circle; carefully place circle into a greased 9-inch pie plate; gently fan edges
Bake until edges are just golden, about 6 to 8 minutes; let cool; lower oven temperature to 350 degrees F
In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla with an electric mixer until light and fluffy; beat in eggs until well combined; fold in 1 cup of blueberries and pour mixture into crust
Bake at 350 degrees F until set, about 40 to 50 minutes; to prevent over cooking of crust, gently cover pie with foil during last 25 minutes of baking
Allow to completely cool
In a small bowl, beat jelly until smooth; spread jelly over cheese filling
Arrange remaining 1 cup of berries in a star pattern on top

Looking for more great fruit recipes? Click here!
__________________________________________________________

Always have fresh fruit on hand - join Ruma's Royal Fruit Club or purchase a monthly plan for a friend! Shipping is FREE!

Recipe of the Week: Great Galettes

2010-06-23T14:11:00.001-04:00

They sound all fancy, but in reality galettes are more like a "fancy-free" cousin to the traditional tart. In other words, this yummy dessert is easy to make!

Fresh Summer Fruit Galettes

You need:

2 (9 inch) refrigerated pie crusts
3 fresh peaches - peeled, pitted and sliced
1 pint fresh strawberries
1/2 pint fresh blueberries
4 tablespoons white sugar, divided
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided
6 tablespoons turbinado sugar (aka raw sugar), divided
Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees
Lay out one pie crust on a baking sheet lined with parchment or on a baking stone, leaving room for the second pie crust next to it
Mix the sliced peaches with half of the blueberries, 2 tablespoons of the flour and 2 tablespoons of the sugar in a bowl
Pour over one pie crust leaving a 1-inch border
Fold up the uncovered border over the edge of the fruit and pinch into pleats
Sprinkle the crust and fruit filling with 3 tablesppons of turbinado sugar
Lay out the second pie crust on the baking sheet
Mix the sliced strawberries, the remaining blueberries, 2 tablespoons of flour and 2 tablespoons of sugar in the bowl
Pour over second pie crust and form the galette as in step 5
Sprinkle with 3 tablespoons of turbinado sugar
Bake until crust is lightly browned, about 12 to 14 minutes
Serve warm or at room temperature topped with vanilla ice cream or fresh whipped cream

Looking for more great fruit recipes? Click here!

__________________________________________________________

Always have fresh fruit on hand - join Ruma's Royal Fruit Club or purchase a monthly plan for a friend! Shipping is FREE!

Recipe of the Week: Fresh Fruity Salsa

2010-06-16T15:25:00.001-04:00

No summer party is complete with out the chips and salsa! Try this fresh and fruity, sweet and salty take on everyone's favorite dip.

Fruit Fiesta Salsa

You need:

1 tomato
1 orange, peeled and segmented
2 kiwis, peeled and sliced
1 red onion, coarsley chopped
1 avocado, peeled and pitted
1 bunch cilantro
2 jalepeno chile peppers
garlic salt to taste

Directions:

Place all ingredients, except garlic salt, in a food processor
Process using pulse setting until ingredients are finely chopped, but not quite smooth
Transfer to a medium bowl and garnish to taste with garlic salt

Looking for more great fruit recipes? Click here!

__________________________________________________________

Always have fresh fruit on hand - join Ruma's Royal Fruit Club or purchase a monthly plan for a friend! Shipping is FREE!

You've Helped Make Us the Best!

2010-06-11T13:34:00.000-04:00

We're so proud to announce that Ruma's has been named Massachusetts Family Business of the Year 2010 by the Northeastern University Center for Family Business!

It's true, four generations of Rumas have worked very hard these past 110 years - but we know our success is rooted in the patronage of our customers.

So, thank YOU, Ruma's customers, for helping to bring us this honor. We look forward to bringing you the highest quality products and customer service for many, many years to come!

Recipe of the Week: Fiddlehead Salad

2010-06-09T13:07:00.003-04:00

In honor of the dwindling days of this year's fiddlehead fern season (sniff) this week we bring you a fresh, summer-y salad that will provide a delicious start to any outdoor dining experience from backyard barbeques to picnics in the park!

Fiddlehead and Shrimp Salad

You need:

1 pound cooked shrimp
1 15-ounce can of white beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup fiddleheads, trimmed and cleaned
1 cup diced red onion
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
3 cups water
1 loaf French bread

Directions:

In a large pot, bring water to a boil
Add fiddleheads and blanch until tender
Combine all ingredients except parsley in a medium sized bowl
Refrigerate for one hour
Toss in the parsley
Serve with French bread

Makes 4 servings

It's true - fiddlehead season is almost over. Want to order some? Click here - fresh fiddleheads
Got fiddleheads? Need more recipes? Try these!
__________________________________________________________

Always have fresh fruit on hand - join Ruma's Royal Fruit Club or purchase a monthly plan for a friend! Shipping is FREE!

Recipe of the Week: Summer Sweetness

2010-06-02T09:42:00.011-04:00

This one is refreshing, fast and easy - not to mention tasty! A great thing about this recipe is that any combination of fruit may be used and it still will be delicious.

Summer Fruit Parfait

You need:

A 10-inch prepared angel food cake, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 (32 fluid ounce) container vanilla yogurt
2 cups sliced fresh strawberries
2 cups fresh blueberries

Directions:

Cover the bottom of a large bowl with 1/3 of the angel food cake cubes
Generously cover the cake with 1 1/3 cups of the yogurt
Spread 1 1/3 cups of the strawberry slices and blueberries on top of the yogurt
Repeat the first three steps two more times
Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve

Makes 10 servings

Looking for more yummy things to do with your summer fruit? Visit the recipe page on our web site.

__________________________________________________________
Always have fresh fruit on hand - join Ruma's Royal Fruit Club or purchase a monthly plan for a friend! Shipping is FREE!

Special Delivery! It's a Boy AND a Girl!

2010-05-28T16:21:00.016-04:00

We're so proud of our adorable new collection of baby baskets, we just had to make a special announcement to all our friends in the blogosphere!

Available in three styles (girl, boy and neutral) and sizes (grand, deluxe and premiere) these great new gifts include the cutest baby items and gourmet goodies making them perfect for the new arrival as well as the new parents.

Created with care by our top designer, each basket is lovingly packed to order so every one is as unique as the new bundle of joy! Visit our web site to see all the new baby baskets and arrange your own special delivery with Ruma's today!

Ruma's Recipe of the Week - Peachy Keen Picks

2010-05-26T12:50:00.015-04:00

It's Memorial Day weekend, time to get outside, fire up the grill and enjoy fresh tastes of the season! We've even included a refreshing beverage - best served in the shade with grass between your toes, of course.

Grilled Balsamic Peaches
(A great side-dish for grilled pork or beef)

You need:

4 peaches, halved and pitted
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon chopped Italian flat leaf parsley
4 sprigs Italian flat leaf parsley, for garnish

Directions:

Preheat grill on high heat for 10 minutes
Place olive oil in a bowl
Add peach halves to bowl and toss to evenly coat with olive oil and season with salt and pepper
Cook the peaches, flesh side down, on preheated grill until slightly charred, about 4 to 5 minutes
Remove peaches from grill and dust with Cajun seasoning
Cut halves into 1-inch thick slices
Place halves in bowl; add vinegar and parsley, tossing peaches to coat evenly
Place on serving platter and garnish with sprigs of parsley
A great side-dish for grilled pork

Makes 4 servings

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White Peach-Silver Tequila

You need:

2 ripe white peaches
1/4 cup silver tequila
1/4 cup peach liqueur
1/4 cup lime juice
2 tablespoons simple syrup
Ice cubes
Slice peaches, for garnish
Mint sprigs, for garnish

Directions:

Place the peaches in a food processor and process until smooth
Pass through a mesh strainer into a bowl
Combine the peach puree, tequila, liqueur, lime juice and simple syrup in blender until smooth
Serve over ice in rocks glasses and garnish with slice of peach and mint sprigs

Makes 2 servings

Love peaches? Click here for more recipes!
____________________________________________________________

Always have fresh fruit on hand - join Ruma's Royal Fruit Club or purchase a monthly plan for a friend! Shipping is FREE!

Ruma's Recipe of the Week - Thai Papaya Salad

2010-05-19T12:14:00.009-04:00

Thai Papaya Salad

You need:

1 Roma tomato, chopped
1 1/2 cups fresh green beans cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 cucumber, cute inot 1/2 inch cubes
1 1/2 cups cubed papaya
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Thai or Serrano chile, finely minced
1 lemon, juiced
2 limes, juiced
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup peanuts, chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

Directions:

Combine tomato, beans, cucumber and papaya in large bowl
Toss with garlic and chili pepper
In a small bowl, stir together lemon juice, lime juice, fish sauce and sugar
Pour juice mixture over papaya mixture and toss
Sprinkle with peanuts and cilantro and serve

Makes 4 servings

Papaya fan? Click here for more recipes!

____________________________________________________________

Always have fresh fruit on hand - join Ruma's Royal Fruit Club or purchase a monthly plan for a friend! Shipping is FREE!

Summer is coming - time to get cookin'

2010-05-12T09:51:00.014-04:00

Long lazy days, warm nights, trips to the beach - there are so many things to love about summer. But it should come as no surprise that here at Ruma's perhaps our favorite thing about summer is the FOOD!

There are so many fresh flavors to be enjoyed on the grill, in salads and desserts or whipped up in refreshing beverages - we thought what better time than on the cusp of the unofficial start of summer (Memorial Day weekend is just around the corner!) to introduce Ruma's Recipe of the Week.

Every Wednesday we'll bring you a great new seasonal recipe to try. Let us know what you think!

Grilled Halibut and Tropical Mango Salsa
You need:

2 cups plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/2 cups diced, peeled ripe mango
1/2 cup diced onion
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 (6 oz.) halibut fillets
1 tablespoon olive oil

Instructions:

Combine first 7 ingredients
Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and garlic
Rub halibut with oil
Sprinkle halibut with remaining salt and pepper
Place halibut on grill rack, grill for 3 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork
Plate with mango salsa

Makes 4 servings
The skinny: 295 calories; 7.8g fat; 19.5g carbohydrate; 37g protein; 2.8g fiber

Love mangos? Click here for more recipes!

_______________________________________________________________________________

Always have fresh fruit on hand - join Ruma's Royal Fruit Club or purchase a monthly plan for a friend! Shipping is FREE!

Armed Forces Day is May 15

2010-05-10T14:19:00.005-04:00

Whether they are overseas, in training, on leave or have fulfilled their duty - thank someone you know for their service this Armed Forces Day with a gift from Ruma's.

And remember, when you send a gift from Ruma's to a servicemember's APO or AFO address, the shipping is ALWAYS free.

Click here to see our list of gifts (like the Gourmet Snack Attack, above) available for free shipping.*

*Ruma's may only ship gifts that comply with U.S. military regulations. See site for details.

Fuel for Finals

2010-05-03T15:05:00.007-04:00

All-nighters, endless study groups, breaking new records for coffee consumption, taking up residence in the library... however your favorite student handles final exam season, Ruma's can help power them through those harrowing last days of school.

From the vitamin packed punch of a fresh fruit basket to the invigorating zip of sweet, sweet candy Ruma's has the perfect fuel for finals - and a great way to let them know you're cheering them on! What's more, gifts like our Junk Food (shown above, $49.95) and For Fruit Lovers baskets are perfect for sharing with dorm-mates and study groups.

Order online today and use the code RUMAFIVE at checkout and you'll save $5 on your order*. Smart!

*Offer good for online orders only. May not be combined with other offers. May not be applied to previous purchases. Class dismissed.

Great Gifts For Mom, Free Shipping* For You!

2010-04-28T13:29:00.006-04:00

Baseball games, dance recitals, bedtime stories, boo-boo kisses, unconditional love - and that's not even the half of it! Mothers are amazing people, so thank yours this Mother's Day with an amazing gift like Ruma's delicious Picnic Delight (at right, $79.95)!

And since we love our customers (and have their mom's to thank for them) now through May 31, when you place an online order of $49.95 or more and enter the checkout code MDXE - shipping is free.*

Remember, Mother's Day is Sunday, May 9 - so order today to guarantee delivery by Friday, May 7!

*Rules: Discount good for ground shipping on online orders only. May not be combined with other offers. May not be applied to previous purchases. Order must total at least $49.95. Don't play ball in the house. Elbows off the table, please.

Go Au Naturale this Earth Day!

2010-04-22T16:00:00.003-04:00

...at least where your food is concerned!
Ruma's invites you to try one of our wonderful organic gifts. From chocolate, to nuts, to soda and - naturally - fruit, we are proud to offer an array of delicious, certified organic items.

Like all of our gifts, they arrive in handsome reusable baskets, trays or tins. And, as ever, we're proud of the fact that when you order from Ruma's you get "more STUFF and less STUFFING." That means more great fruit and gourmet for you and less waste for the recycling bin!

Order online now and use the checkout code RUMAFIVE and you'll even save some green - $5 off your purchase! (That translates to a great gift like the Organic Gourmet Basket, costing only $64.95)

"Let us a little permit Nature to take her own way; she better understands her own affairs than we." Michel de Montaigne, French Renaissance scholar

"Listen to me - Offer good for online purchases only. May not be combined with other offers. May not be applied to previous purchases." Jim, the owner

Sterling Cooper really fell apart after Joan left...

2010-04-20T22:39:00.007-04:00

Coincidence? We think not.

Even back in those "Mad Men" days of the '60s it was abundantly clear - administrative professionals are at the heart of what makes a business work. Be it a law firm, Fortune 500 company, school or, yes, a fancy advertising agency, administrative professionals are so often the true key to success.

It's Administrative Professionals Week so let them know how much you appreciate all they do - send them a great gift from Ruma's! (Like our amazing California Dreaming Basket - $59.95, above - packed with gourmet treats and fine wine.)

Order online today using the RUMAFIVE checkout code and save $5 on your purchase!*

*Good ol' fashioned advertising fine print: Offer good for online purchases only. May not be combined with other offers. May not be used toward a previous purchase. Donning fedoras and pearls while enjoying is optional.

An offer that won't tax your resources

2010-04-12T22:55:00.009-04:00

Sigh. Doing taxes can be so, well, taxing.

Reward yourself or someone else for getting through it all!

Reaping a big refund? Celebrate with with one of our great champagne and gourmet gifts. (Like the Champagne Bucket, shown at left)

"Giving back" to Uncle Sam? Check out our amazing collection of gifts under $40!

And the best part - no matter whether you're celebrating or commiserating, when you enter RUMASFIVE at checkout you save $5!* That's it. Really. Just type in the code - no forms to fill out, no schedules to staple to other forms and we'll even double-check the math for you!

*Unfortunately, we DO have some little rules to follow - offer good for online purchases only, may not be combined with other offers, offer not valid on previously purchased items. (At least they were easy to understand!)

Here comes Peter Cottontail...

2010-03-25T15:09:00.009-04:00

...hoppin' down the bunny trail!

Yes, Easter is on its way (in less than two weeks!) and we at Ruma's think it just doesn't seem fair that one tiny bunny has to distribute all that candy.

So to help, we're reminding you we've got some amazing baskets you'll love to share with friends and family - and offering FREE SHIPPING for online orders of $75 or more!* Simply use the discount code RUMAHOP when you check out.

Our baskets (including Chocolate Decadance, shown above) go way beyond plastic grass and drugstore jelly beans. We're talking only the best in gourmet chocolate - Lindt, Godiva, Ghirardelli - along with delicious cookies and candies! Also check out our amazing gift towers packed sky high with scrumptious sweet treats!

So hop on over to rumas.com soon and place your order for gifts that are sure to make your friends, family - and one very stressed out bunny - smile!

*Them's the rules: Offer expires 11:59 p.m. EST on April 4. Offer good on regular ground shipping only. Order must total $75, not including shipping. Offer good for online orders only.

FREE FRUIT TO GOOD HOME!

2010-03-16T16:16:00.006-04:00

To celebrate St. Patrick's Day, Ruma's is having a Great Green Giveaway!

Visit our Facebook page and answer the trivia question (it's about this little guy to your left) and you could win a delicious box of 8 fresh, shiny green Granny Smith apples.

Happy St. Patrick's Day! :)

St. Patty's Day is Less Than a Week Away!

2010-03-12T16:12:00.008-05:00

Time may be running out*... but your luck isn't!

Ruma's still has plenty of great St. Patrick's Day gifts and you don't have to spend a lot of green to get them... Clover, the adorable Irish Teddy bear is less than $15 and is sure to make their day, and our famous Irish Treasure basket (pictured above) filled with tea, coffee, mugs, cookies, chocolate and more is under $50!

What's more - you can save some green ($5) when you order online and use the code RUMASFIVE at checkout.

*Check our map for delivery times

Attention Chefs, Foodies & Fresh Veggie Lovers:

2010-03-09T16:40:00.010-05:00

They're coooooooooming. . .

. . . see you soon!

Thank a Servicemember with a Gift From Ruma's

2010-03-08T14:44:00.006-05:00

Be it a family member or friend, neighbor or co-worker we all know someone who has answered the call to serve our country in the armed forces.

We at Ruma's would like to help you say "thank you" and "thinking of you" to these selfless men and women.

When you purchase any approved* gift from Ruma's and send it to an AFO or APO address, we'll ship it for free!

Please visit the military gifts page on our web site to see our great selection of gourmet baskets and other gifts (like Candy Counter Favorites, pictured above) available for delivery to military addresses.

*Due to government regulations and shipping times, only certain gifts are eligible for delivery to APO and AFO addresses.

RECIPES: Help Your Fruit Reach its Full Potential!

2010-02-25T14:52:00.009-05:00

Whether you're a member of our fabulous Royal Fruit Club or a recipient of one of our signature fresh fruit gifts we invite you to try out the great fruit-centric recipes we've added to our home page !

We know our fresh fruit is simply delicious all on it's own, but with a little help from you, it can reach even greater heights as part of a pie, cake, salad, side dish or even a main dish!

We'll keep adding new recipes, so please visit often. Also, we'd love to hear how they turn out, what your favorites are and what you might like to see more of - so drop us a line anytime to let us know!

Ruma's is "Bear It's At" for St. Patrick's Day Gifts!

2010-02-18T15:53:00.009-05:00

Around St. Patrick’s Day, some establishments celebrate by offering green beer. Well, that’s all well and good, but at Ruma’s – we can do better!

We are getting our holiday homophones on and offering green BEARS!

OK, so they aren’t technically green* but they are wearing plenty of it! Our adorable St. Patrick’s Day Irish Teddy Bear (above) is sporting a festive green derby and bright green bow and is happy to travel alone or paired with delicious Godiva chocolates.

This bloggers personal favorite, though, is the Luck of the Irish Teddy Bear - this oatmeal-colored cutie is wearing a fetching Irish wool sweater and has “Luck of the Irish” and a shamrock stitched in his wee feet!

And these cuddly cuties are just a couple of our great St. Patrick’s Day gifts!

Looking for edible ways to say “Erin go bragh!” ? Go gourmet with our Irish Treasure basket, brimming with tasty treats like shortbread, Irish coffees and teas, “Himself “ and “Herself” mugs, keepsake Irish flags and more!

St. Patty’s Day is less than a month away, so order soon to ensure delivery by March 17th!

*(And, no, unless you are from certain regions of the U.S., that's not technically a homophone, just um, bear with us.)

Fruit is the (an) Answer!

2010-02-16T15:49:00.008-05:00

Don’t know about you, but watching the Olympics always makes us feel really inspired to get outside and kick some winter sports butt! Oh, if only we’d stuck to our New Year’s resolutions, we’d totally be doing that ski and shoot thing. For real.

Of course, we also know all too well that sitting on our own butts in front of the TV for two weeks can be a bit of a detriment to the ol’ “get up and go.”

What to do? Well, for starters, there’s nothing like adding heaping helpings of healthy, nutritious fruit to put the swish back in your slalom! When you eat better, you feel better, and when you feel better, well, there’s no mountain you can’t climb (and then do crazy tricks back down!)

And since we know the first step can be the hardest, we want to make it a little easier for you. When you sign up for ANY of our Royal Fruit Club memberships – tasty, fresh, seasonal fruit delivered to your door each month for 3, 5, 8 or 12 months – the shipping is FREE!

If you just need a little inspiration, or want to give a quick shot of oomph to a friend or family member, we also have a huge selection of fantastic fruit gifts like the Fruit Orchard and our fun Marathon Basket.*

And since Ruma’s has been carrying the torch of top notch produce sales for more than 100 years, you can be confident your order will score a perfect 10 – we guarantee it!

So, what are you waiting for, another bad Olympic pun? Okay – go for the gold and order today, because this free shipping offer won’t last forever!

*Regular shipping rates apply to these gifts. Free shipping offer good only on Royal Fruit Club orders.

Your Love Is Endless...

2010-02-09T16:25:00.009-05:00

... but you're running out of time to express it on the big day!

Shop our web site now for gourmet gifts both deliciously romantic and just plain delicious.

When you do, you'll save $10 on each order of $20 or more! This offer is only good until Valentine's Day and only when you order online and use the code VXBLOG when you check out!*

So, why are you still reading this? True love may wait, but this offer won't... get clicking, darling!

*Not to be combined with any other offers, $20 must be cost before shipping.

Picnic Delight -- $79.95
(That's $69.95 with your discount code!)

Cupid's Little Helpers!

2010-02-03T17:10:00.007-05:00

We can't direct the arrow - but we can get it there for free!

(And by arrow we mean great gourmet and fabulous fruit gifts of course!*)

From now until 11:59 p.m. THURSDAY, FEB. 4 get FREE standard shipping on any order over $20.00 when you use the promo code BEMINE at check out!**

Nope, this isn't a typo - we're extending this free standard shipping offer for another day for all you, um, 'late bloomers.'

Order now so not only is the shipping free, but the gift is sure to be there in time for Valentine's Day! Sweet deal!

(*Don't forget we also have wonderful wine gifts and snuggly stuffed bears!)

(**Rules, rules, rules: Order cannot be combined with any other offer; offer expires Thursday, February 4th at 11:59 pm EST. Offer valid on orders over $20.00. Offer not valid on previously placed orders. Regular ground shipping only.)

Valentine's Day: It's All About Sharing the Love...

2010-01-18T14:07:00.015-05:00

...And no matter who you want to share it with - a spouse, a new sweetie, a good friend, grandma or Uncle Bill - we want to help by showing a little love to YOU!

That's why from now until Feb. 14 we'll take $10 off the purchase of any gift on our web site when you use the customer code VXBLOG at checkout.*

When you visit our site you'll see we've created a category of gifts we think have that certain je ne sais quoi that makes them just right for Valentine's Day. But feel free to browse around to find the perfect gift for your loved one - you'll still get the discount even if your gift doesn't come in a fuzzy pink box like this guy...

(In the Pink - just $39.95 with your discount code!)

Order today to guarantee delivery by Feb. 14! If you're having trouble thinking of a sentiment for the gift card here's another gift from us to you..., well, actually, from turn of the 20th century Brit poet, Edward Thomas - "The simple lack of her is more to me than others' presence."

Awwww.

*Unlike true love, this offer is not unconditional... it may not be combined with any other offers and the the cost of your merchandise must be $20 or more (before shipping.)

Introducing: Ruma's New Gift Line!

2009-12-07T10:57:00.004-05:00

NEW! So warm and inviting looking, they'll rush to unpack this gift of sophisticated sweet treats and nuts. Delectable cheesecake caramels, chocolate dipped almonds and macadamia nuts, Steven Marks bonbons, a trove of truffles and taffy, biscotti and MORE chocolate will have everyone gathering 'round to share.

Free shipping to any APO/AFO address - send now for the holidays!

2009-11-16T12:53:00.001-05:00

You can send a gift basket to any service man or woman with an APO or AFO address and Ruma's will pay for the shipping. It's our way of showing appreciation for these people who work so hard for our freedoms. Order now for the holidays (may take up to 4 weeks to arrive)

Get $5 off your Mac Apples!

2009-10-07T13:33:00.001-04:00

Can't get to the orchard to pick the apples yourself? That's ok, we did the hard work for you! We will ship 16 tart and tangy Mac Apples to your friends, family or coworkers so they can enjoy a yummy snack or make an apple pie!

Use the promo code RUMAFIVE at check out and take $5 off your order!

Delicious Plum Ricotta Pancakes for the weekend

2009-09-21T16:56:00.001-04:00

Get your ingredients ready now, and come Saturday morning, you can whip up these delicious pancakes and enjoy a leisurely weekend breakfast!
Plum Ricotta Pancakes
Plum Compote
• 3 lb. mixed plums (1.35 kg)
• 1 fresh vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter (60 ml)
• 1/2 cup honey (125 ml)

Preheat an oven to 500°F. Pit the plums and cut each into thick wedges. Add the vanilla seeds and toss.

Melt the butter over high heat in a large sauté pan. When hot, add the plums and toss to coat with the butter.

Pour in the honey and toss to combine. Put the pan into the preheated oven and roast for 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and over high heat, reduce the liquid for 5 minutes or until slightly thickened.

The plum compote can be served either hot or at room temperature. The compote will thicken as it cools.

Ricotta Pancakes
• 4 large eggs, separated
• 1 1/3 cup ricotta cheese (320 ml)
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour (150 ml)
• 1/4 tsp salt (1 ml)
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder (7 ml)
• 3/4 cup homogenized milk (175 ml)
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter (60 ml)

In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, cheese, flour, salt, baking powder and milk. The batter can be prepared to this point in advance of serving.

In an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until they hold stiff peaks.
Fold the egg whites into the batter. Melt 2 tbsp of butter in each of two non-stick sauté pans, over medium-high heat.

Pour 2 oz portions of batter in each of the pans to form pancakes.

Cook the pancakes until a lot of bubbles form on the uncooked surface of the pancake and the underside is golden. Flip and continue to cook for several minutes longer. Serve the ricotta pancakes topped with the plum compote.

Mmmm... peachy cinnamon toast!

2009-07-07T13:57:00.000-04:00

Peachy Cinnamon Toast
You need:

* 16 1/2-inch thick slices of crusty Italian or French bread
* 2 tablespoons of melted unsalted butter or margarine
* 3 tablespoons sugar, divided
* 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, or to taste
* 2 cups peeled and finely chopped peaches
* 1/3 cup plain yogurt
* 1/2 cup honey for drizzling

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Arrange bread slices in one layer on baking sheet and bake 10 minutes until golden.
3. Brush toast with butter on one side.
4. In a small bowl, stir two tablespoons sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle evenly over buttered side of toast.
5. Preheat broiler.
6. Broil toast about five inches from heat for one minute or until tops are bubbling and then cool.
7. Stir together remaining one table spoon of sugar and peaches.
8. Mound about two tablespoons of peaches on each piece of toast.
9. Top each toast with one teaspoon yogurt and drizzle with honey.

Summer Fruit Granita

2009-06-29T11:16:00.002-04:00

Summer Fruit Granita (Granita - in Italian also granita Sicilian - is a semi-frozen dessert of sugar, water, and flavorings originally from Sicily, a deliciously refreshing dessert for summer!)

You need:

* 1 pound ripe fresh plums
* ½ cup to 2/3 cup sugar
* ½ cup water
* ¼ cup fresh orange juice
* 2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
* 1/2 cup fresh raspberries

Directions:

1. Cut fruit into large saucepan, discarding pits.
2. Add sugar and water; bring to boil.
3. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, 10 minutes, or until fruit is tender
4. Cool; add raspberries, if using nectarines.
5. Pour into blender container and blend smooth, then pour through a sieve to strain (discard any pulp).
6. Stir in citrus juices.
7. Taste for sweetness, adding additional sugar as needed for tart fruit.
8. Pour into 9-inch square, non-corrosive metal or glass baking pan.
9. Cover; freeze until ice crystals form around edges of pan, about half hour.
10. Stir ice crystals toward center of mixture with a fork.
11. Repeat process once or twice before completely frozen to create granular texture.
12. To serve: break up frozen mixture with a fork or chop with a chef's knife.
13. Serve in stemmed glasses.

Mango Fruit Salad

2009-06-29T11:14:00.001-04:00

It's summertime!

Mango Fruit Salad
You need:

* 1 mango, peeled and cut into chunks
* 1/2 pound seedless grapes
* 2 cups watermelon chunks
* 1/4 pound cherries, washed, stemmed, and pitted
* 1 cantaloupe, seeded and cut into chunks
* 1 small honeydew melon, seeded and cut into chunks

Directions: Mix all ingredients in a large serving bowl. Chill for at least 1/2 hour before serving.

2009-05-28T14:43:00.004-04:00

Send a fruit and gourmet basket to a teacher or a professor; better yet, send one to the faculty to share or for the department to share!

A healthy, thoughtful gift to show your thanks for this academic year!

Order online; we make your baskets to order and we ship nationwide! At Ruma's, your satisfaction is our priority. If you and your recipient aren't 100% satisfied, we will refund your money or replace the basket! Guaranteed!

www.rumas.com
800.252.8282

2009-05-22T11:53:00.001-04:00

Jim travels the world in search of the best fruit to offer his customers. Here, he inspects some fruit from his family's homeland of Sicily. It's a tough job, but someone has to do it!

2009-05-19T09:34:00.002-04:00

With summer comes leisurely backyard dinners, sitting outside until dusk, and easy recipes.

You can make this Mango Fruit salad as a side dish for dinner or as a dessert!

Mix all ingredients in a large serving bowl. Chill for about 30 minutes before serving.

• 1 mango, peeled and cut into chunks.
• ½ pound seedless grapes
• 2 cups of watermelon chunks
• ¼ pound of cherries, washed, stemmed and pitted
• 1 cantaloupe, seeded and cut into chunks
• 1 small honeydew melon, seeded and cut into chunks

Ruma's Fruit & Gift Basket World: St.Patricks Day Basket, Free"Kiss Me I'm Irish" Pin!!

2009-03-13T11:02:00.000-04:00

Ruma's Fruit & Gift Basket World: St.Patricks Day Basket, Free"Kiss Me I'm Irish" Pin!!

St.Patricks Day Basket, Free"Kiss Me I'm Irish" Pin!!

2009-03-13T10:18:00.003-04:00

We are offering a FREE " Kiss Me I'm Irish Pin" with any basket purchase through March 17th.

Our featured "Irish Treasure" Basket includes Irish shortbread,Irish coffee,
gourmet crackers and Ghiradelli chocolate We also include 2 Mugs: One says "Himself" and the other says "Herself" Plus two keepsake Irish flags. The perfect way to celebrate St. Patricks Day!!!!

FRUIT OF THE MONTH FOR MARCH

2009-02-27T11:21:00.007-05:00

For the month of March we are pleased to offer delicous Granny Smith Apples from the state of Washington as the item for our Fruit Of The Month Club. The Granny Smith apple originated from Australia in 1868 from a seedling propagated by Marina Ann Smith. The Granny Smith apple was widely propagated in New Zealand and then introduced to the United Kingdom around 1935 and then later to the United States in 1972. Excellent for both cooking and eating raw, the Granny Smith apple are excellent for salads because the slices do not brown as quickly as other varieties.

Granny Smith Apple Pie Recipie

1 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg
1/2 stick melted butter
2 cups grated Granny Smith Apples

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix sugar cinnamon and salt in a mixing bowl. Add eggs and butter. Fold in grated apples . Pour into an unbaked pie shell. Reduce heat to 350 degrees . Bake about 50 minutes or until slightly brown.

Click here to visit our Fruit of The Month Club

Our Best Wine Cellar

2008-06-17T15:47:00.003-04:00

We have a grand selection of wine and champagne baskets for our customers. We are often asked which of our many wine gift baskets is the best. I have to answer that...Our Best Wine Cellar is the Mondavi & Godiva Gift Basket. Priced at $100 and with shipping only $12.50 for UPS ground, this is a fantastic choice for you and your loved ones. Three amazing Robert Mondavi wines fill this stand up wicker basket. Topped with all kinds of Godiva goodies for your recipient to enjoy.

So head to our Wine Cellar at our website on www.RumasFruit.com and choose one of our favorite wine gift baskets.

Great Father's Day Gifts - 20% OFF

2008-06-12T10:43:00.007-04:00

Ruma Fruit & Gift Basket World is offering a savings of 20% off any fruit & gourmet gift basket. If you want to order something for your Dad for this Father's Day, go to www.rumasfruit.com. To redeem your 20 % off any gift basket for Dads and Grads, use the following coupon code during checkout. (Hint: This coupon code works for every single gift basket.) We do not deliver on Saturdays or Sundays. This offer cannot be combined with any other offer. PLEASE CHOOSE OVERNIGHT DELIVERY FOR BEFORE FATHER"S DAY. Last minute is still available for Father's Day Gifts.

Ruma's Fruit & Gift Basket World
Coupon Code = DAD08 for 20% OFF

Gifts for Fathers Day
Fresh Fruit Baskets

Gourmet Baskets

Fruit & Gourmet Baskets

Junk Food Baskets

Chocolate Gift Baskets

New England Charm

International Delights

Specialty Fruit Basket Trays

Nuts, Nuts, and More Nuts

Wine Baskets & More

The Royal Fruit Club

His & Her Spa Gift Baskets

Theme Gift Baskets

Upscale Gift Baskets

Coffee and Tea Gift Baskets

Teddy Bears

Sports Gift Baskets

What is New?

Graduation Gifts

2008-06-11T12:36:00.006-04:00

These days everyone is graduating. High School graduations and college graduations are no longer the only graduations to celebrate. Today everyone from your pre-schooler to your favorite grandmother is graduating. Celebrate your sister’s grad school graduation, your brother’s success at the police academy, your grandmother going back to college, and your cousin’s trade school graduation. Whether your baby is graduating from kindergarten or its mom’s PhD graduation, say congratulations to everyone with a graduation gift basket.

Graduation Basket - $49.95
Give this delicious graduation basket to your high school or college graduate. Filled with all the sweets that your graduate will love. Dots, Bazooka Gum, Blow Pops, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Twizzlers or Skittles, Almond Joy, 100,000 Bar, M&M’s make this the graduation gift of choice. Our graduation gift basket also includes an 8 ½ x 11-inch frame to display a diploma or degree and an adorable teddy bear proudly wearing his graduation cap. We will also place the graduate's name inside the frame to personalize this gift even more. Congratulations Graduates!

Father's Day Gifts

2008-06-05T12:26:00.006-04:00

Ties and socks are Father’s Day presents of the past. Look to the future of Father’s Day gifts with junk food baskets, sports baskets, Fruit of the Month Clubs, and our special Father’s Day wine and beer baskets. Fresh fruit baskets, wine gifts, and chocolate gift baskets will have your dad smiling on this Father’s Day. Father’s Day gifts are not hard to find at Ruma’s. Our Father’s Days gifts include golf baskets, football baskets, baseball baskets, and more. Send a gift basket and say Thanks for being a Great Dad and Happy Father’s Day!

Golf Lover's Basket - $59.95
The mug that says it all! Golfer: one who yells "FORE", takes six and writes down five! This golf basket is packed full of fun and useful items for the golf enthusiast on your gift list. Perfect gift idea for your father on Father's Day!

Spa Basket Sensation for Dad - $49.95
Pamper him with this delightful basket filled with moisture rich hand and nail cream, cooling foot scrub and foot scrubbing paddle, nail brush, body wash and loofah mitt, wooden shaving brush and soap dish gift set, a pair of exfoliating gloves and two scented candles. Our spa gift baskets include only the finest bath products. The perfect Father's Day Gift for Dad!

Beer Cheer - $59.95
Cheer, Cheer the beer's all here!!! Does your Dad love beer? A variety of favorite New England beer with gourmet pretzels, nuts and snacks, chips, poppycock, tortilla chips and salsa make the perfect combination gift for Dad on Father's Day.

Dad's Junk Food Basket - $49.95

Ruma Fruit offers His & Her Spa Baskets

2008-05-28T18:02:00.004-04:00

Send someone special a soothing and relaxing spa basket today. Spa gift baskets made especially for those who need to relax and enjoy a spa treatment. Everyone can benefit and enjoy these sensational spa gift baskets. Take pleasure in a soothing spa treatment without going to a resort. Light some candles, run a bath, and enjoy soft shower gels, scented soaps, and invigorating bath salts. Your very own spa treatment in one amazing spa gift basket.

Spa Basket Sensation for Women - $49.95
Pamper someone special with this elegant spa gift basket filled with shower gel, body lotion & scrub, bubble bath, decorative scented soaps, invigorating bath salts, silky hand cream, bath sponge and a wood handled body brush. Our spa gift baskets include only the finest bath products.

Spa Basket Sensation for Men - $49.95
Pamper him with this delightful spa gift basket filled with moisture rich hand and nail cream, cooling foot scrub and foot scrubbing paddle, nail brush, body wash and loofah mitt, wooden shaving brush and soap dish gift set, a pair of exfoliating gloves and two scented candles. Our spa gift baskets include only the finest bath products.

Paul Blart: Mall Cop - Almost a Wrap

2008-05-27T12:43:00.005-04:00

The movie Mall Cop has just returned some set decorations that Ruma's Fruit rented to the film production company. Adam Sandler and Kevin James sightings are now common place in Burlington, MA. Particularly around the Burlington Mall, you may see Adam Sandler or Kevin James dining out or taking a stroll through the mall. It appears that Ruma Fruit is no longer needed for the fruit basket kiosk scenes, but we hope that our fruit basket company is shown prominently in the movie. We were told that Kevin James and the would-be-mall-robbers would be chasing each other around our great fruit and gift baskets. I am still hopeful for some throwing the fruit baskets at each other and creating a really amusing chase scene for the movie. Ruma Fruit is proud to be product placement for Paul Blart: Mall Cop.

Memorial Day Weekend

2008-05-21T14:43:00.003-04:00

Memorial Day Weekend is upon us and has long become a getaway weekend filled with parties and bar-b-ques galore. Let us not forget what Memorial Day is for and why we celebrate it.
On Memorial Day, we honor our fallen heroes and soldiers of past and present wars. We honor the men and women who sacrificed their lives in service to their country. We give thanks to those who have given their heart and soul for their country. From world wars to the current war on terror in Iraq and Afghanistan, young men and women have fought for freedom and for democracy. On Memorial Day, regardless of party and opinion, we all salute those men and women who have given and lost so much during wartime and abroad. Thank you.

Famous Winemaker, Robert Mondavi Dies at 94

2008-05-16T18:35:00.018-04:00

Ruma Fruit is sad to hear that Robert Mondavi has passed away. He was 94. Our favorite winemaker has inspired many gift baskets at Ruma's Fruit and Mr. Mondavi's death marks the end of an era. Robert Mondavi wine has been a staple in Napa Valley since 1966. His legacy will live on through the Robert Mondavi Winery and will continue to delight wine connoisseurs for generations to come. Our heartfelt sympathies go to Mr. Mondavi's family and friends.

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The above photo was taken by Ed Kashi/Corbis in 1988 for a NY Times article.

Upscale Champagne Gift Baskets

2008-05-16T09:43:00.006-04:00

Over the top is the only way to go! These upscale gift baskets are luxurious, grand, and impressive. Whether you choose one of our magnificent gourmet gift baskets, one of champagne gift baskets or wine gift baskets, or one of our enormous fruit baskets, they are sure to please and delight everyone. Made fresh and with the utmost care these upscale gift baskets are perfect for any occasion.

The Ultimate - $250
If you want to send something that has class and sophistication then you'll want to send the Ultimate in wine gift baskets. The Ultimate Chapagne Gift Basket contains Dom Perignon champagne, Godiva chocolates and biscuits combined with chocolate covered almond butter toffee, cheese and crackers in a wicker tray. These make excellent wedding gift baskets. Impressive on any occasion!

When you want to celebrate, you want to celebrate with champagne. Whether you prefer Dom Perignon or Moet & Chandon, we have upscale champagne baskets that you will enjoy. These delectable champagne gift baskets are sure to delight any champagne lover. Filled with Godiva goodies, chocolate biscuits and more, these champagne gifts are perfect for birthday gifts, mother’s day presents, and wedding presents. Did someone get engaged recently? Send Moet & Chandon with our Moet & Godiva Party Tray. The Dom Perignon & Godiva Gift Basket is sure to please newlyweds, family, and friends. Celebrate all occasions with a fantastic champagne gift basket.

Moet & Godiva Party Tray - $125
A stunning way to celebrate!! We've combined Moet & Chandon French champagne with Godiva biscuits, assorted chocolates, cocoa and more to create a party tray that is a sure way to impress everyone. Cheers!

For more great gift basket ideas and other upscale gift baskets, visit our website at Ruma's Fruit & Gift Basket World.

Lobsters from Ruma's!!!!!!!

2008-05-13T13:37:00.010-04:00

. Live Maine lobster can be sent anywhere in the continental United Sates. We send fresh Maine lobster overnight to any location. Please be sure to make sure that the recipient is not away on vacation when you order live lobster. A recipient phone number is required to ship lobster, so that we may confirm he/she will be home to receive the lobsters. We will not ship, unless we have this confirmation.
Shipping Information: All Liv e Lobsters require a $24.95 Expedited Overnight Delivery Charge. Delivery days are Tuesday - Friday during daytime hours. Saturday delivery is not available. Live Lobster is not available for Alaska or Hawaii.

We offer Lobster Live and Lobster Steamed prior to delivery.

Live, Ocean Fresh Lobster
Each Package for 2 Includes:

2 Live Ocean Fresh Lobster (1.5lbs. in size)
19 QT Reusable Cooking Pot
2 Steel Claw Crackers and Seafood Forks
2 Lobster Bibs
Cooking and Eating Instructions.

Surf & Turf Supreme
The Ultimate Package for Seafood and Steak Lovers! Lobster, Steak, Shrimp and New England Clam Chowder with Oyster Crackers.
Each Package for 2 Includes:
2 Live Ocean Fresh Lobster (1.5lbs. in size)
2 Hand Cut 10oz. New York Sirloins
19 QT Reusable Cooking Pot
2 Steel Claw Crackers and Seafood Forks
2 Lobster Bibs
Cooking and Eating Instructions
1 lb. Jumbo Cooked Shrimp (16-20 Shrimp/lb.) Peeled and De veined with Cocktail Sauce
1 pt. New England Clam Chowder with Oyster Crackers per 2 persons.

A recipient phone number is required to ship lobster, so that we may confirm he/she will be home to receive the lobsters. We will not ship, unless we have this confirmation.

Happy Mother's Day!

2008-05-09T14:36:00.005-04:00

Ruma's Fruit & Gift Basket World would like to wish every mom and soon-to-be-moms a very Happy Mother's Day!
Enjoy your day...You deserve it!

New England Charm

2008-05-08T15:07:00.003-04:00

Vermont Country Gift Basket - $39.95

Every season brings a litany of vacationers, sight seers, bird watchers, and fall leaf enthusiasts to our Northeast countryside. Travel the Appalachian
Trial or the Maine coastline and you will find all the wonders of our New England Charm. Line Maine lobsters are always a New England favorite. Send Fresh Maine Lobsters or send the perfect Vermont breakfast with our Vermont Country Gift Basket. With amazing Vermont syrup and pancake batter, send a piece of Vermont to someone you love. Do you live on the west coast but have east coast pride? Our sports gift baskets are for all those Boston sports fans that may have moved, but still have the home team in their hearts. New England football and Boston baseball gift baskets are sure to please all of our displaced fans. New England Charm is in full swing during the summer with our New England Mac Apples. Send our Seasonal Fruit box or our Mac Apples Fruit box to anywhere in the continental United states. New England Charm for all your friends and family wishing they were in New England.

Seasonal Fruit Box - $29.95
An array of wholesome, hand selected fresh fruits of the season picked at the peak of the crop! Nutritious and delicious, these environmentally friendly gifts are perfect for any fruit lover!

MAc Apples from New England - $29.95
An array of wholesome, hand selected Macintosh apples of the season picked at the peak of the crop! Nutritious and delicious, these environmentally friendly gifts are perfect for any fruit lover!

Boston Red Sox Gift Basket Gift Basket - $100
In 2004 and 2007, our long-suffering beloved Boston team proved 'em wrong. Everyone rooted for Boston...well maybe not New Yorkers. Our sports gift basket comes with 2 decals, a nylon CD case, chrome license plate, playing cards, key chain, and a 5-quart pail. We have also added a baseball freezer mug for everyday use. Hang your 12" X 30" pennant, plant your car flag, and get ready for the game. CURSE REVERSED!

New England Football Gift Basket - $100
The most desired keepsakes of your favorite 3-time Superbowl Champions are sure to please all fans. Our sports gift basket comes with 2 decals, a nylon CD case, chrome license plate, playing cards, key chain, 5-quart pail (wastebasket shown in picture is no longer available), and mini collector's helmet. We have also added a football freezer mug for everyday use. Hang your 12" X 30" pennant, plant your bumper sticker, and get ready for the game. GO NEW ENGLAND!

The Papayas are Here!

2008-05-06T15:46:00.002-04:00

Ruma's Fruit & Gift Basket World is proud to announce that this month's Fruit of the Month Papayas are being shipped out today. For those of you that receive Fruit of the Month shipments from Ruma's Fruit & Gift Basket World, you should be receiving your papayas within 1-3 business days. All Fruit of the Month shipments should be complete by Friday, May 9. If you do not receive your papayas by Friday, please call our Gift Basket Headquarters at (800) 252-8282. Regardless of choosing the Traditional Fruit of the Month Plan or the Deluxe Fruit of the Month Plan, all recipients that are set to receive a box of fruit for the month of May, will receive their papayas by Friday. Stayed tuned for great papaya recipes to follow in the coming days.

PB & J with Marshmallow Fluff Gift Basket

2008-05-05T14:07:00.011-04:00

Gooey Lunchtime Gift Basket - $49.95

Ruma Fruit & Gift Basket World has a brand new basket! We were inspired by our good friends over at Durkee Mower in Lynn, MA. Durkee Mower is a New England favorite for the best Marshmallow Fluff around. Everyone remembers PB & J sandwiches with a side of gooey Marshmallow Fluff. Re-live your childhood and buy this amazing all-in-one Gooey Lunchtime Gift Basket. We are pleased to say that this brand new Gooey Lunchtime Basket has all your favorite Gooey Lunchtime favorites. The Gooey Lunchtime Basket includes Welch's Grape Jelly, Skippy's Creamy Peanut Butter, original saltine crackers, Ferrero Rocher chocolates, and two 7 ounce jars of extra gooey Marshmallow Fluff. Make your PB & J sandwiches the old-fashioned way with Gooey Marshmallow Fluff. Enjoy!

Ham & Turkey Trays - $100

2008-05-02T15:30:00.005-04:00

An entire meal awaits your friends and family with these scrumptious ham and turkey trays. Look forward to a delicious spiraled and glazed ham along with hand picked fruit for your special occasion. You don’t have to wait until Thanksgiving Day for our mouth-watering turkey. Send one of our ham and turkey trays today.

For other gift basket options, go to the Ruma Fruit & Gift Basket World website and look at our fresh fruit baskets, chocolate gift baskets, amazing wine baskets, and champagne gift baskets.

Mother's Day Gifts Galore

2008-05-01T10:27:00.006-04:00

Every Mom deserves a day for her. Mother’s Day is day for her to enjoy and relax. Mothers work hard everyday and deserve a special day just for them. Celebrate your mom on Mother’s Day and give her a Mother’s Day gift she will always remember. A special wine gift basket from Ruma’s Fruit will delight Mom and she will remember your Mother’s Day gift for years to come. Send a fresh fruit basket for a Mother’s Day Gift or maybe send her the Fruit of the Month to enjoy a mother’s day present all year long. Whether you choose a wine gift basket, champagne gift basket or a spa present for her Mother’s Day gift, mom will definitely be happy to hear from you. Happy Mother’s Day Mom!

Great Mother's Day Gifts & Ideas

Pink Roses - $59.95

Spa Basket
Pamper your mom on Mother's Day with this elegant spa gift basket filled with shower gel, body lotion & scrub, bubble bath, decorative scented soaps, invigorating bath salts, silky hand cream, bath sponge and a wood handled body brush. Our spa gift baskets include only the finest bath products.

Ruma Attends Hospitality Trade Show

2008-04-30T12:04:00.020-04:00

Mark Ruma and Jim Ruma of Ruma Fruit & Gift Basket World attended Hospitality Trade Show last night. The Greater Boston Concierge Association sponsored the event, and we have been attending their trade shows for several years now. We always enjoy seeing our friends, peers, and colleagues at these events. Last night's event was particularly interesting as we were able to meet new concierges from Boston area hotels. The event was jam packed full of representatives from Boston's finest hotels and tourist services. As a local gift basket company, we have been an integral part of the Greater Boston Concierge Association.

When someone visits Boston on vacation, for a convention, or celebrating a wedding, we offer amazing fruit & gift baskets for their arrival in Boston. Most notably we have delivered gift baskets to guests at the Marriott Custom House, Millennium Hotel, Omni Parker House Hotel, The Liberty Hotel, Four Season Hotel Boston, Nine Zero Hotel, Seaport Hotel, Harborside Side, Hilton Back Bay, Westin Copley, Park Plaza, Jurys Boston Hotel, and many more.

The most asked about basket for hotel guests in the Boston area is our Boston Beantown Hospitality Basket. Your guest, visitor or lucky recipient will be elated when they open this handsome willow basket brimming with treasures of Beantown. Enjoy a pot of Boston Baked Bean candies, Boston Harbor Tea and mug, salt water taffy, chocolate covered cranberries, chocolate lobsters, cranberry jelly, crackers, and a plush stuffer lobster. Also included are a Massachusetts Getaway Guide, a Boston and Cambridge official guidebook and a walking map of Boston.

Boston Beantown Hospitality Boston $60 - $115

Of course we are always happy to see our favorite pals at Boston Duck Tours. Bob, John, and the rest of the Duck Tours staff are quite the trade show enthusiasts. Great to see you guys again!

For those of you planning to visit Boston in the future or who have a friend or family member that will be in town soon, make sure they take a tour of the most unique hotel in Boston. The Liberty Hotel on Charles Street and adjacent to Mass General Hospital is breathtaking. A definite must see in your tourist trails of the Boston area. I recently visited the Liberty Hotel and was just amazed at the ambiance and grandeur of this historic previous jailhouse. Aptly named The Liberty Hotel, the hotel lounge area is to die for. when I was there, guests were being treated to champagne flutes as they checked into the hotel. Amazing service and amazing hospitality! If you have a chance to stay at the Liberty Hotel or know someone who might, give Ruma Fruit a call and we will gladly arrange for your friends and family to have a delicious fruit & gourmet basket ready and waiting for them in their hotel room.