Pecan Store May 19th, 2010
Memorial Day weekend festivities are right around the corner but are you ready? Here is an easy checklist you can use to make sure your celebrations are a success:
- 1. Check your grill’s propane tank to insure it’s full or buy a sufficient amount of charcoal. The Pecan Store sells pecan shell charcoal for $2.50/5lb bag, and can be purchased in store only.
- 2. Plan out your menu ahead of time. Don’t even attempt to do this at the last minute with whatever items are in your pantry or freezer. Grilled meats taste best when they’ve been marinated and The Pecan Store carries Arizona Rub in four flavors: Original, Chipotle, Rattlesnake and Pistol Whip. These delicious rubs would be perfect on a variety of different meats! And to accompany your perfectly seasoned meat, don’t overlook the barbeque sauce. The Pecan Store also sells Green Valley Pecan Company barbeque sauce and hot sauce that include pecans. They would be a tangy, savory addition to your grilling menu.
- 3. Drinks, drinks and more drinks! Especially in our hot desert weather, insuring your party guests are adequately hydrated is important. Put out some aluminum party tubs or ice chests and fill them with all the necessary beverages that make a party great. But most importantly, make sure everything is iced before your guests arrive because who wants to drink a warm beer? Also, set up a Do It Yourself Drink Bar so your guests can pour their own concoctions. Make sure you included Prickly Pear margaritas, which are made with Prickly Pear Syrup from Cheri’s Desert Harvest. You can purchase a bottle, which comes with a complimentary recipe, at the Pecan Store website or in the Store.
- 4. Decorations can make any backyard gathering into an over the top production, so don’t be shy about spreading the party theme around the occasion. However, just because you want to be festive doesn’t mean you have to spend an arm and a leg to fund it. Instead of star spangled cups, plates and napkins, opt for the more affordable solid red, white and blue cups and plates and mix and match them to your heart’s content. Delicious fruit salads containing blueberries, raspberries, strawberries and pecans combined with whipped cream would make an attractive trifle centerpiece. Another great idea would be wrap pecan trays from the Pecan Store in red, white and blue ribbons. They would do double duty as attractive centerpieces and gifts for your guests. You’re only limited by your imagination!
While you pull all the elements of your bash together, don’t forget about the music! Music is a key element to setting the mood at any great party, so have your IPod ready to crank out jams that will get your party guests out of their seats and grooving to the rhythm. Play a mix of various music genres to appeal to as many party guests as possible, and keep in mind that Memorial Day weekend, July 4th and Labor Day weekend are the only acceptable times to play “American Pie” by Don McLean more than once, which may still be pushing it for some! Have fun and be safe!
Pecan Store December 22nd, 2009
When I was at the Sahuarita Pecan Festival a couple of weekends ago, I discovered Simmons’ Honey Ranchito. More specifically, their Arizona Mesquite Honey.
And after trying their honey, I can honestly say that I will never purchase honey from the grocery store again.
I could not believe how much flavor was in this honey! It was fantastic! Never being a huge fan of the stuff before, I am now a true believer and even prefer it to sugar now to sweeten everything.
I always felt that store-bought honey didn’t really have a flavor other than “sweet”. But this honey has depth and flavor. I’ll just let you know that it’s really fantastic and worth hunting for.
Sadly, I’ve been trying to find a website for the honey to post for you, but cannot find anything. All I can find is that they sell their products at Bisbee and Sierra Vista Farmers’ Markets and at local stores in Cochise County. Anyone up for a road trip?
photo credit: biskuit
Pecan Store December 11th, 2009
So, did you go to the Sahuarita Pecan Festival last weekend? I did! And it was even better than I had expected!
I arrived just as the festivities started at about 10:00 a.m., and was amazed to find that they had placed pecan shells all across the parking lot. A very nice touch! After watching the opening ceremony, I shopped around the vendor booths, grabbed a bite to eat and took it all in.
The Pecan Store was packed and everywhere you looked, people were stocking up on handmade crafts and baked goods from the vendors. Kids were swarming the bounce house and inflatable playgrounds, and families were waiting in line to see Santa on the big green tractor. The entire day was filled with so much fun and the festivities were a perfect way to kick off the holiday season.
Sadly, I had to leave the festival a little early, but was happy to see that people were still steadily arriving, even later in the day. In fact, there was a line all the way from the highway to the festival. Everyone really seemed to enjoy the festivities and I even overheard a few attendees talking about coming back next year!
Here are some of the photos I took from the festival:
Can’t wait for next year! See you then.
Pecan Store December 4th, 2009
I can’t believe that the festival is tomorrow! I’m going to make sure to take lots of pictures and video for those of you who aren’t able to make it down for all the fun and festivities.
But, for those of you who are able to go, admission is completely free, all we ask is that you bring non-perishable food items to donate to the local food bank. There’s also going to be lots of pecan-related dishes, along with local food vendors. The Holiday Marketplace is going to have arts & crafts. Santa will be there on a big green tractor. There’s going to be harvest demonstrations and hayrides. Plus, all the fantastic Green Valley Pecan Company pecans you want!
It’s going to be so much fun! For directions, details and more, visit SahuaritaPecanFestival.com today!
Pecan Store November 28th, 2009
We are just one week away from the nuttiest festival of the year - The Sahuarita Pecan Festival!
Join us on Saturday, December 5, 2009, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for the inaugural Festival. We are so excited for the fantastic food, pecan related specialties, the arts and crafts market, and all the holiday festivities that are going to be happening right here on our farm. We can’t wait to see you there!
Don’t forget that admission to the festival is completely free for everyone. All we ask is that you bring non-perishable food items with you to benefit the local food bank this holiday season.
For more information including vendors, volunteer information, driving directions to the farm and more, check out SahuaritaPecanFestival.com today.
photo credit: abardwell
Pecan Store November 25th, 2009
Happy Thanksgiving from The Pecan Store and The Green Valley Pecan Company! There’s so much to be thankful for this holiday, and we hope your day is filled with lots of joy and fantastic food.
photo credit: Ben+Sam
Pecan Store November 21st, 2009
The inaugural Sahuarita Pecan Festival is a celebration of all things Santa Cruz Valley. In addition to our world famous pecans headlining the festival, you can also enjoy an entire day of family fun, delicious fare, exciting activities for all ages and a Holiday Marketplace with local arts and crafts vendors.
Come on down and check out the Holiday Marketplace where you can pick up a new book from University of Arizona Press, premium candles from Arizona Scents, fresh organic produce from Avalon Organic Gardens, Farm and Ranch, plus so much more. There’s jewelry, clothing, art, pottery and food, along with anything and everything else you might be looking for.
And with the holiday season quickly approaching, our Holiday Marketplace is the perfect way to find unique, one-of-a-kind gifts for family and friends.
Admission to the Festival is free, so come on down and check out our Holiday Marketplace on Saturday, December 5, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For a complete list of arts and crafts vendors, plus directions, visit http://www.sahuaritapecanfestival.com/ today.
photo credit: Robby van Moor
Pecan Store November 20th, 2009
That’s right, there are only about two weeks left until the inaugural Sahuarita Pecan Festival officially kicks off on Saturday, December 5! We are so excited to be hosting our first festival and have some exciting new updates for you.
In addition to all the fun family activities and events we’ve talked about, there’s also going to be some amazing food. The Big Kettle will be there serving up their famous kettle corn. Chef Chic will be making ooey, gooey pecan sticky buns. Common Grounds Espresso Co. will be sure to keep you warm with some tasty drinks, and JoBob’s BBQ Catering will be there serving up some delicious pecan dishes and fantastic barbeque. And that’s just to name a few!
At the inaugural Sahuarita Pecan Festival, you can also enjoy a glass of wine for a great cause. Hold a toast to the season with a glass from Dos Cabezas Wineworks and Canelo Hills Vineyard & Winery. All proceeds from the wine sales will benefit the Santa Cruz Valley Heritage Alliance, a local nonprofit organization benefiting the region’s valuable heritage.
For more information, directions and a complete list of the tasty treats you can sample at the inaugural Sahuarita Pecan Festival, visit http://www.sahuaritapecanfestival.com/ today! We can’t wait to see you there!
photo credit: ricardodiaz11
Pecan Store November 6th, 2009
You know, there’s only about 4 weeks left until the first annual Sahuarita Pecan Festival and we couldn’t be more excited!
Come on down on Saturday, December 5th, 2009 for a day of pecan-filled fun at The Green Valley Pecan Company farm in Sahuarita. There’s going to be an estimated 5,000 - 10,000 people in attendance and we want you to be one of them.
Join us for great food, wholesome family fun, hayrides, harvest demonstrations and Santa on a big green tractor. You can also cheer for everyone in the family fun run or run it yourself. No matter how you celebrate the day with us, it’s going to be a fantastic festival for all.
Get all the details and latest updates here and don’t forget to mark your calendars for the first annual Sahuarita Pecan Festival!
photo credit: abardwell
Pecan Store October 31st, 2009
Happy Halloween from The Green Valley Pecan Company and the PecanStoreBlog.com!
photo credit: muhawi001
