Ocean Spray Serves-Up More than Cranberries at Big Apple Bog

LAKEVILLE-MIDDLEBORO, Mass., Oct. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- This fall Ocean Spray is serving-up more than cranberries at its 1,500-square-foot cranberry bog in Rockefeller Center®. The grower-owned cooperative, best known for its signature cranberry sauces, snacks and juice drinks, is getting into the Thanksgiving spirit early by inviting culinary maestro Martha Stewart, host of "The Martha Stewart Show" on Hallmark Channel, to host a pre-Thanksgiving meal inside its Big Apple Bog, Tuesday, Oct. 19.

Seated at a 50-foot-long kids' table and surrounded by more than 2,000 lbs of floating cranberries, Martha Stewart will be joined by 45 lucky kids from New York public schools, dressed in waders and ready to enjoy the meal of a lifetime. At the table, the largest ever installed at Ocean Spray's bog in Rockefeller Center®, children will be treated to an array of fun, fall-themed crafts and kid-friendly Thanksgiving dishes prepared using Martha Stewart recipes available at www.marthastewart.com.

A staple on America's Thanksgiving tables for more than 80 years, Ocean Spray is hosting the event to kick-off the cooperative's "Families Feeding Families" campaign in partnership with Share Our Strength® to raise awareness about childhood hunger in America.

"Every child deserves a seat at the table," said Martha Stewart. "Today is about pledging to help people live better by providing children with access to the food they need to live healthy, active lives. I'm proud to lend my support to raise awareness for the cause and hope to inspire others to get involved."

Share Our Strength's No Kid Hungry Campaign™

Keeping in mind that nearly one in every four American children isn't consistently receiving the food he or she needs to remain healthy, Ocean Spray and Share Our Strength® are inviting families across the country to join their efforts in taking the No Kid Hungry™ pledge to end childhood hunger by 2015.

Consumers are encouraged to join the fight online by pledging to make a difference in their communities at www.nokidhungry.org/oceanspray.

"In the world's richest nation, no child should ever go hungry," said Larry Martin, vice president of marketing at Ocean Spray. "There are more than 700 grower-families in our cooperative, some third, fourth and fifth generation, all of whom place a high degree of worth on the next generation. This fall, Ocean Spray growers are investing in the next generation by sharing the bounty of their harvest and partnering with Share Our Strength® to end childhood hunger in America."

Schedule of Events

There are a variety of things to see and do at this year's Big Apple Bog:

• Preview the kids' table, 2 – 5 p.m., Oct. 19
• NYC youth dine at kids' table in bog, 3 – 5 p.m., Oct. 19
• Enjoy a live taping of "The Martha Stewart Show," 4 – 5 p.m., Oct. 19
• Learn about the taste, health and heritage of the cranberry from third, fourth and fifth generation cranberry growers, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Oct. 19, 20, and 21
• Meet the comical characters from Ocean Spray's ads, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., Oct. 20

Recipes for the Kids' Table

Take a tip from the cranberry experts and zip up your kids' table with these fun, turkey-shaped cranberry sauce garnishes, on display at the Thanksgiving kids' table at Rockefeller Center® on Oct. 19. The cranberry trifle, a Martha Stewart recipe featuring layers of sweetened cranberries, buttery pound cake and fluffy whipped cream, is a truly easy dessert that is sure to impress both kids and adults at any Thanksgiving table.

Cranberry Sauce Garnishes (Turkey Gobblers)

For more kid-friendly, cranberry-inspired recipes or craft ideas visit www.oceanspray.com/planit.

INGREDIENTS:

1-2 14-oz. cans Ocean Spray® Jellied Cranberry Sauce

Cookie cutters in assorted shapes

Lettuce leaves

1-2 oranges, cut into 1/2-inch slices

Individual plates or platter

DIRECTIONS:

Cut an orange into 1/2-inch round slices. For younger children, have an adult do the slicing. Set aside.

Open the top of the cranberry sauce can with a can opener. Insert a rubber spatula into the can, between the edge and the sauce to break the air seal. Gently shake the can to slide the log of sauce onto your plate or serving dish.

Slice the jellied sauce log into 1/2-inch slices. Again, for younger children, have an adult help with the slicing. Place individual slices on cutting board. Use a cookie cutter to cut out a turkey shape from the center of each slice. Or use other shapes like leaves, stars, etc. Place leftover sauce in a dish and refrigerate to use with leftovers or as a sandwich spread.

Using a spatula, gently place the sauce shapes on top of orange slices and lettuce leaves. Garnishes can be placed on individual dessert plates for each place setting, or grouped on a serving platter.

Cranberry Trifle

For more recipes from the legendary Martha Stewart, visit www.marthastewart.com/recipe.

INGREDIENTS:

2 bags (12 ounces each) cranberries, fresh or frozen

2 1/4 cups granulated sugar

2 tablespoons finely grated peeled fresh ginger

1 bar (8 ounces) cream cheese, room temperature

1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 cups heavy cream

2 homemade or store-bought all-butter pound cakes (12 ounces each), cut into 3/4-inch-thick slices

DIRECTIONS:

In a medium saucepan, combine cranberries, 2 cups granulated sugar, ginger, and 2 cups water. Bring to a simmer over medium; cook until cranberries begin to burst, 8 to 10 minutes. Let compote cool completely.

Make cream filling: Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese, brown sugar, remaining cup granulated sugar, and vanilla on high until well combined. With mixer on medium, gradually add heavy cream; continue beating until soft peaks form.

Arrange 1/3 of cake in a 3-quart serving dish. Spoon 1/3 of compote over cake; spread to sides of dish. Dollop 1/3 of cream filling over compote; spread to sides of dish. Repeat twice, ending with cream filling. Cover; refrigerate at least 2 hours (or up to 1 day). Garnish with Candied Orange Zest, if desired.

In a medium saucepan, bring 1/2 cup and 1/2 cup to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add (peeled into long strips with a vegetable peeler); simmer, swirling occasionally, until zest is tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain, and transfer to a plate. Dredge zest in sugar, and thinly slice.

About Ocean Spray

Ocean Spray is an agricultural cooperative owned by more than 700 cranberry growers in Massachusetts, Wisconsin, New Jersey, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, and other parts of Canada as well as more than 50 Florida grapefruit growers. Ocean Spray was formed 80 years ago by three cranberry growers from Massachusetts and New Jersey. Florida grapefruit growers joined the Cooperative in 1976. Ocean Spray is North America's leading producer of canned and bottled juices and juice drinks, and has been the best-selling brand name in the canned and bottled juice category since 1981. Ocean Spray posted fiscal 2009 sales of $2 billion.

About Share Our Strength®

Share Our Strength®, a national nonprofit, is ending childhood hunger in America by connecting children with the nutritious food they need to lead healthy, active lives. Through its No Kid Hungry Campaign™ -- a national effort to end childhood hunger in America by 2015 -- Share Our Strength® ensures children in need are enrolled in federal nutrition programs, invests in community organizations fighting hunger, teaches families how to cook healthy meals on a budget, and builds public-private partnerships to end hunger, both nationally and at the state level. Visit Strength.org to get involved in the No Kid Hungry Campaign.  

SOURCE Ocean Spray