Ohhhh Maine. Where do I even begin, my love?!
I’ve spent the last few days in beautiful Bar Harbor, Maine exploring the Wild Blueberry barrens with a group of incredible dietitians, food bloggers, media personalities, authors, and more thanks to the lovely Wild Blueberry Association. Believe me when I say that I never want to leave this majestic place.
From hiking in Acadia National Park and sprawling out in the Wild Blueberry fields to eating fresh lobster that was caught a couple hours ago no more than a hundred feet from the table, this trip was pretty much straight out of a dream.
Breakfast: blueberry pancakes, pineapple, watermelon + smoothie samples from our smoothie contest!
I’ve learned that Wild Blueberries are an incredibly powerful and resilient little fruit. They have to be, since they grow close to the ground in Maine’s harsh soil and glacial climate where they are not planted, but rather grow wild, right where nature put them.
This tough climate is what gives Wild Blueberries their potent flavor and antioxidant capacity (double that of cultivated blueberries) which slows the onset of aging and chronic disease. This unique native crop has been growing for thousands of years in Maine, Eastern and Canada, and Quebec. You can’t get these bloobies just anywhere! Since they have such a short shelf life, you’ll likely only see them in the frozen aisle.
Who can guess the three crops native to this country?
Dumroll please…
Wild Blueberries, cranberries, and Concord grapes.
The immense body of research surrounding Wild Blueberries and health is absolutely fascinating. Every year we learn more about the power of this little fruit in fighting a vast array of chronic diseases and conditions.
Compared with over twenty other fruits, Wild Blueberries have the highest antioxidant capacity per serving. Antioxidants not only helps prevent overall oxidative damage to our cells, but they also help to decrease blood pressure, boost beneficial bacteria in the gut, inhibit cancer growth, improve memory function, slow cognitive decline, prevent heart disease, lower cholesterol, reduce diabetes risk, and fight Alzheimer’s. How’s that for a mini superfruit?!
Snack: multiple handfuls of trail mix with nuts, dried fruit, and dark chocolate + Wild Blueberries from the field!
I was also surprised to learn that Wild Blueberries contain more zinc (important for vegans!), eight times the bone-building manganese (200% of the daily value), two more grams of cholesterol-lowering fiber (25% of the daily value), and five fewer grams of sugar than cultivated blueberries.
Lunch: veggie wrap, apple, and kettle potato chips in the beautiful Acadia National Park!
Though Wild Blueberries are much smaller in size, they’re packed with flavor that varies from berry to berry thanks to the vast genetic diversity found in the fields. I saw pale blueberries, reddish blueberries, deep blue blueberries, and even black blueberries. All of these wild varieties have a story of their own, all varying in sweetness, flavor, and texture.
Snack: Mt. Desert ice cream flight (basil, thai chili coconut–can’t even begin to describe the goodness, bergamot chocolate, blueberry sour cream streusel)
These special berries are picked and then individually quick frozen within 24 hours of harvest, keeping all of these incredible antioxidants and nutrients in tact. Cultivated blueberries may sit on trucks from other countries for weeks (especially in the winter) in temperature-controlled conditions before they make it to your grocery store and refrigerator.
There is a HUGE misconception that frozen fruit is less nutritious than fresh. In the case of many fruits and veggies, frozen products have their nutrition locked in much sooner than fresh produce purchased at the store that has been sitting around for God only knows how long.
Dinner: Salad, clams, mussels, fries, sweet potato fries, biscuits, coleslaw, corn on the cob, fresh lobster, blueberry pie + ice cream at Beal’s Lobster Pier. I don’t think I had eaten this much since Thanksgiving. Incredible.
Maine to me is endless Wild Blueberry fields, pristine water, still sailboats, salty air, bright blue and forest green landscapes, all the locally made ice cream you can get your tongue on. I cannot wait to go back.
Disclosure: I was invited on an expense-paid trip to Maine by The Wild Blueberry Association. I was not asked nor compensated to write this post. All opinions are my own.
Maine is definitely near the top of my “to-visit” list. It looks like you’re having a wonderful time with amazing food! Blueberries are my fav, so I will have to look for wild blueberries next time I go shopping.
Maine is definitely near the top of my “to-visit” list. It looks like you’re having a wonderful time with amazing food! Blueberries are my fav, so I will have to look for wild blueberries next time I go shopping.
My two sisters go to Maine every summer for a week and two weekends……it’s where my mom’s father lived and where visited as kids. It’s part of our roots. It’s where we scattered my mom’s ashes. It’s an enchanting and beautiful place. I spent one winter there when I was in middle school…..snow like you have never seen! Fun crazy memories! Thanks for the beautiful post. xo Love from South Florida!
My two sisters go to Maine every summer for a week and two weekends……it’s where my mom’s father lived and where visited as kids. It’s part of our roots. It’s where we scattered my mom’s ashes. It’s an enchanting and beautiful place. I spent one winter there when I was in middle school…..snow like you have never seen! Fun crazy memories! Thanks for the beautiful post. xo Love from South Florida!
And what did that lobster freshly plucked from the sea have you say when you boiled it alive and killed it????
Hi Marilyn!
I’m the mother of the lobster Alexis ate. My lobster child’s final words before Alexis ate him was ‘Hello, hey Joe. You wanna give it a gooooooo”.
Then all our sea friends started singing Lady Marmalade!
And what did that lobster freshly plucked from the sea have you say when you boiled it alive and killed it????
Hi Marilyn!
I’m the mother of the lobster Alexis ate. My lobster child’s final words before Alexis ate him was ‘Hello, hey Joe. You wanna give it a gooooooo”.
Then all our sea friends started singing Lady Marmalade!
I’m from Maine, so I may be biased, but I loveeeee the state! I was actually just up in boothbay harbor for a wedding and was reminded of how beautiful the state is! Looks like a great trip!
I’m from Maine, so I may be biased, but I loveeeee the state! I was actually just up in boothbay harbor for a wedding and was reminded of how beautiful the state is! Looks like a great trip!
SO much yummy looking ice cream!!!
SO much yummy looking ice cream!!!
All the blueberries!! The fruit of the summer for me this year!
All the blueberries!! The fruit of the summer for me this year!
That Ice-cream is the epitome of my life even though I have never tried it! Your eats looked fantabulous and I am glad you enjoyed yourself!
That Ice-cream is the epitome of my life even though I have never tried it! Your eats looked fantabulous and I am glad you enjoyed yourself!
That blueberry pie looks heavenly!! What a great trip filled with such yummy treats.
That blueberry pie looks heavenly!! What a great trip filled with such yummy treats.
YES YES YES to all of this and all the wonderful benefits of blueberries and to all those amazing looking deserts…I kind of want that pie and ice cream and I LOVE how it is served in a paper boat. AMAZING-BALLS!
YES YES YES to all of this and all the wonderful benefits of blueberries and to all those amazing looking deserts…I kind of want that pie and ice cream and I LOVE how it is served in a paper boat. AMAZING-BALLS!
That dinner though……..
That dinner though……..
I’ve never been to Maine but I’d love to check it out! I actually had some wild blueberries on my Greek yogurt this morning 🙂 I love how tiny they are! (And they really do taste even better than regular blueberries!) That sounds like SUCH a fun trip!
I’ve never been to Maine but I’d love to check it out! I actually had some wild blueberries on my Greek yogurt this morning 🙂 I love how tiny they are! (And they really do taste even better than regular blueberries!) That sounds like SUCH a fun trip!
My gosh! Maine looks beautiful! Have fun!
My gosh! Maine looks beautiful! Have fun!
How I wish Portland was closer to Bar Harbor so I could crash this blueberry party! I just moved to Maine and LOVE it!
How I wish Portland was closer to Bar Harbor so I could crash this blueberry party! I just moved to Maine and LOVE it!
I love this, glad you mentioned the misconception about frozen fruit not being as nutritious as fresh fruits! As RD’s we need to clear this little myth up 🙂
I love this, glad you mentioned the misconception about frozen fruit not being as nutritious as fresh fruits! As RD’s we need to clear this little myth up 🙂
Aw, this sounds like a dream trip! I could eat my weight in blueberries.
PS – I’m really jealous of that ice cream flight. Guess I will just have to make one at home 🙂
Aw, this sounds like a dream trip! I could eat my weight in blueberries.
PS – I’m really jealous of that ice cream flight. Guess I will just have to make one at home 🙂
This was a beautiful and fabulous post!! You are awesome! Need to know where you got those striped leggings and workout top from! Adore them! I think I’m going to plan a trip to Maine now. Oh and of course go buy some organic blueberries!!!
This was a beautiful and fabulous post!! You are awesome! Need to know where you got those striped leggings and workout top from! Adore them! I think I’m going to plan a trip to Maine now. Oh and of course go buy some organic blueberries!!!
those ice cream flavors, oh my goodness! yummm.
those ice cream flavors, oh my goodness! yummm.
great recap of this awesome trip! Was so much fun getting to know you in person! Glad you’re making the trip to fnce!
Thanks, dear! Right back atcha 🙂
great recap of this awesome trip! Was so much fun getting to know you in person! Glad you’re making the trip to fnce!
Thanks, dear! Right back atcha 🙂
Great post Alexis {That ice cream…wowza! Sorry I missed that!} and it was so wonderful to meet you! Who new a veggie wrap could look so delicious with Arcadia National Park in the background?!!
Great post Alexis {That ice cream…wowza! Sorry I missed that!} and it was so wonderful to meet you! Who new a veggie wrap could look so delicious with Arcadia National Park in the background?!!