Eckert's Country Store & Farms

January 2012

2011-12-17T16:02:00.006-06:00

To sign up for any classes please visit our online store.
To make reservations or place orders please call us at 618-233-0513.
Visit us at www.Eckerts.com!

January 1
Country Store CLOSED

January 3, 10, 17, 24 & 31
Rib Mania
Rib Mania is back by popular demand. Receive one rack of applewood smoked ribs FREE when you purchase one at regular price. Don't miss this tasty deal!

January 9 & 23
Bunko
An old-fashion game for all ages. Play Bunko at Eckert's Country Restaurant on the second and fourth Monday of each month. $5 per person includes game, prizes, beverages, and snacks. Open to the public. Dine in the Country Restaurant prior to playing Bunko and play for FREE. No reservation required. For more information call Eckert's Country Restaurant.

January 12
12 Wines, 6 Cheeses, 1 Night
Discover your preferences in this taste and compare class. We'll highlight the grapes used, the climate where they were grown, and the production method for six pairs of wines. In addition, we'll pair each duo with a cheese chosen specifically for its compatibility with the wine. This is the perfect opportunity to find palette pleasing wines specific to you!

January 13 & 14
Murder Mystery Dinner - Bullets in the Bathtub
Welcome to the 1920's where bathtubs were made for one thing only - to make gin! Lot's of gangsters are showing up at "Cherry's Speakeasy" to talk about the turf war going on between the Corneolis and the Buttafuccos. Serve with roasted chicken or meatloaf plus lots of traditional 1920's fare. $35.00/person includes appetizer, meal, drink (non-alcoholic), entertainment & tax. Event begins at 6 pm.

January 14
Mommy & Me Class - Celebration Foods
January is full of National food-friendly holidays. Help us celebrate National Spaghetti Day, Whipped Cream Day, Thank You Day and Strawberry Ice-Cream Day with these fun recipes.

January 14 & 16
Kids Cooking Class - National Holiday Foods
January is full of National food-friendly holidays. Help us celebrate National Spaghetti Day, Whipped Cream Day, Thank You Day and Strawberry Ice-Cream Day with these fun recipes.

January 15
Adult Cooking Class - Slow-Cooker Supper
Need ideas for easy week-night dinners? These recipes will help you put a tasty dinner on the table with a little night-before planning. We'll show you some dinner shortcuts coq au vin (chicken with wine), beef au jus, bratwurst stew and more.

January 19
Adult Cooking Class - Grandma's Cooking for Supper
Join Jill Eckert Tantillo for a trip back in time to Grandma's table. Jill will feature recipes from her grandmother's family "suppers" including pot roast, home-made noodles, custard pie and more. Enjoy an evening of classic comfort food recipes from the past.

January 22
Adult Cooking Class - Pies and Tarts Hands-On Encore
Everyone had so much fun in this class last time, so we had to do it again! Join Lana Shepek to learn how to make pastry crust from scratch. We will use frozen and fresh fruits to make crowd-pleasing desserts. Everyone will practice making a pie crust shell.

January 26
Adult Cooking Class - Meat or Meatless
Want to learn how to make a few versatile recipes for meat and non-meat eating guests? Angie Eckert, former vegetarian, will share her favorite versatile recipes for both audiences. All recipes will be prepared with meat and without so that you can taste for yourself. Angie will prepare pasta with parmesan, garlic and squash, gnocchi with fresh tomatoes (and prosciutto), savory quiche (with bacon) and more. Angie's recipes will utilize dairy products and eggs.

January 27 & 28
Murder Mystery Dinner - Fist Full of Hollars
It's a party thrown by Digger Deep, the local mortician who is trying to drum up a little business. A chuckwagon dinner featuring pulled pork or bbq chicken, baked beans, skillet fried corn & au gratin potatoes. $35.00/person includes appetizer, meal, drink (non-alcoholic), entertainment & tax. Event begins at 6 pm.

November Events

2011-11-04T10:11:00.010-05:00

November 6
Kid's Cooking Class - Princess Tea Party (Belleville)
Attention little princesses! Don't miss the chance to join the Queen and other little princesses for a special princess tea party. Learn princess etiquette, make a princess craft, enjoy special snacks fit for a princess, have fun dancing to princess songs and take part in a princess parade. Come in your favorite princess dress!! Optional: Princess Photo $5, Princesses in costume can eat free in the restaurant with one paying adult. Space is limited. Event will take place from 1 pm 2:30 pm in the Country Store. $20.00/Child.

November 7 - 11
Military Week (Belleville)
As a small way to THANK all of the military personnel and their families we are offering you 15% off all purchases, 50% off class admission and 20% of your total bill from the restaurant. Just present your military ID to receive the discounts. We are also working on a special activity on Friday afternoon for the kids to participate in - more details to come.

November 7
Adult Cooking Class - Thanksgiving Sides (Belleville)
Taste some of our favorite recipes for the Thanksgiving or Holiday dinner table. These recipes get rave reviews in our homes so come and taste for yourself. Recipes include Glazed Brussel Sprouts, Cheesy Ravioli Bake (for your vegetarian guests), Mashed Sweet potatoes with Pears and Wild Rice Stuffing. Space is limited. Event will take place from 6 pm - 7:30 pm in the Country Store. $30.00/Person.

November 8, 9 & 19
Mommy & Me Cooking Class - Holiday Gifts from the Heart (Belleville)
Make foods in Eckert's kitchen that are good to eat or give as gifts. Boxed up treats and layers of love go home with you. You will get in the holiday spirit when we make Elves' Snack Mix, Kris Kringle Brownie Mix, Cheeseball Fantasy, and more. Space is limited. Event will take place from 9:30 am - 10:45 am in the Country Store. $12.00/Child.

November 10
Adult Wine Class - Red Wines for Holiday Entertaining (Belleville)
Sip and taste your way through a delightful evening in our classroom. Our culinary team will share pairing suggestions fro some of our favorite red wines just in time for your holiday parties. (This class features dry wines.) Space is limited. Event will take place from 6 pm - 7:30 pm in the Country Store. $25.00/Person.

November 12 & 13
Holiday Extravaganza (Belleville)
Enjoy some of Eckert's favorite recipes, cooking demonstrations, holiday decorating ideas, wine sampling and holiday food. We will share wine pairing ideas, delicious samples of cheese, deli items, bakery goodies, hot spiced cider and more. Santa will be on hand to visit with the children while you are finding the perfect holiday gifts for everyone on your lists. Open House will take place in Eckert's Country Store & Garden Center from 10 am - 5 pm on Saturday, November 12 and from 12 pm - 5pm on Sunday, November 13.

November 13
Pet & Family Portraits with Santa (Belleville)
Be sure to stop by Eckert's Garden Center get your picture taken with your pet and Santa. Eckert's photographers will be on hand capturing these memorable moments for all pet lovers. Event will take place from 10:00 am until 3:00 pm.

November 15
Adult Wine Class - Sweet Wines for Holiday Entertaining (Belleville)
Come ready to find the perfect wines to serve for your next holiday get-together. Our culinary team will share their favorite appetizers along with the wines. We'll wrap it all up with a special hot wine beverage. (This class features semi-sweet and sweet wines.) Event will take place from 6 pm - 7:30 pm in the Country Store.

November 16
Adult Cooking Class - Lunch & Learn (Belleville)
Fall is still in the air and we are celebrating the end of the harvest. Our recipes highlight farm fresh ingredients in tasty flavor combinations. We will prepare an Eckert family-favorite salad, vegetable stew baked in a pumpkin and poached pears. This is the perfect way to spend lunch with a friend. Lunch-sized portions will be served. Event will take place from 12 pm - 1 pm in the Country Store. $15.00/Person

November 17
Adult Cooking Class - Party Hors D'Oeuvres (Belleville) Savor the flavor of our favorite party foods including chicken lettuce wraps, stuffed mushrooms, goat cheese canapes and more! You'll love our entertaining tips along with these unique recipes. We'll have 2 hands on recipes and 3 observational recipes. At the end of class, we'll celebrate our creations along with a toast. (Your choice of a glass of sweet or dry wine will be served.) Event will take place from 6 pm - 8 pm in the Country Store. #30.00/Person.

November 19
Kid's Cooking Class - Holiday Gifts Made with Love (Belleville)
Make foods in Eckert's kitchen that are good to eat or give as gifts. Boxed up treats and layers of love go home with you. You will be ready to celebrate with family and friends with Holiday Pizza, Kris Kringle, Brownie Mix, A Toast to Frosty Smoothie, and more. Event will take place from 1 pm - 3 pm in the Country Store. $15.00/Child.

November 19
Christmas Tree Lots Open (Belleville)
Stop by Eckert's Belleville Farm to beat t rush this holiday season. Our Christmas Tree Lot is stocked with beautiful trees, you are sure to find the perfect on for your home. For more information call Eckert's at (618) 233-0513.

November 19 & 20
Late Harvest Tasting (Belleville)
Eckert's Country Store and Farms is hosting their first ever Late Harvest Apple Tasting in conjunction with the MAIA - Midwest Apple Improvement Association. Join us for a fun afternoon of apple tasting and other activities. There will be a formal tasting as well as apple samples throughout the store. An apple craft will be available for kids as well as an open classroom demo featuring some of our favorite apple recipes on Sunday, November 20th from 12 pm - 3 pm. Special bagged apple prices also available this weekend. Event will take place from 12 pm - 3 pm both days.

November 19, 20, 26 & 27
Gingerbread House Workshop (Belleville) For those who have always longed to build a gingerbread house but were intimidated by the thought, here s your chance to create a beautiful display for the holidays. We provide all of the supplies and the guidance. You provide the creativity! Great for young and old. $12/Gingerbread House. Join us between the hours of 10 am and 4 pm in the Country Store.

November 25
Cut-Your-Own Christmas Trees Open (Belleville & Millstadt)
Come experience a crisp winter's day enjoying the beauty of more than 40 acres of lush evergreen forest as you search for the perfect Christmas tree. We will provide the saw ( you provide the elbow grease!) to cut your tree. Our full service Christmas tree farm will provide free shaking and baling of your tree. Pre-cut trees are also available.

November 26 & 27
Breakfast With Santa (Belleville)
Join us for a meal with Santa on the farm! Children can tell Santa their Christmas wishes. Santa has a special gift for each child. We will capture the moment in a photo of your child with Santa. Reservations are suggested. Breakfast will be provided from 8 am until noon. The meal includes: scrambled eggs, crisp bacon, biscuits and homemade sausage gravy. $12.99/child; $8.99/adult.

November 26 & 27
Holiday Storytime (Belleville)
Your children will sure be entertained during our holiday story hour. The kids will enjoy hearing the story of the gingerbread man. After the story is over, each child can make a gingerbread craft. Fun for kids of all ages. FREE. Story will be told at 9 am and 11 am int he Garden Center.

Reservations are required, and space is limited. For more information on any of these events, please call Eckert's at (618) 233-0513

Eckert's Costume Carnival

2011-10-15T14:02:00.004-05:00

There is plenty of fall fun at the Millstadt Fun Farm! Every weekend in October we have Haunted Hayrides. There's lots of ghoulish fun for young and old during this hayride through Eckert's haunted orchard. The Haunted Hayrides take place every Friday and Saturday night, once the sun goes down, through October 29th. We will also have the Jumpin' Pumpkin Jamboree going at all three farm locations. Ride the wagons out to the pumpkin patch to search for your great pumpkin. Our pumpkins range from a couple of pounds to more than 150 pounds, so we are sure to have the perfect jack-o-lantern for you! Wagon rides, country music, live entertainment, pony rides, funnel cakes and festival foods make this a fun-filled weekend for everyone!

Be sure to join us for the Costume Carnival at our Millstadt Fun Farm. Put on your costumes and come out to the farm for a real fall treat. Any child, 12 years of age or younger, with a costume on will receive FREE admission to our entertainment farm. There will be plenty of fall fun!

September Events

2011-09-03T10:40:00.004-05:00

September is the perfect time to bring the entire family out to the farm! There are many fun-filled activities for kids of all ages. Take a look at some of the upcoming fall events at Eckert's Farms!

September 6
Adult Cooking Class - Italian Night with Jill (Belleville) 6pm - 7:30pm
Join Jill Eckert Tantillo for her Italian favorites! Her delicious recipes start with fresh ingredients. Learn how to make Italian food your whole family will rave about. (Two wines will be served in this class.)

September 7
Adult Wine Class - Wine on the Patio (Belleville) 6pm - 7:30pm
Join us for an express wine class and wine flight tasting! Choose from two flights: sweet & not-so-dry OR semi-dry & dry. We'll pair 3 wines with cheese bites and fresh baked bakery bread. Enjoy the rest of your evening on the patio with no corkage fee! (flights will be served in the classroom, patio open until 9pm)

September 10, 20 & 28
Mommy & Me Cooking Class - Apple Yummies for your Tummies (Belleville) 9:30am - 10:45am
The trees are loaded with crunchy, juicy apples! Come and make good-for-you apple yummies with us. They will surely fill you tummies. Join in the country fun. Wear a plaid shirt or bandanna, if you like. Kids will love our hands on recipes. We'll make Apple Orchard Punch, Hoedown Meatballs, Boot Scootin' Fruit Salad, and more!

September 10 & 17
Kid's Cooking Class - An Apple a Day (Belleville) 1pm - 3pm
The trees are loaded with crunchy, juicy apples! Come and make good-for-you apple yummies with us. They will surely fill your tummies. Join in the country fun. Wear a plaid shirt or a bandanna, if you like. Kids will love our hands on recipes. We'll make Apple Orchard Punch, Hoedown Meatballs, Boot Scootin' Fruit Salad, and more.

September 13
Adult Cooking Class - Lunch & Learn (Belleville) 12pm - 1pm
Join Eckert's culinary team, Lana and Des, as they team teach and serve their fall lunch favorites. You'll love their apple and greens salad, applewurst with cider reduced glaze, min apple pies and apple cider. This is the perfect way to spend lunch with a friend.

September 16
Adult Cooking Class - Ladies Night - Super Salads for Dinner (and Wine!) (Belleville) 6pm - 7:30pm
Bring a girl friend or two for a fun night in Eckert's classroom! Eckert's culinary team member, Chris Knous, will share entree salads and chopping techniques while you sit back and relax. We will have 2 wines to sample as the salads are being prepared.

September 17, 18, 24 & 25
Apple Fest
Wagon rides, music, live entertainment, great festival foods, children's activities and much more make this an apple pickin' good time for everyone! Whether riding a pony or feeding a goat, your young 'uns will enjoy getting acquainted with common farm animals. Children's carnival and/or activities at all three farms. Funnel cakes, roasted sweet corn, caramel apples and more to tempt your taste buds.

September 16, 17, 23, 24 & 30
Haunted Hayrides - Millstadt
There's lots of ghoulish fun for young and old during this hayride through Eckert's haunted orchard. Haunted hayrides take place every Friday and Saturday night after the sun goes down through October 29th.

September 22
Adult Cooking Class - Fall Dinner from the Farm (Belleville) 6pm - 7:30pm
Join Angie Eckert, Eckert's retail manager and avid cook, for her favorite fall recipes to share with family and friends. Guest will make a delightful appetizer upon arrival. Angie will prepare her favorite fall greens salad, baked sweet potato fries, apple-stuffed pork tenderloin and the Eckert family's apple pie of choice!

September 23
Military Night at Eckert's Millstadt Fun Farm (Millstadt)
This is just one small way that we would like to say thank you to the military men and women and their families who fight for our freedom everyday. Join us at our Millstadt Farm and receive free admission from 4pm - 10pm when you present your military ID. A special thanks from our family.

September 24 & 25
Scouting Weekend (Millstadt)
Enjoy a fun-filled day on the farm picking apples, visiting farm animals, and exploring the farm's exciting attractions. All Scouts in uniform will receive free admission to the Fun Farm.

September 27
Adult Cooking Class - Pies a Plenty (Belleville) 6pm - 7:30pm
Culinary expert, Lana Shepek, will demonstrate how to make the perfect pie crust. Then, each participant will practice making a pie crust shell. Lana will share her favorite fall pies - both sweet & savory.

Juicy Peaches at a Sweet Price!

2011-08-20T15:55:00.006-05:00

It's hard to believe that all the kids are heading back to school and fall is just around the corner! Here at Eckert's, "back to school" also translates to "the last of peach season." Although we always hate to see peach season come to an end, our dismay is somewhat alleviated since the last of our peaches are the Crest Havens, our juiciest, largest, prize-winning peaches! Help us celebrate the ending to a terrific peach season and the beginning of a new school year with the "Sale of the Season!" Pick-Your-Own peaches and loose peaches for sale in the Country Store are now only $.99/lb from now until the end of peach season! We invite you to join us this weekend a day of fun in the sun - enjoying juicy peaches at a sweet price!

Here is one of my favorite peach recipes to make with the kids! It's a great recipe to end the season with, and gives them a little taste of the summer for that first day in the cafeteria!

Lunchbox Peach Crisps
Ingredients
10 medium peaches, peeled and sliced
1/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup flour

Crumb Topping
2 1/2 cups flour
1 2/3 cups brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/4 cup oats
1 1/4 cup chilled butter, cut into pieces

Combine ingredients in a large bowl and stir well. Divide peach mixture evenly between greased 4" pie pans or ramekins.

For crumb topping: Combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Cut in butter with pastry blending tool until crumbly. Divide topping evenly between dishes. Place dishes on a cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until evenly browned.

August

2011-08-06T08:09:00.005-05:00

August 6, 12 & 30
Mommy & Me Cooking Class - Fall Eats & Treats
Let's make snacks to give us energy throughout the day! Everyone will love these yummy eats and treats to snack on any time of day. Event will take place from 9:30 am - 10:45 am in the Country Store.

August 6 & 12
Kid's Cooking Class - Back to School Eats & Treats
Get up and go! Pack your school bag and don't forget to make your lunch. Let's get ready for after school snacks too. Event will take place from 1 pm - 3 pm in the Country Store.

August 10 & 18
Adult Cooking Class - Lunch & Learn
You'll love these easy-to-make recipes for lunch or dinner time. Taste and learn how to make a veggie salad with pasta and roasted chicken and a surprisingly simple dessert. This is the perfect way to spend lunch with friends. Event will take place from 12 pm - 1 pm in the Country Store.

August 11
Adult Cooking & Wine Class - Tapas & Spanish Wines
Join us for a perfect pairing of tapas, bite-sized appetizers, and Spanish wines. Taste and learn how to make these wine-friendly, savory bites for your own dinner parties. Learn how o bring out the characteristics in the food by pairing complementary wines. We will feature 4 wines and 4 tapas. Event will take place from 6 pm - 7:30 pm in the Country Store.

August 13
Adult Cooking Class - Summer Pies & Tarts
Join Lana Shepek to learn how to make pastry crust from scratch. Eckert's seasonal, savory vegetable fillings along with fresh herbs create a winning combination. Use fresh fruits of the season to make a crowd-pleasing dessert. Everyone will practice making a pie crust shell. Event will take place from 1 pm - 3 pm in the Country Store.

August 16
Adult Cooking Class - Slow-Cooker Suppers
Need ideas for easy week-night dinners? These recipes will help you put a tasty dinner on the table with a little nigh-before planning. Lana Shepek will show you some dinner shortcuts as we prepare spaghetti beef pie, creamy penne with bacon and vegetables, beef au jus and more. Event will take place from 6 pm - 7:30 pm in the Country Store.

August 17
Guest Chef's Summer Dinner in the Classroom
Join former Che and current Sysco culinary specialist, Jonathan Wiltse, for a delicious dinner in Eckert's classroom. Jonathan will prepare smoked vegetable gazpacho, braised pork belly sliders with grilled peach mostarda and pistachio encrusted cod with fresh corn and herb salad. Finish the delicious evening off with a slice of our bakery's peach praline pie and Eckert's frozen custard. Two wines will be served with the Chef's hardy portions.

August 25
Adult Cooking Class - 5 30-Minute Meals
Dinner in a flash can be a reality! Learn how to use fresh, unprocessed ingredients to create delicious dinners in 300 minutes or less. Taste beef stir-fry, chicken enchiladas, lemon shrimp pasta and more. Weeknight dining will be a snap after this class! Event will take place from 6 pm - 7:30 pm in the Country Sore.

August 27 & 28
Honey Crisp Weekend
Ride the wagon out to the orchard to pick-your-own apples. For more information call Eckert's Harvest Hotline at 618.233.0513 x 6 or (800)745.0513 x 6

Space is limited for all classes. Prices vary, please visit our website for pricing information. Reservations are required; please call 618.233.0513 to reserve your spot today!

Homegrown Peaches & Blackberries Now In!

2011-07-23T11:30:00.005-05:00

That's right folks, Peach & Blackberry season is upon us. Eckert's is looking forward to a great season for both fruits, and can't wait to share them with you! Peach Pick-Your-Own is open at both the Belleville and Grafton farms. At our Belleville farm Peach Pick-Your-Own is open at 8 am and the last tractor ride out to the orchard leaves at 6:30 pm. Blackberry Pick-Your-Own is not yet open consistently at our Belleville farm so we recommend calling the Harvest Hotline the day you visit at 618.233.0513 x 6 for the most current crop information. At our Grafton location Peach and Blackberry Pick-Your-Own is open from 9 am - 5 pm daily.

This is one of my favorite recipes for this time of the season, hope you enjoy it too!

Peach Blackberry Cobbler
Filling:
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
3 cups peaches, peeled and sliced
2 cups blackberries

Topping:
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3 Tbsp chilled butter, cut into small pieces
2/3 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine sugar, flour and salt in a large bowl and mix. Stir in fruit. spoon into greased 8x8 pan and bake for 15 minutes.

To prepare topping, pour 1 1/3 cup flour, 1/3 cup sugar, baking powder and salt in a food processor: pulse to combine. Add pieces of butter and pulse until it resembles a coarse meal. Pour in buttermilk and pulse until just incorporated.

Remove fruit from oven and top with irregular spoonfuls of dough. Place baking dish on a rimmed pan. Return to oven for 25 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly. Serves 6.

July Happenings!

2011-07-04T13:58:00.013-05:00

July 9, 22 & 30
Kid's Cooking Class - Fresh from the Farm
To the kitchen we come, on the tractor we go; Come and cook what we see and grow. Peaches and blackberries, tomatoes, and corn; you never know what you'll find on the farm. Event will take place from 9:30 am - 10:45 am in the Country Store. $10.00/Child.

July 9, 22 & 30
Kid's Cooking Class - Fresh from the Farm
To the kitchen we come, on the tractor we go; Come and cook what we see and grow. Peaches and blackberries, tomatoes, and corn; you never know what you'll find on the farm. Event will take place from 1 pm - 3pm in the Country Store. $15.00/Child.

July 11 & 25
Bunko Night
An old-fashion game for all ages. Play Bunko at Eckert's Country Restaurant on the second and fourth Monday of each month. $5 per person includes game, prizes, beverages, and snacks. Open to the public. Dine in the Country Restaurant prior to playing Bunko and play for FREE. No reservation required.

July 12
Adult Cooking Class - 5 Ingredient Fix
Jill Eckert Tantillo proves delicious dishes only need five ingredients or fewer to make cooking easier, faster and absolutely delicious. Event will take place from 6 pm - 7pm in the Country Store. $25.00/Person

July 14
Adult Wine Class - Blind Tasting Party
See, smell and taste five wines without reading the labels. Find out what you like without knowing the variety of grape or the growing region. ind out if your taste buds refer a $10 wine or a $40 wine! Our staff will offer tips on hosting you own blind-tasting party. Cheese & bread will be available. Event will take place from 6 pm - 7:30 pm in the Country Store. $25.00/person

July 16
Adult Cooking Class - Viva Salsa
Salsa is one of the most popular condiments in America. Learning how to preserve your own salsa is an easy and fun activity for you and your family. Throughout the year you'll enjoy the satisfaction and memories of having preserved your own ready-to-eat salsa. Carol Schlitt of Safe & Savory Solutions, will demonstrate a variety of salsa's during our "Viva Salsa" demonstration. Carol will show how to safely can a tomato-based salsa using a hot water bath canner. In addition, she will demonstrate a variety of fresh salsa's such as cantaloupe salsa and sweet potato pecan salsa. Attendees will have the opportunity to taste sample the demonstrated salsa's and will receive a salsa recipe book. Event will take place from 1 pm - 3 pm in the Country Store. $25.00/person.

July 18
Adult Wine Class - Not so Dry Wines
Taste and learn about sweet and semi-sweet wines made from grapes and other fruits. We'll pair a complimentary bite of food with each wine so you can fully appreciate the complimentary flavors. This is the perfect class for the beginning wine drinker and or sweet wine lover. Event will take place from 6 pm - 7:30 pm in the Country Store. $15.00/person.

July 19
Adult Cooking Class - Summer Picnic - Chinese Style
Guest Instructor: Shirley Frost (owner of Adventures in Cuisine) When was the last time you went on a picnic? Shirley's tantalizing recipes are guaranteed to make your next picnic unforgettable. She will prepare anise flavored barbecued beef, "six treasures" rice salad, stir-fried peppers and snow peas, and poached peaches in cinnamon ginger syrup. space is limited. Event will take place from 6 pm - 7:30 pm in the Country Store. $25.00/person.

July 21
Adult Cooking Class - Summer Fresh & Fast
Is your summer super busy? No worries! Join Angie Eckert for her favorite, speedy, summer recipes. Angie will share growing tips for the herbs and vegetables featured in this fresh-picked meal. You'll go home with delicious recipes guaranteed to "Wow" your family without a lot of effort. Event will take place from 6 pm - 7:30 pm in the Country Store. $25.00/person.

July 23
Adult Cooking Class - Basics of Preserving Something Sweet & Savory
Join Lana Shepek as she teaches you how to make a homemade treasure from your pantry - personal yet practical, this class is perfect for holiday gift giving. Gain confidence with a sense of satisfaction and pride learning to make Mixed Vegetable Pickles, Corn Relish, Peach Butter and Peach Chutney. All recipes are for a hot water canner. Event will take place from 1 pm - 3:30 pm in the Country Store. $25.00/person.

July 26
Adult Wine Class - Summer Beer & Cheese Pairings
Join us for a beer tasting featuring regional summer brews and summer food pairings. We'll taste several of the local seasonal brews and discuss the differences. Kick back and enjoy the flavors of summer with us! Event will take place from 6 pm - 7:30 pm in the Country Store.

For all classes, space is limited. Reservations are required; please call (618) 233-0513 to reserve your spot today!

Eckert's Tree-Ripened Peaches

2011-06-28T09:55:00.004-05:00

Eckert's Tree-Ripened Peaches are here! We currently have clingstone peaches available in the Country Store and pick-your-own will be here mid-July. Peaches are a stone fruit. Two main types exist: clingstone and freestone. Clingstone peaches are the earliest ripening peaches, and are named for the flesh that will not pull away from the pit. The freestone varieties ripen a little later and are the most common varieties found in markets. Since the pit can be easily removed, this peach is recommended for fresh eating. Here is a list of the peach varieties at Eckert's, hopefully this guide will help you find the perfect peach!

Garnet Beauty (End June - Early July) - Garnet Beauty is the first peach of our season. This is a cling stone peach.

Red Haven (Mid July) - One of the oldest varieties. Red Haven peaches are known for their outstanding eating quality. A little sticky to its seed pit, but will break free if fully ripened. Good for canning and baking.

Jim Dandee (Mid July- End July) - Jim Dandee is the first true "freestone" of the season, meaning it breaks away from its seed pit easily. It is also a larger peach. It is a little more acidic. Great for recipes that use peach glazes on meats.

Loring (Early August - Mid August) Loring is the largest peach we grow, typically averaging 3.25" in diameter (these things look like softballs). They are great for eating with balanced sugar and acids.

Crest Haven (Mid August - End August) - Crest Haven is one of our family's favorites. Great for both eating and cooking. These make the most beautiful pies because of the flesh turns dark red around the pit. These are the last peaches of the season and have the most concentrated flavors.

White Peaches (August) In Store Only - White Peaches have a pale flesh and are less acidic (thus sweeter) than traditional yellow peaches. Good for fresh eating or baking. Popular with older adults who cannot handle such acidic fruits.

For the most up to date crop information we always recommend calling the Harvest Hotline at 618.233.0513 x 6.

A Special Thanks to the Belleville Rotary!

2011-06-20T17:01:00.014-05:00

This weekend the Belleville Rotary hosted the BBQ contest at DadFest. Although we did have some unfavorable weather, DadFest had a great turnout and was enjoyed by all. Each team stuck it out, and was able to serve up some fantastic BBQ! Thank you Belleville Rotary for making this event a success! Here are some photos of the event:

The car show, and farm equipment were a big hit!

Eckert's had some fantastic cooking demos and tastings! We also had fun listening to the Bottle Rockets!

First place dessert winner!

A contestant enjoying ribs!

DadFest

2011-06-13T14:05:00.012-05:00

For the first time ever Eckert's will be hosting DadFest this June. DadFest is the perfect opportunity to show Dad how much you care by taking him to a festival celebrating Fathers everywhere! The festival will be held at our Belleville location over Father's Day weekend on Friday, June 17th from Noon to 9:30 p.m. and Saturday, June 18th from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Bring your family to Eckert's Country Store and Farms to enjoy a BBQ contest, live music, delicious samples, kid's activities and so much more!

The Belleville Rotary Club will be hosting a BBQ competition! Eckert's is looking forward to sharing our love of food with all contestants and customers. The judging will be held on Saturday afternoon, and winners will be announced Saturday at 5 p.m. The categories being judged for the BBQ competition include: Chicken, Ribs, Pork and Brisket. There will also be some sideline contests going on that include: Dessert, Anything Butt, and Sauce. Contestants will also be selling their finger-lickin' BBQ for everyone to enjoy! To learn more about the contest rules and categories please visit http://eckerts.com/pdfs/Dadfest_Entry_Form.pdf To help our guests wash down all of the delicious BBQ there will also be a Beer Tent serving up a limited selection of craft beers!

Join us in our Country Store for samples from every department, we will also be offering several different classroom activities. Join us on Friday from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. there will be a BBQ Class put on by Uncle Joe's, and from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. a Beer Tasting will be instructed by Anheuser-Busch brew master Michael Amad. On Saturday from noon to 1:00 p.m. a BBQ Class taught by Eckert's President, Chris Eckert will be held, and then from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. a Wine Tasting will be put on by Eckert's wine enthusiasts.

The sensational Bottle Rockets will be performing at 8:00 p.m. until 9:30 p.m. There will be an opening act from 6:00 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. Lawn seating only so bring your blankets and lawn chairs!

There will be plenty of activities to keep you and your family entertained during the day here at Eckert's we will be hosting The Barnyard Olympics, Are You Smarter Than Your Dad Show, Tractor Test Drive, and the Gateway Grizzly mascot Izzy will be visiting us as well!

Make this Father's Day Weekend a memorable one at Eckert's with our first ever DadFest!

June is National Perennial Month!

2011-05-27T12:58:00.009-05:00

June is the perfect time to fill your gardens and landscapes with beautiful blooming perennials! Perennials differentiate themselves from annuals and biannuals in that they usually live for three years or more, and their foliage dies back to the ground each fall. Perennials continue to grow and bloom throughout the spring and summer months. In early spring, perennials will emerge once again for another round of beautiful blooms and or foliage. When choosing which beautiful perennials to plant in your garden, Eckert's is the perfect place to start. Our website is a great place to find perennials for shady or sunny locations! Our knowledgeable staff can also help you to find an array of plants to fill your garden this spring.

June is National Perennial Month for a reason! Each year perennials spring back to life and wow us with their beautiful colorful blooms and foliage. Perennials bloom at different specified times so it can be rewarding to plan ahead and arrange for there to be a cycle of color and bloom in your garden. A seasoned gardener knows that mixing in a few bread and butter perennials throughout their garden is key to a beautiful, bright display through spring and summer months. Angie Eckert has chosen some of her favorite bread and butter perennials to share with you!

In honor of National Perennial Month, Eckert's has a special coupon to help you and your family celebrate the occasion. Print this coupon out and bring it to Eckert's to recieve your free perennial!

Sweet & Savory Strawberry Recipes

2011-05-19T16:20:00.006-05:00

We have a great crop of Strawberries this season and are looking forward to sharing them with you. If you are looking for some great recipes to use your fresh sun drenched strawberries in, look no further! Here are some of Eckert's favorites:

Fresh Strawberry Jam
Ingredients:
1 1/2 quarts fresh strawberries
6 cups sugar
Directions:
Wash, drain and hull strawberries, crush in kettle. Stir in sugar. Cook slowly stirring constantly until sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil and cook rapidly until thickens, stirring frequently about 35 minutes. Do not overcook; jam thickens as it cools, so cook only until jelly jars; fill to 1/8 inch top. Screw on caps evenly and tightly, invert for a few seconds, and the stand up right to cool. Makes about 4 8oz. jars.

Sweet Strawberry Bruschetta
Ingredients:
4 slices Eckert's Fresh Bread, cut into 1/2-3/4 inch slices
6 tbsp light brown sugar
1tsp grated lemon zest
2 tsp lemon juice
4 cups diced hulled Eckert's Strawberries
4 tbsp cream cheese, fresh goat cheese or marscarpone, softened
4 tbsp Eckert's honey
Directions:
Toast both sides of bread. Set aside. Heat 10-in skillet over high heat. Add brown sugar, lemon zest and juice. Cook stirring continuously until sugar melts and mixture begins to bubble, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add strawberries and stir until strawberry juice begins to release, about 30 seconds. Remove from heat. Spread 1tbsp soften cheese on each piece of toasted French bread. Top with warm berries. Drizzle with honey.

For more delicious recipes please visit our website at http://www.eckerts.com/!

The Wait is Finally Over...

2011-05-11T15:40:00.000-05:00

Strawberry Season is here!
Pick-Your-Own Strawberries will be open from 9 am - 6 pm and the cost is $2.49/lb. We always recommend calling the harvest hotline (618.233.0513 x 6) before coming out for the most current crop information. Homegrown Strawberries from the store cost $4.99/quart.

Strawberry Festival - May 14, 14, 21, & 22
This is the weekend to share with family and friends. And what better place to share it than the family farm! Enjoy outdoor festival foods and country music at this old-fashioned all-American festival. Free wagon rides. Live music from 12pm - 5pm each day. Kid's activities include pony rides, children's play area, petting farm, carnival rides, and inflatable. Strawberry treats in the bakery, custard shop and restaurant! Fee charged for some activities.

Ruth Eckert's Glazed Strawberry Pie Recipe

Ingredients:
2 full pints of hulled strawberries
1 cup sugar
4 tbsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. lemon juice or lemon extract
1 (9-inch) pie shell
Whipped Cream
Directions: Using a potato masher, crush one pint of berries in a saucepan. In a bowl, combine sugar and cornstarch; add to berries. Cook, stirring until thickened and clear. Add lemon juice. Cool. Cut remaining pint of berries in halves and add to mixture. Pour into pie shell. Top with whipped cream and serve

Custard Shop is Now Open!

2011-05-02T17:10:00.011-05:00

Eckert's Custard Shop is now open! With the seating outside of the new Country Store, and recently renovated Country Restaurant, Eckert's custard is much more enjoyable! Eckert's patio is the perfect place to indulge in your favorite dessert as you and your family watch the sun go down over our orchards. Our custard alone is delicious, but when you see the variety of toppings it sometimes gets difficult to choose, I recommend trying them all at least once!
Our Custard Shop has always had yummy concretes and sundaes that are topped with our homebaked pies, chocolate, pecans, fresh fruit, etc. We have always served up creamy custard cones, banana splits, fudge brownie delight, shakes, malts and floats, but...

our Custard Shop has added something new and exciting this year - Fruit Smoothies! There are currently six flavors to choose from, and they include strawberry, mango, pina colada, peach, wildberry, and mocha. You can pick one, or mix and match! We are so excited about the new smoothies that we are offering an unbelievable offer. By clicking the link below you can receive a 16 oz fruit smoothie for only $1.00!

Recieve a 16 oz fruit smoothie for only $1.00!

My personal favorite so far is the Strawberry. Taste them all and let us know which is your favorite - join us on Facebook, we would love to hear from you!

Stop by to enjoy creamy, homemade custard 11 am to 9 pm daily. And remember, "You can have any flavor, as long as it's vanilla." -Alvin O. Eckert

Eckert's Gardening Tips

2011-04-25T16:20:00.004-05:00

Whether you have an experienced green thumb or are just a beginner, Eckert's Garden Center has something perfect for you! Our Garden Center is filled with beautiful, brightly colored flowers ready to be taken home and planted. Everything from herbs to hanging baskets can be found this time of year, its time to get excited and start planting! Here are some great planting guidelines to help get you started.

Container Plants:

1. Dig a hole two times as wide as the diameter of the plant's pot and as deep as the soil is inside the pot. Loosen the soil in the bottom of the hole.

2. Remove the plant from its container. Removal is easiest if you lay the container on its side and tap the sides of the pot. Slide the container off of the plant while gently holding the stem or trunk of the plant.

3. If there is a significant amount of root growth evident, use a knife to cut the roots in a line from top to bottom of the pot, approximately 3/4" deep into the soil. This will prevent the roots from continuing to grow in a circular pattern. Instead they will spread out and collect more nutrients and water for the plant.

4. Place the plant in the hole while making sure the top of the soil from the container is flush with the top of the ground. Fill the hole in with the original soil. (If the soil is very heavy clay, mix some peat moss or compost with the backfill and plant 1-2" higher. Pat the backfilled soil in firmly.)

5. Water plants well with a solution containing a Fertilome Root Stimulator.

6. Cover the soil with 2-4" of mulch if desired. (To prevent stem rot, be careful to keep mulch from directly touching the stems and trunks.)

7. Check the plant every 2-4 days by feeling for moisture 2" deep past the mulch, into the soil. If dry, water well.

*Planting container plants is more convenient during the Spring because you will not have to do as much watering compared to the hot summer months when follow up watering is more critical.

Eckert's will also be attending the Treemendous Forest Festival with our good friends at the Missouri Botanical Gardens this weekend April 30-May 1, 2011 from 9 am - 5 pm to help celebrate the arrival of Spring. Enjoy a host of tree-riffic tours, demonstrations, live music and hands-on family activities during the Treemendous Forest Festival. The event kicks off the Extreme Tree Houses exhibition and is part o f the Garden's TREEmendous year of activities in recognition of the United Nations International Year of Forests. For more information you can also visit www.mobot.org/treemendous.

Princess Tea Party

2011-04-16T17:01:00.020-05:00

Our Princess Tea Party Kids Cooking Class has been so popular that we are having another one this May! May 1st from 10am - 11:30am is when all the magic will happen. This class is my personal favorite, to see all the little princesses in their most elegant princess gowns is a sight! First all the girls gather in our craft room where they get to create beautiful crowns, magic wands, and candy bracelets.

After all that hard work is done it is time to hear a magical story about a princess!

Once the storytime is over each princess gets to join us in the Princess Parade. Princesses get to practice curtseying and parade through the store and into the classroom where the teaparty will be held.

During the teaparty princess will learn proper etiquette as they enjoy snacks and tea fit for a princess.

Once everyone is finished with their food, all the little princesses get to dance to their favorite princess songs! This class is fun for all! Reservations are required, call 618-233-0513 to reserve your spot today!

April Events!

2011-04-09T09:39:00.007-05:00

April is a busy month at Eckert's, it marks the arrival of spring. Our Garden Center is filled with blooming flowers ready for planting, the Custard Shop is preparing to open, and our Country Store and Restaurant are gearing up for our first crops to arrive in May. Strawberry Season will be here before you know it so during April we are having some exciting events to give everyone a little bit of Spring Fever!

April 9, 10, 16, 17, 22 & 23 Breakfast with the Bunny - Did you know the Easter Bunny's favorite meal is scrambled Easter eggs with a side of pancakes? Join the Bunny for breakfast at our Country Restaurant from 8am until 9:30am.

April 9, 10, 16, 17, 22 & 23 Easter Egg-Citement - Hop on down the bunny trail and fill your basket with fun! Our Annual Egg Hunt, baby chicks & bunnies, face painting, the Easter Bunny, plant a seed and savor a yummy Easter treat! Our hunts will take place at 10am, 11am 12pm, 1pm & 2pm each day.

April 11 & 25 Bunko Night - An old-fashion game for all ages. There will be game, prizes, beverages and snacks. Held in our Country Restaurant.

April 13 Cooking Class Lunch & Learn - You'll learn how to make a variety of mini quiches, our favorite "hearty" chopped salad and a refreshing dessert. This is the perfect way to enjoy lunch with a friend! 12pm - 1pm in the Country Store.

April 14 Wine Class Let's Taste Vertical - We'll compare different vintages of the same wine type from the same winery. We will take a look at the notes from the wine maker to revealing the factors that have affected the flavor profiles. From 6pm - 7:45pm in the Country Store.

April 16 Semi-Hands-On Adult Cooking Class Easter Breads - Learn to mix, knead and shape Challah bread into a Jacob's ladder for your holiday celebration. Students will practice shaping marbled dinner rolls and glazed rabbits. From 9am - 12pm in the Country Store.

April 16 & 22 Kids Cooking Class Breakfast Anytime - Help us make our favorite breakfast recipes! We'll also learn about the health benefits of eggs and how to use them safely in the kitchen. From 2pm - 4pm in the Country Store.

April 23 Wine Class - Wine 101: Taste & Learn - Taste and learn about different wines and how they come to life when paired with cheese. From 3pm - 4:30pm in the Country Store.

April 28 Cooking Class: Farmer's Market Basket - These springtime favorites maximize flavor and texture through simple, fresh cooking methods.

April 30 Custard Shop Opens! Open daily from 11am - 8:30pm

April 30 Gardening Class: Make-and-Take Planter - Join Angie Eckert as she shares tips for successful container plantings. Learn how to water, fertilize and select compatible plants for attractive combinations all season. Class includes a 12" pot, plus soil, fertilizer and 4 plants. From 9:30am - 10:30am in the Country Store.

Most events require reservations; please call (618) 233-0513 to reserve your spot today!

Easter Egg-citement!

2011-03-31T15:07:00.011-05:00

Easter Egg-citement is right around the corner! This year we have added an extra weekend of our Easter celebration increasing the number of egg hunts that are taking place. Easter is one of my favorite times of year here at Eckerts. It starts off with a delicious breakfast in our Restaurant with the Easter Bunny. Join the Bunny for a hearty country meal to start the day off right, Breakfast with the Bunny will take place from 8am to 9:30am in our Restaurant. (Reservations are encouraged, please call 618-233-0513 to make reservations and to acquire more information). Every year when it is finally time for Easter Egg-citement to begin I get very excited because I know it means that spring is finally here and we get the chance to enjoy outdoor activities once again! We will be holding our annual Easter Egg Hunts they will take place April 9th & 10th, 16th & 17th, and 22nd & 23rd at 10am, 11am, 12pm, 1pm and 2pm.We will also have many other terrific spring activities. Baby Chicks and Bunnies will be making their annual appearance at our farm. It is always a sight to see those furry little things running around! There will be a face painting booth, and kids will get to plant their very own seed in our Garden Center to take home and watch grow. In our Country Store kids will get to create and enjoy their very own delicious Easter treat!

Hop on down the bunny trail and join us at Eckert's for this years Easter Celebration!

A Special Thanks to Our Friends at Wisconsin Cheese and Schlafly Beer!

2011-03-23T16:57:00.007-05:00

We have recently had two "Guest Chef" Classes here at Eckert's in our Classroom. The first was held on March 21 and was the Wisconsin Cheese and Schlafly Beer Pairings. Sarah Hill from The Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board was one of our guest speakers and gave our guests a glimpse into the world of Wisconsin Cheese! Sarah Hill is in the cheese business and has more than 25 years of experience under her belt. She attended the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park where she got the opportunity to work in kitchens all across the country. Sara is currently a board member of the American Cheese Socitey and serves the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board as Culinary Manager of Cheese Education. Sara served up some of her most delicious cheeses to be paired along side of the fine products of Schlafly Beer. Ben Broker from Schlafly Brewing discussed the fine art of concocting the perfect brew. Beer is the new wine of the U.S. Artisan Cheesemakers and Brewmasters around the country are creating wonderful products that are made for each other. Both based on the "terrior" of where they are made with full, complex flavors that make each other taste even better!

Our next "Guest Chef" Class took place on March 22nd in our classroom and was a Wisconsin Cheese Dinner. Once again Sarah Hill was our guest chef! She led us through the preparation of a fantastic meal and gave our guests the opportunity to learn about great Wisconsin Cheeses and taste items prepared with several delicious cheeses. Our recipes consisted of: Cheddar olive pops, arugula salad with Blue Cheese, baked chicken breasts filled with Prosciutto and Fontina with SarVecchio Crust, bacon mac and cheese with Gruyere and finished it off with a rich Chocolate Mascarpone fondue!

We had an amazing time and hope our guests did too. Thank you Sarah Hill and Ben Broker for making those evenings so delicious!

Spring is in the Air!

2011-03-16T15:26:00.006-05:00

Spring is in the air at Eckert's. We are excited to be gearing up for planting season in our Garden Center. Our Garden Center is filled with springtime decorations, seeds for planting, and beautiful flowers. Eckert's wants to offer you the best selection of plants each season and during our peak seasons, April and May, new plants arrive daily. We always have an Eckert's staff member on hand to use as a resource for help when planting any garden.
During March Eckert's has fruit trees, seed potatoes, onion sets, garden seeds, cold-season vegetable plants, cold tolerant flowers, and shrubs and trees. Here at Eckert's we get very excited about the planting of fruit trees and hold an annual Fruit Tree Seminar. This year our seminar is being held on March 26th from 12pm - 2 pm at our Belleville Farm. You can relish in the bounty of your own personal orchard after attending Eckert's Fruit Tree Seminar! Learn about the great variety of fruit trees available to homeowners, the basic of fruit tree planting and how to care for your home orchard from the Eckert family. There is no registration required and it is FREE! For more information about our Fruit Tree Seminar please contact Eckert's Garden Center at 618.233.0513 x 4.

March Merriment

2011-03-08T17:00:00.009-06:00

This March is packed full of exciting events for the whole family!

March 9, 26 & 29

Mommy & Me Cooking Class - Green is Groovy

March 10

Wine Class - Old World, New World Wines

March 12

Kids Cooking Class - Great & Green

March 12

Wine Class - Taste and Learn

March 14 & 28

Bunko Night in our Restaurant!

March 19

Cooking Class - Cook the Book, Giada de Laurentis Cookbooks

March 20

Teen Cooking Class - Pasta with Punch

This class will focus on the basics of making perfect pasta! We'll use a variety of noodles and talk about their differences as we make a traditional white sauce, red sauce from scratch, a fresh tomato sauce and more.

March 21

"Guest Chef" Class - Wisconsin Cheese and Schlafly Beer Pairings

March 22

"Guest Chef" Class - Wisconsin Cheese Dinner

March 25

Murder Mystery Dinner - The Comic Book Killer

Step into a world of Superheroes and Super Villains! In the past they only argued with each other, but now they have a common enemy. The Evil Doctor Weevil! He has sworn to destroy heroes and villains alike! However, someone uses his own fiendish plot against him. You'll meet lots of silly characters like "The Ice Man" and "Psychic Woman" or you may be a silly character yourself. "The Comic Book Killer" will be fun for both the ladies and the men! Don't forget your mask and cape when you attend this "Super" show!

March 26

Cooking Class - Brunch & Breakfast Favorites

March 26

Fruit Tree Seminar

Relish the bounty of your own personal orchard after attending this seminar. Learn about the great variety of fruit trees available to homeowners, the basic of fruit tree planting and how to care for your home orchard from the Eckert family from 12pm-2pm.

March 27

Kid's Cooking Class - Great & Green

March 30

Cooking Class - Lunch & Learn

March 31

Cooking Class - Cook and Grow Herbs

Reservations are required for most of our events so please call (618) 233-0513 to reserve your spot today! To find out more information about an event that interest you, please visit http://www.eckerts.com/.

One Year Marker!

2011-02-28T18:14:00.009-06:00

Last year, March 2010, we began the construction of our new Country Store. Wow, it's hard to believe that its been a year since it looked like this! This is a photograph of the groundwork that was being done so that our new Country Store could be built, we have come a long way since this photo was taken one short year ago.

March 2011 is a different story! Eckert's Country Store has been up and running since early July 2010. We are currently gearing up for Spring, and eager to experience it for the very first time in the recently completed Country Store.

For those of you who haven't been able to come and see our new facilities feel free to take a virtual tour!

This Spring our Garden Center will be in full swing and when you stop by to pick up your beautiful plants be sure to visit our Country Store for all the best products around, and don't forget Easter Egg-citement is just around the corner!

Eckert's Wine & Food Festival

2011-02-21T17:54:00.009-06:00

For the first time ever, Eckert's will be hosting a Wine & Food Fes tival the weekend of March 5th & 6th. The festival will be held at our Belleville location from 10 am to 5 pm. At Eckert's we are striving to create a wine and culinary festival that complements the array of amazing offerings from the Country Store and the great selection of wine we have available - over 200 labels.

Eckert's Wine and Food Festival is a celebration of wine and food. It is the perfect opportunity to learn about many different types of foods and discover the art of cooking! There will be free tastings, recipes, and food preparation tips for all. Free cooking demonstrations taught by local food editors Suzanne Boyle and Janice Denham will be held in our classroom. Wine tasting will be available, and don't worry we didn't forget about the kids. Our Kids Zone will include free 'make and take' lettuce planting activities, ice a cookie, and a bounce house. Eckert's Wine and Food Festival is great for any food and wine enthusiast, and a perfect activity for the entire family!

The cooking demonstrations will take place on both Saturday and Sunday, March 5th & 6th at 10 am, noon, 2 pm and 4 pm. Each demonstration will be approximately 45 minutes long and will be held in the Classroom inside of our Country Store. Our cooking demos will have guest hosts including Janice Denham, Suzanne Boyle, and Eckert's culinary specialists will also be joining in on all the fun! Deli Lead Chef Darin Stine, and President of Eckert's Orchard Chris Eckert will also lead cooking demonstrations. Be sure to join us for a culinary experience like no other!

Inside our Country Store you will find free product sampling! A variety of different stations will be serving up some of Eckert's most delicious products. In our Bakery department you will find a free sample of every type of Eckert's pie, be sure to vote for your favorite.

Eckert's wine experts will be on hand to help you find the perfect wine. For our serious wine drinkers there will be 'wine tasting passes' available. When you purchase a wine tasting pass for $20.00, you will receive an Eckert's souvenir wine glass and get to choose wines to taste from a selection of over 20 different local, domestic and international wines. Also on Saturday at 2 pm, Chaumette Winery will be giving a free presentation!

Join us to make some memories at our first ever Wine & Food Festival!

Click for Coupon ->

Eckert's First Beer Class

2011-02-16T16:25:00.004-06:00

Join us for our first beer tasting class! Beers will be artfully matched with fine cheeses. The Beer Guru, Patrick Sullivan with Koerner Distributing, will share his knowledge and passion for quality brew with you. If you've ever been to a wine tasting and enjoyed it, now here is your chance to mix things up and attend a beer tasting. Beers can be just as sophisticated as wine. There have been many claims that wine is more complex than beer and vice versa. Eckert's doesn't lean one way or the other, we love them both! During this class you will learn some general information about beer, such as the many basic ingredients like barley, hops, yeast and water. Microbreweries have become more and more popular recently, and beer seems to be becoming a more sophisticated beverage. Now that craft-brewed beer is growing across America, people are anxious to learn more about it. The beer class being held here at Eckert's is a must for beer education, and a good excuse to have a great time! The Beer Class will take place on February 22nd from 6 pm - 7:30 pm at Eckert's Country Store in Belleville, Illinois. The cost is $20.00/person. To make reservations please call 618.233.0513.

Valentine's Day Made Easy!

2011-02-08T15:09:00.002-06:00

It's not too late to find that perfect Valentine's Day surprise for your special someone! Looking to go out for the perfect Valentine's Day dinner? Eckert's Restaurant will be holding a special wine & Food event - Wines and Foods of the world. Delight your sweetheart or dear friend with a dinner and wine tasting from across the globe. We'll feature food and wine pairings from a variety of countries, (Spain, Germany and France to name a few). Join us for 5 delightful courses of food and wine.
If you are looking to stay out of the holiday rush this Valentine's Day and stay in, Eckert's has everything you need to make your evening special. We have the traditional Valentine's Day favorites such as flowers, chocolate covered strawberries, wine, and scented candles.
We also have found a few ways to put a fun twist on Valentine's Day traditions! Heart cookies fresh from our bakery, Valentine's Day gift baskets, potted flowers that last (instead of cut flowers that only last a week or so), and we also have a great way that you can celebrate Valentine's Day with the whole family. My little honey brunch! Express love and appreciateion this Valentine's Season by joining us for our first ever Valentine's Brunch, perfect for the whole family. This event is similar to our Breakfast with Santa event that all of our guests have come to know and love. Enjoy brunch made with love in our restaurant, ice a heart shaped cookie, lovely face painting, cupid photos, chocolate fountain and a craft.

Click here for My Little Honey Brunch Coupon >

Here is some footage from our first ever Honey Brunch! It's not too late to sign up for February 12th & 13th. Reservations are required. Please call 618-233-0513 to reserve your spot today!

February Events

2011-02-02T12:54:00.002-06:00

Don't let this cold weather fool you! At Eckert's there are plenty of activities to warm things up this February.

February 5, 6, 12, & 13

My little Honey Brunch - Express love and appreciation this Valentine's Season by joining us for our first ever Valentine's Brunch, perfect for the whole family!

Click Here for My Little Honey Brunch Coupon >

February 8

Guest Chef Class - Steak House at Home, Join executive chef from Gallagher's restaurant in Waterloo, IL.

February 10

Wine Class - All American Wine and Cheese, Join us for a fun tour of America as we tasted wines and cheese produced in the good ole USA!

February 12

Wine Class - Taste and Learn, If you and a friend or date would like to learn more about wine basics, join us for a fun introductory wine class with cheese pairings.

Heart Healthy Fair - February is Heart Health Awareness Month, so join us to get heart healthy!

February 13 & 26

Kid's Cooking Class - Hearts are Wild, We're celebrating hearts all month long at Eckert's!

February 14 Valentine's Day

Special Wine & Food Event - Wines and Food of the World, delight your sweetheart or dear friend with a dinner and wine tasting from across the globe.

February 14 & 28

Bunko in the Country Restaurant!

February 16 & 25

Cooking Class - Lunch & Learn, this is the perfect way to enjoy lunch with a friend!

February 19, 22 & 26

Mommy & Me Cooking Class - Hearts A Plenty, we're celebrating hearts all month long at Eckert's!

February 19

Cooking Class - Cook the Book, Gooseberry Patch Cookbooks. Jill will make a few of her favorite recipes from the Gooseberry Book collection.

February 20

Teen Cooking Class - Much About Brunch, from smoothies to perfect pancakes, learn the basics of making brunch.

February 22

Beer Class - Beer and Cheese Pairings, join us for our first beer tasting class!

February 24

Cooking Class - European Favorites

February 27

Kids Class - Princess Tea Party, Attention little princesses! Don't miss the chance to join the Queen & other little princesses for a special princes tea party.

More information about these events can be found at http://www.blogger.com/www.eckerts.com. Reservations are required, so please call 618.233.0513 to reserve your spot today!

Superbowl Sunday

2011-01-25T17:10:00.005-06:00

The big day is almost here! Football fans everywhere will gather together to watch their favorite team battle it out for a win, or their biggest rival fall with defeat...that's right folks, it's Superbowl time! At Eckert's we have everything you need to prepare for the big game.

Tortilla Chips - Homemade right here in Eckert's Deli.
Salsa & Dips - Perfect to pair with our delicious tortilla chips!
Sliced Boar's Head Deli Meats & Cheeses - To prepare dollar roll sandwiches.
Hot Wings - Served warm and ready to go.
Brownies - Delicious dessert straight from our oven.
Wine & Champagne - To sip while you do a victory dance after your team wins!

We also have several platters that you may order ahead from to make sure your special occasion is a huge hit!

Garden Fresh - Veggie Platter a fresh collection of nature's finest veggies, including broccoli, celery, radishes, cauliflower, baby carrots and a savory vegetable dip.
Cheese Shop - Cheese Platter A flavorful sampling of domestic and imported cheeses.
Fabulous Five - Meat Platter Treat your guests to flavor with Boar's Heads finest deli meats.
All American - Meat & Cheese Platter A delicious combination of our best selling meats and cheeses: Tavern Ham, Roast Beef, Ovengold Turkey Breast, Vermont cheddar Cheese and Mild Swiss.

*Be sure to call (618) 233-0513 to place your order today!

Here is a delicious Appetizer recipe for:

Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Appetizers

Fresh jalapenos 2-3 inches in size

Cream cheese (softened)

Thin, hickory smoked bacon, sliced into halves

Cut jalapenos in half, lengthwise. With a spoon, remove the seeds and white membranes. Smear softened cream cheese into each jalapeno half. Wrap jalapeno with bacon piece. Secure by sticking toothpick through the middle (At this point you can freeze them, uncooked, in freezer bags for later use). Bake on a pan with a rack in a 375 degrees F oven fro 20-25 minutes. If, after 20 minutes, the bacon doesn't look brown enough, just turn on the broiler for a couple of minutes. Serve immediately at room temperature.

Superbowl Sunday is the perfect day to relax, get together with friends and family, and enjoy yourselves! Good luck!

My Little Honey Brunch

2011-01-17T10:58:00.009-06:00

Join us for our first ever Valentine's Brunch! Eckert's will be hosting My Little Honey Brunch on February 5, 6, 12 & 13. This brand new event is a perfect way to get the whole family together. This event is similar to our Breakfast with Santa event that all of our guests have come to know and love. You will begin by eating a delicious brunch, made with love in our Restaurant. Next, you will head over to the Country Store to ice and decorate a heart shaped cookie for dessert! In our Garden Center we will have lovely face painting and cupid photos. There will also be a chocolate fountain and craft for everyone to enjoy! $12.99/child $8.99/adult. Reservations are required. Please call 618.233.0513 to reserve your spot today!

We have a coupon for this event that can be found at WWW.ECKERTS.COM

Eckert's has everything you need to create the perfect Valentine's Day!

While you're here for My Little Honey Brunch, be sure to put your order in for our delicious chocolate covered strawberries, purchase that perfect bottle of wine, or to sign up for our very special wine and food event - Wines and Food of the World. This dinner and wine tasting will be held on February 14th. Delight your sweetheart or dear friend with a dinner and wine tasting from across the globe. We'll feature food and wine pairings from a variety of countries, (Spain, Germany and France to name a few). Join us for 5 delightful courses of food and wine. Space is limited, so call 618.233.0513 to reserve your spot today!

Murder Mystery Dinner - Death of a Blackheart

2011-01-11T13:38:00.004-06:00

Eckert's beautiful new Restaurant will be hosting "Death of a Blackheart" on January 29th. Join us, for a thrilling Murder Mystery Dinner in our restaurant at 6 pm. The show and dinner are sure to delight you!

Welcome aboard the largest, (and safest), cruise liner ever to sail the low seas. That's right, Welcome aboard the Gigantic! But wait! What do I hear? "Arrgggghhhhhhh!" Avast ye mateys and get yer gizzard ready to be robbed by the most famous pirate ever to pillage a maiden! That's right! We're talkin' Captain Jack Blackheart! He's the pirate that has cheated more people, emptied more pockets and pillaged more ladies that any politician. Gee, I hope no one kills him off. You'll meet lots of fun characters at this show. In fact, audience members will get to play lots of fun characters in this show because it's "chock full" of "Fair Maidens", "Lost Boys", "Rival Pirates", and more. One thing is for sure. If you've ever wanted to stand up and shout out Arrgggghhhhhh! Then...Death of a Blackheart is the show for you!

The cost of the show and dinner is $30 per person, and reservations are required. To make reservations please call 618.233.0513 x 3

January Steals & Deals!

2011-01-04T18:17:00.009-06:00

At Eckert's January is the perfect month for all the best deals! We have coupons, and discounts in almost every department, they include:

Savings in Eckert's Country Store

Rib Mania - Buy one rack of ribs, get one FREE

Monster Muffins - 5 Muffins for $5.55 Perfect for brunch at home or a great treat for the office!

Free Bag of Eckert's Home-made Tortilla Chips - with purchase of 16oz or more of Eckert's home-made salsa

Chef's Meal of the Day - Regularly $7.99, now just $5.99

Free Ground Chuck - When you purchase one pound at regular price

Free Oranges - One free Orange when you purchase one at regular price

*Several of these offers do require you to bring in the coupons, and there are certain restrictions which can be found on the coupons at http://www.eckerts.com/

Savings in Eckert's Restaurant

Have you been by since the restaurant expansion? Not only did the building expand allowing us to serve more guests, but our menu options also greatly expanded. We still have all of those traditional favorites you have come to know and love, but we also have added delicious seasonal fares to the menu. Here's a quick glimpse at our monthly lunch and dinner specials!

Jan. 10-14

Lunch Special - Applewurst Skillet. Single link of Applewurst sausage, sweet potatoes, and apples served with a corn muffin 7.5

Dinner Special - Applewurst Platter. Two links of Applewrust sausage, sweet potatoes, and apples served with a corn muffin and side salad 14

Jan. 17-21

Lunch Special - Adult mac 'n cheese with grilled chicken and tomatoes. Creamy mac 'n cheese combined with grilled chicken and diced tomatoes, served with toasted side bread 7.5

Dinner Special - NY strip steak. 10oz NY strip steak cut fresh from our butcher shop served with roasted baby potatoes and fresh steamed broccoli 14

Jan. 24-28

Lunch Special - Turkey, Brie and Granny Smith Apple. Ovengold turkey, brie cheese and granny smith apples served warm on grilled wheatberry bread 7.5

Dinner Special - Prime Rib. 10oz. rare prime rib served with au just and roasted baby potatoes and fresh steamed broccoli 14

GROUPON

Here's an insider secret...Eckert's Restaurant is going to be featured on GROUPON during the first part of January. Not signed up yet? Sign up for GROUPON today for unbelievable offers in the St. Louis Area. Just wait and see what Eckert's Deal of the Day is.

Also be sure to check our Savings Link on our Eckert's homepage for more great savings!

Cheers to the New Year!

2010-12-23T09:34:00.006-06:00

Eckert's has everything you need to make your New Years Eve spectacular! Our Deli prepares delicious dishes perfect for this special occasion; we make everything from our homemade salsa and guacamole to our shrimp cocktail. With our wide selection of goodies you are sure to find the perfect appetizer for your party! Eckert's is the perfect place to go if you are hosting your own party this New Years Eve. Eckert's makes entertaining easy with:

Salsa & Guacamole - It's true. Our Salsa and Guacamole are the BEST around. No party should go without.

Hummus with Veggies - Choose from Red Roasted Pepper Hummus, Roasted Garlic Hummus & Caramelized Onion Hummus (found in our reach in cheese case).

Crab Rangoon - Deliciously Delightful and made with real crab meat (found in our freezer cases).

Deli-made Chicken Wings - Choose from Sweet & Sour, Buffalo, Szechuan, and Teriyaki wings.

Dixon Seafood Spreads - Choose from customer favorite Cheesy Crab, Bacon Ranch Crab or Holiday Spread. Serve on thin slices of Eckert's bakery bread.

Deli-made Gourmet Pizzas - choose from buffalo chicken, Plain Jane, Sausage and Goat Cheese and Prosciutto. (cut into bite sized squares).

Deli-made Dips - Choose from Buffalo Chicken Dip, Taco Dip and Pizza Dip.

Deli Tortilla chips - Perfect for any dip!

Cheese Platter - A flavorful sampling of 6 delicious Boar's Head cheeses.

Meat Platter - Treat your guests to flavor with 5 of Boar's Head's finest deli meats.

Veggie Platter - A fresh collection of 5 of nature's finest veggies and Eckert's Signature vegetable dip.

Fruit Platter - A variety of sweet and juicy fruits served with Eckert's Signature fruit dip.

Meat & Cheese Platter - A delicious combination of our best selling meats and cheeses.

Cookies by the Pound - A variety of bite sized cookies straight from the oven!

*It is preferred that you order 24 hours in advance.

If you plan on attending a New Years Eve party this year with friends and family, Eckert's has some perfect gifts to bring along. Everyone knows Sparkling Wines are always welcomed for a New Years Eve bash! We now have chilled: Roget Spumante, Peach Sparkletini, Korbel Brut, Mumm Napa Brut, & many more! Our sparkling wines start from $5.99!

Happy New Years from Eckert's!

'Twas the Week Before Christmas

2010-12-17T08:42:00.008-06:00

'Twas the week before Christmas and all through the store

were men and women scurrying to find the perfect Christmas decor.

Eckert's is full of Christmas cheer,

We even have food for Santa's Reindeer!

We have Holiday turkeys and hams for your Christmas treasure

Shopping with us is always a pleasure.

Fresh Holiday pies and baked goodies to buy

My oh my doesn't this Holiday Season fly?

So hurry in today for your last minute gift.

So someones Christmas you can uplift!

New Classes for the New Year!

2010-12-10T09:30:00.007-06:00

The new calendar is up on our website for 2011! Although it is not quite finished for the entire year, our January calendar is complete with information about all of our classes. This January our classes will include: Cooking Classes, Wine Classes, Kid's Cooking Classes, Mommy & Me Cooking Classes, and some new features as well.

For the first time ever, Eckert's will be hosting Teen Cooking Classes! We have held classes for children from age 2 all the way up to 12, and for adults (usually 21 and over because of the wine classes). Now we have created something totally new for the teens in between! This class is perfect for those teens that have and interest in food in general, as a potential profession, or teens looking for a little afternoon fun with friends. Our very first teen cooking class will be held on January 16th from 1pm-3pm at Eckert's Country Store. Pizzas with Pizazz - Teen Cooking Class, will teach you how to cook the perfect pizza while you have some culinary fun! We'll make a white sauce pizza, calzone, a dessert pizza, home-made pizza sauce and more!

Another new class that Eckert's will be offering in January 2011 is a "Guest Chef" Cooking Class! By offering a "Guest Chef" Cooking Class, Eckert's gives you the opportunity to expand your cooking knowledge even further! For this particular class our instructor will be Carol Schlitt. Carol is a Nutrition and Wellness Educator, and owner of " Safe & Savory, Inc.". "Safe & Savory, Inc." is a unique company that provides custom food safety education for certified food handlers in Illinois. Carol specializes in nutrition, disease prevention/management, food safety, and food buying. For Eckert's , Carol will be sharing some of her favorite main dishes, breakfast and dessert casseroles. perfect for family dinners, potluck suppers, and parties, casseroles are the ultimate comfort food - deeply satisfying, amazingly versatile, and blissfully easy to prepare. The event will take place from 6pm-8pm in the Country Store. Reservations are required, so please call 601.233.0513 to reserve your spot today!

Eckert's January calendar is packed full of new and exciting classes, and we have something for everyone in the family! We are currently working on our calendars for February and March and hope to have them out to you soon. Please stay posted fro our newest class additions!

Holiday Happenings!

2010-12-03T11:59:00.007-06:00

Join us for a delicious breakfast with Santa! Children can tell Santa their Christmas wishes, and Santa will have a special gift for each child. Breakfast will be served from 8am until noon, and the breakfast includes: scrambled eggs, crisp bacon, biscuits and homemade sausage gravy. After breakfast the fun doesn't end!
You can head on over to our Country Store and Garden Center where we will capture the moment in a photo of your child with Santa. The children also get to ice and decorate their very own Christmas cookie for dessert! our holiday story hour coincides with the Breakfast with Santa activities, so your children can enjoy a free Holiday Story. Your children are sure to be entertained during this time, they will hear the story of the gingerbread man, and when the story is over, each child can make a gingerbread craft. this is a treat that is fun for kids of all ages! our Holiday Stories will be told at 9am and 11am in the Garden Center.
We will also have Gingerbread Workshops available from 10am until 4pm. For those who have always longed to build a gingerbread house here at Eckert's, we will even take care of the mess! It doesn't stop there; Eckert's has much more to offer during the holiday season! From our magical reindeer food to Eckert's giftcards, we have something for everyone on your list. Holiday turkeys and hams, Christmas decor, festive wines, cooking and wine classes, gift baskets, and so much more!

Run! Run! As fast as you can, you can't catch me I'm the Gingerbread Man!

2010-11-26T10:08:00.004-06:00

Hanging the stockings, decorating the tree, and baking cookies are all wonderful holiday traditions, but it's time to add one more to your list! Building gingerbread houses is a wonderful way to get the whole family together. Baking your own gingerbread for houses can take some time, and we all know that during the holiday season we don't have much extra time. Let Eckert's make it easier on you! Eckert's holds Gingerbread House Workshops every weekend until Christmas from 10am - 4pm in the Country Store. This gives you the opportunity to build and create your very own gingerbread house without the trouble of making the dough, cutting out the cookies, and baking the gingerbread. We do all the baking, and you get to do the building and decorating! Not only is this a great way to get in the Holiday spirit, but it is also a terrific way to spend time with family and friends. It has become a tradition for my family to hold a gingerbread house competition every Christmas! After we read the story of Hansel and Gretel or The Gingerbread Man, we draw names out of a hat to find out who our teams will be that year! We all team up to build the perfect house and everyone young and old gathers together to talk, laugh, and create! Eckert's gingerbread kits are available for purchase in the Country Store and you can either take them home, or build them here and let us take care of the mess!

O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!

2010-11-19T11:07:00.007-06:00

The Holiday Season is here! Thanksgiving is right around the corner and now it's time for holiday cheer, stringing lights, and decorating the tree! Stop by Eckert's Belleville or Millstadt farms to pick up the perfect tree this season. Our Christmas Tree Lot at the Belleville farm will open on November 20th and pre-cut trees will be available at that time. On November 26th the Christmas Tree Lots at both our Belleville and Millstadt farms will be open, cut-your-own trees and pre-cut trees will both be available. We have a wonderful selection of trees to choose from ranging from 6 to 11 feet tall! The tree types include Scotch, White Pine, Canaan Fir, Blue Spruce, Balsam Fir, Douglas Fir, and Fraser Fir. Our 40 acres of lush evergreen forests are a beautiful sight on a crisp winter day! For Cut-your-own trees, we provide the saw, and you supply the elbow grease! To make things a bit easier, our full service Christmas tree farm will provide free shaking and baling of your tree.

It used to be a Christmas tradition to make your own ornaments for the tree, and at one time apples, cookies, and nuts were even used as decoration. Today many ornaments are bought ready to go, but great and easy way to make your own beautiful decorations for your tree is to string popcorn and cranberries on a string or fishing line. While creating the perfect garland for your tree, it is a great opportunity to spend time with the whole family!

Happy Holidays from Eckert's!

Looking for Fresh Homegrown Vegetables during the Dead of Winter? Eckert's has 'em!

2010-11-12T09:47:00.010-06:00

No more waiting around all winter long for the taste of fresh and juicy veggies! On Monday, November 8th we planted 6 different types of lettuce and spinach in our Green House attached to our Garden Center. Buttercrunch, Red Leaf Lettuce (red salad bowl), Mesclun (a mixture of baby lettuce and spinach), Green Salad Bowl, Grand Rapids Lettuce, and Bloomsdale Spinach have all been planted. Eckert's is very excited to try something new this year, and if all goes to plan, our lettuce and spinach will be available all winter long! We are testing the waters with this first crop of lettuce and spinach, and currently have enough planted to produce 45 lbs per week. This is the first time we have ever attempted to grow any vegetable during the winter months, and we are able to do so because they only require a 50 or 60 degree temperature inside the greenhouse. Lettuce and spinach are some of the easiest things to grow indoor this time of year because they only require a soil bed 6 inches deep, and they do not require extremely warm temperatures. We could potentially grow 150 lbs of lettuce and spinach per week, and that could supply fresh homegrown lettuce and spinach to our Country Store, and possibly our Country Restaurant! We have chosen to produce leaf lettuce because it grows faster than a traditional head of lettuce and produces more. Eventually we plan to grow other winter crops including tomatoes, turnips, beets, arugula, and possibly broccoli, cauliflower or brussel sprouts. The long term goal here at Eckert's is to have what are called high tunnels. According to Hightunnels.org, high tunnels are unheated, plastic-covered structures that provide an intermediate level of environmental protection and control compared to open field conditions and heated greenhouses. Having high tunnels creates fantastic opportunities for our farm! It can allow us to grow crops during the winter, have extended growing seasons, and for crops such as strawberries, it can allow us to plant earlier and harvest as early as March instead of waiting until May. Being able to offer fresh produce to our customers all year round is something that we are extremely excited about here at Eckert's and we look forward to sharing our homegrown goodies with you!

Holiday Events at Eckert's!

2010-11-05T09:30:00.009-05:00

It is time to say goodbye to the fall harvest and hello to the holiday season! At Eckert's we are getting prepared for the busy season ahead. The Holidays mean fun family gatherings and delicious home cooked meals. Eckert's is excited to share some of our family traditions, and great holiday ideas with you! Here are some of the upcoming events at Eckert's this holiday season:

Pet & Family Portraits with Santa

November 7th

Be sure to stop by Eckert's Garden Center to get your picture taken with your pet and Santa! This event will benefit the Belleville Humane Society. Event will take place from 10:00 am until 3:00 pm.

Holiday Open House
November 18th

Enjoy some of Eckert's favorite recipes, a cooking demonstration, holiday decorating ideas, wine sampling and holiday food. We will share wine pairing ideas, delicious samples of cheese, deli items, bakery goodies, hot spiced cider and more. Santa will be on hand to visit with the children while you are finding the perfect holiday gifts for everyone on your lists. Open House will take place in Eckert's Country Store & Garden Center from 5 pm - 8 pm. Free.

Fall Harvest Dinner

November 19th

The air is crisp, the leaves are turning and the produce this time of year is still delicious! What better way to celebrate fall's harvest than with a gourmet dinner and some of our favorite autumn recipes! Join us in the Restaurant for a four course dinner. Wine pairings also available to accompany each course for $10. Reservations are required and space is limited.

Christmas Tree Lot Opens

November 20th

Stop by Eckert's Belleville Farm to beat the rush this holiday season. Our Christmas Tree Lot is stocked with beautiful trees, you are sure to find the perfect one for your home.

Gingerbread House Workshop

November 20,21,27 &28 December 4, 5, 11, 12, 18 & 19

For those who have always longed to build a gingerbread house but were intimidated by the thought, here is your chance to create a beautiful display for the holidays! We provide all of the supplies and guidance, you provide the creativity! We invite everyone young and old to join us between the hours of 10 am and 4 pm in the Country Store.

Cut-Your-Own Christmas Trees Open

November 26th

Come experience a crisp winter's day enjoying the beauty of more than 40 acres of lush evergreen forest as you search for the perfect Christmas tree. We will provide the saw (you supply the elbow grease!) to cut your tree. Our full service Christmas tree farm will provide free shaking and baling of your tree. Pre-cut trees are also available.

Breakfast with Santa

November 27 & 28 December 4, 5, 11, 12, 18 & 19

Join us for a meal with Santa on the farm! Children can tell Santa their Christmas wishes. Santa has a special gift for each child. We will capture the moment in a photo of your child with Santa. Reservations are suggested. A buffet style breakfast will be provided from 8 am until noon.

Holiday Storytime

November 27 & 28 December 4, 5, 11, 12, 18 & 19

Your children are sure to be entertained during our holiday story hour. The kids will enjoy hearing the story of the gingerbread man. After the story is over, each child can make a gingerbread craft. fun for kids of all ages. Free. Story will be told at 9 am, 11 am, and 1 pm in the Garden Center.

Wine Classes

If your would like to expand you wine knowledge, please sign up for one of our popular wine classes. We offer classes for wine enthusiasts and beginners.

Cooking Classes

If you would like to learn new recipes and discover new ingredients, sign up for one of our mouth-watering cooking classes! We have several Holiday Cooking Classes November-December, sign up today!

Children's Cooking Classes

We also have Kids Cooking Classes, or for children ages 2-5 we have Mommy & Me Cooking Classes available!

For more information on any of these events please visit our website at Eckerts.com or do so by calling 618.233.0513

Eckert's New Country Restaurant!

2010-10-29T11:46:00.005-05:00

We have recently added on to our Country Restaurant! This new addition has doubled our seating capacity, and given us the ability to host groups and private events. The construction will soon be complete, and our grand opening and ribbon cutting will be held on November 5th at 9 am at Eckert's Country Restaurant. Everyone is invited to attend this momentous event!

Our new Restaurant seating will have different menu options than the older part of our Restaurant. The older portion is now the Orchard Cafe and Grill, and the new seating area is Grandmas Kitchen.

The Orchard Cafe and Grill:

Seasonal Fares

Casual Dining

A wide variety of options to choose from such as:

Applewurst and Sweet Potato Platter

Big Apple Chop Salad

Turkey Cranberry

& More!

Grandmas Kitchen:

Family Style Dining

Perfect for Large Groups

Meals like Grandma used to make!

Fried Chicken

Pork Sausage

Honey Ham

& More!

*Kids meals will be available in both sides.

Please Join us on November 5th for the ribbon cutting ceremony at 9 am, and eat afterwards during our grand opening. Here is an Eckert's coupon to help us celebrate!

Carving the Perfect Jack O' Lantern

2010-10-22T11:48:00.009-05:00

Jack o' lanterns have been a Fall tradition for centuries! Did you know they originated from an Irish myth, and used to be carved out of turnips? For the history of jack o' lanterns you can visit www.history.com. There are many different ways to carve a pumpkin! Here are some tips for carving the perfect jack o' lantern this fall, after you have picked your beautiful Eckert's pumpkin it's time to begin!If you choose to paint your pumpkin, they will last longer, and any size will do!

For carving, larger pumpkins are better.

Try to avoid pumpkins with any mold or bruising. (They will go bad faster)

If your pumpkin is dirty from being in the field, it is fine to wash it with warm soapy water.

You normally begin carving a pumpkin by cutting off the top to create a lid. It is necessary to cut at a 45 degree angle so that the lid will have a place to rest once replaced. (If you make the cut straight down it will fall through)

Another way of pumpkin carving is to cut a hole in the bottom. By making your cut at the bottom of the pumpkin it allows you to fix a leaning pumpkin, and also allows a flat surface for the candle to light your jack o' lantern with (If you do it this way, be sure that there is a good amount of ventilation for your candle so that the inside of your pumpkin does not get scorched.)

Once the hole is made into the pumpkin you can begin to scrape out the insides, be sure to keep the seeds -they make a tasty snack! To scrape out the pumpkin guts it is helpful to use a large spoon or ice cream scooper.

Once the pumpkin is scraped clean, it is helpful to soak the pumpkin for an hour or two in bleach water (1teaspoon bleach/1 Gallon of water) This will help to make your freshly carved jack o' lantern last longer, and to prolong shriveling, rub the interior of the pumpkin with petroleum jelly.

Now it is time to get creative! It is always fun to create your own jack o' lantern pattern, just draw on with a marker and begin carving! If you choose to print a pattern off of the Internet, or purchase one from a store it is now time to tape it to your pumpkin. (It is helpful to cut slit in the paper so that it bends to fit the rounded sides of the pumpkin.) Poke holes along the pattern lines so that they are easily seen and are ready to be carved along.

A serrated knife or tools that are specifically designed for pumpkin carving are used to carve the face of your jack o' lantern.

When finished carving, it is time to light the candle. Teal lights are the perfect size to light the inside of a pumpkin, and any battery powered light may be used as well. -If you choose to use a candle to do the job, you can sprinkle ground nutmeg or cinnamon on the inside of the pumpkin walls and when heated up with the candle it will create a wonderful Fall aroma!

Place your jack o' lantern outside and watch it glow!

Pumpkin Seeds with Cinnamon & Salt

4 cups pumpkin seeds

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

vegetable oil cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a cookie sheet and spread the seeds out in an even layer.

Lightly sprinkle with salt and cinnamon. Bake for about 5 minutes, then stir. Season with salt and cinnamon again continue baking stirring occasionally for about 20 minutes or until seeds are toasted.

Deli's Featured Entrees

2010-10-15T09:52:00.007-05:00

At Eckert's Deli, we are now serving hot lunches and dinners every day of the week! Our Featured Entrees include everything from fried chicken to linguine with clam sauce. Eckert's own Darin Stine prepares these delicious recipes on a daily basis. Darin has been trained in culinary arts studies, has been involved in the restaurant business for eight years, and continues to practice his love for fantastic food as our chef at Eckert's Deli!

Eckert's is proud to feature fresh foods made in-house by our chefs on a daily basis. The Featured Entrees can be found at http://www.eckerts.com/ and are updated weekly with the new menu items. This week's items include:

Week of October 11th-17th

Monday

Lunch: Beef & Noodles

Dinner: Fried Chicken

Tuesday

Lunch: Pork Tenderloin

Dinner: Baked Turkey Breast

Wednesday

Lunch: Manicotti

Dinner: Baked Chicken

Thursday

Lunch: Mama's Meat Loaf

Dinner: Linguine with Clam Sauce

Friday

Lunch: Captain's Curry Chicken

Dinner: Beef Roast

Saturday

Lunch: Pork Tenderloin

Dinner: Fish - Catch of the Day

Sunday

Lunch: Smothered Chicken

Dinner: 10-Hour Pork Roast

Eckert's Featured Entrees are a perfefct solution to those nights when your entire family is on the go, and is also great for any lunch break!

Eckert's chefs are always looking for new and exciting recipes to try, so please feel free to recommend a lunch or dinner you don't see on our menu and would like to try!

Blueberries on the Brain!

2010-10-10T08:04:00.009-05:00

History is made again this year at Eckert's! For the first time ever, Eckert's has planted Blueberries. It will take two full years until the newly planted bushes are able to produce any berries. We currently have three different varieties planted including Duke, Bluejay and Toro. The Duke variety of blueberries is the earliest to ripen (late June/early July)! If you prefer size over sweetness, the larger Duke Blueberry variety is best. Its sour taste makes it the best variety for baking! Our midseason berry is called Bluejay, and ripens the first of July to the Middle of July. The Bluejay berries are a medium to large size and the berry quality is firm. The Toro variety along with all of our other varieties is a Northern High Bush variety. Northern High Bush means that these types of bushes need a high amount of "chill hours" to get their fruit set. Chill hours are an accumulation of hours where temperatures reach between 30 degrees F to 45 degrees F. If these Northern High Bush varieties do not get the required number of chill hours they may not yield fruit. This Northern High Bush variety is perfect for our sometimes unpredictable Belleville weather! It's no secret that we have bitter cold winters in this area, but this type of blueberry bush is perfectly suited to handle these types of condidtions, and the cold weather even helps with the production of berries.

In order to give our blueberry bushes the best growing environment possible, we first had to add sulfur to the soil until the ph balance was 4.5, this is unusual because for most other crops, the soil does not require such a high ph balance. Mulch also needed to be incorporated into the bed where the bushes were planted, and wood chips placed over the top. Blueberry bushes need soil that retains moisture, but also is drained really well. Eckert's had to place irrigation systems into this particular field to ensure that the moisture of the soil would be precise.

We are very excited to begin our journey into blueberries! Blueberries are a great fruit to pick because it is so easy for our customers to do! Blueberry bushes do not have any thorns so you can just dive right in and get to pickin'! No need to kneel since they are at least knee high, just choose the berry that catches your eye, and pinch off at the stem. When picking your berries, take notice of their size. Smaller berries often have more flavor than larger berries because the taste of larger berries is sometimes diluted by the water they store. When picking you should always look for plump, dark berries! The wait for Blueberries is well worth it, and we look forward to picking Blueberries with you!

Suncrisp Apples: Belleville's Best Kept Secret!

2010-10-01T11:18:00.009-05:00

We will begin picking Suncrisp apples October 2nd here at Eckert's! This variety is available exclusively at the Belleville farm only. Suncrisp apples are a hard, tart and long-keeping apple with almost an orange color. This apple ripens late in the season, but has a very firm and juicy flesh. This is the best apple for long-term storage! We planted the Suncrisp variety, on the advice of Mitch Lynd, Ohio grower and variety guru. According to Virginia State University, the Suncrisp apple is formerly known as NJ55. (Newly developed apples, which all begin life as a number, are named only after they are tested and ready for commercial sale.) Suncrisp was developed at Rutgers University by Dr. Fred Hough, a now retired fruit breeder. It is the result of cross-breeding Golden Delicious, Cortland, and Cox's Orange Pippin apples.

Suncrisp are not the prettiest apple variety, and are not often sold directly to consumers because of their dull yellow color, and orange skin. Because this delicious apple has such a terrific qualities like firmness, delicious tart flavor, and long storage capabilities, it is used for a variety of items; baking pies and desserts, apple juice, apple butter, and apple sauce. Companies that produce items with apples as an ingredient love to use the Suncrisp variety because of their terrific flavor and excellent storage qualities. You have probably eaten hundreds of Suncrisp apples over your lifetime and didn't even know it!

The weather is getting cooler and it is time for warm home baked pies! Here is a delicious "Apple Pie in a Glass" recipie that is perfect to use with Suncrisp apples.

3 large tart apples, such as Suncrisp

16 shortbread cookies

1/4 cup sugar

Pinch of Cinnamon

1 pint vanilla ice cream

Description:

Peel, core and chop the apples. Crumble the cookies. Put the apples, sugar and cinnamon in a saucepan with 1/4 cup of water. Cook, covered, over medium heat for about 15 minutes. Remove the lid and cook another 10 minutes, until all the liquid is gone.

Using half the cookie crumbs, divide them between 4 glasses. Spoon ice cream over them. Top with warm apple mixture and then with more crumbs.

Makes 4 servings.

Hand-dipped Caramel Apples!

2010-09-22T08:07:00.007-05:00

Eckert's has been making our famous caramel apples for years, and they are still available in our Country Store today! The reason that these caramel apples are so delicious starts with the fruit. Our Granny Smith variety of apples is the type of apples used to create this perfect dessert! Granny Smith apples are ideal for making caramel apples because they are a crisp apple and they stay firm for long periods of time. Another reason why we sue Granny Smith apples is because of their flavor! Granny Smith apples are very tart and that balances well with the rich, sweet caramel that the apple is dipped into. Having two rich full flavors balancing off one another like that creates an explosion of flavor in every bite!

To prepare our delicious caramel apples there are a few steps we must take. First, our caramel is heated in a giant double broiler, and slowly stirred to create a smooth and creamy texture. We are sure to monitor the temperature of the caramel carefully so the caramel is never over heated or burned. As we are warming the caramel up to the correct temperature we begin the process of removing the stems from the freshly picked, tree-ripened, Granny Smith apples. We remove the stems from the apples because that is where we place the wooden skewers, which is our next step in the process. (Putting the apples on a stick allows us to dip the apples easily, and for you to eat the apple easily!) After the caramel is heated and the apples are skewered, we then dip the entire apple into the liquid caramel and roll the apple into the desired topping until it is evenly coated. We then allow the caramel to cool, and the topping to settle into place. Ta-da! Our famous caramel apples are finished and ready to eat!

One unique thing about Eckert's caramel apples is that we have several different types of toppings that we can add to the mix. We have choices like crushed M&M's, Reese's Pieces, Peanuts, Pecans or Heath Bars. These toppings are sure to satisfy even the biggest sweet tooth! For those of you what enjoy a more traditional approach, we also provide the original caramel apples, where the apples have simply been dipped into caramel. With these options we are sure to have a caramel apple for everyone in the family! Caramel apples are only available during the Fall season here at Eckert's and are a staple of autumn everywhere. There is nothing better than the first sweet-tart bite into a fresh hand-dipped caramel apple!

Jumpin' Pumpkin Jamboree!

2010-09-17T10:50:00.020-05:00

It is beginning to feel more like Fall and now that apple season is officially underway, Pumpkins are right around the corner! October 1st is the first day that pumpkins will be available at Eckert's. Let the pumpkin picking begin! Our Jumpin' Pumpkin Jamboree includes wagon rides out to the pumpkin patch to search for your great pumpkin. Our pumpkins range from a couple of pounds to more than 150 pounds! Eckert's has a good supply of pumpkins at all farm locations (Belleville, Millstadt & Grafton) and pumpkins will be available through the month of October. We are also excited to have an exceptional selection of extra large pumpkins this season! We are sure to have the perfect jack-o-lantern for you!

Did You Know?

-According to the Ohio Valley Giant Pumpkin Growers, the current world record holder for the world's largest pumpkin is Christy Harp with a 1,725 pound pumpkin!

-Pumpkins are a fruit

-Pumpkins are 90% water

-You can eat pumpkin flowers, the actual pumpkin, and pumpkin seeds

-Pumpkins can be a variety of colors including orange, green, white, yellow, red, bluish-grey or tan

Eckert's will have our famous wagon rides out to the orchards and pumpkin patch, fresh apple cider, beautiful Fall decorations, and our exciting Fall festival activities at our Belleville, Millstadt, and Grafton Farms! Country music, live entertainment, pony rides, make-your-own scarecrow, funnel cakes and festival foods are all a part of the Eckert's experience!

Here is a great recipe to make with the kids after carving your jack-o-lantern!

Pumpkin Seeds with Cinnamon and Salt

4 cups pumpkin seeds
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
vegetable oil cooking spray

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a cookie sheet and spread the seeds out in an even layer. Lightly sprinkle with salt and cinnamon. Bake for about 5 minutes then stir the seeds. Season with salt and cinnamon again. Continue baking, stirring occasionally for about 20 minutes or until seeds are toasted.

Eckert's Fall Calendar

2010-09-10T11:48:00.012-05:00

Eckert's Fall Calendar is full of excitement! As you may know, Fall is one of our busiest times of year, with apple and pumpkin picking, wine classes, kids cooking classes, haunted hayrides, and so much more! With all of the fun filled activities going on you are sure to find something just for you!

The special events that are happening this fall at Eckert's:

Apple Fest (Belleville, Grafton, Millstadt)

September 18, 19, 25 & 26

Wagon rides, music, live entertainment, great festival foods, children's activities and so much more make this an apple pickin' good time for everyone! Whether riding a pony or feeding a goat, your kids will enjoy getting acquainted with common farm animals. Children's carnival and/or activities at all three farms. Funnel cakes, roasted sweet corn, caramel apples and more to tempt your taste buds.

Haunted Hayrides (Millstadt)

September 17, 18, 24 & 25 October 1,2,8,9,15,16,22,23,29,30 & 31

There's lots of ghoulish fun for young and old during this hayride through Eckert's haunted orchard. Haunted hayrides take place every Friday and Saturday night (after the sun goes down) Fee Charged.

Scouting Weekend (Millstadt)

September 18 & 19

Enjoy a fun-filled day on the farm picking apples, visiting farm animals, and exploring the farm's exiting attractions. All Scouts in uniform will receive free admission to the Fun Farm.

Volksmarch (Belleville)

September 18

Join us for a leisurely walk through the orchard. 6K and 10K courses available. Registration is from 8 am until noon and over by 3 pm. Racers will begin in the Fun Corral area across from the Garden Center. The walk costs $3 per walker and is open to everyone and all ages are welcome. An adult must accompany children's under the age of 12. Water and apple cider will be provided at the start and finish line.

Jumpin' Pumpkin Jamboree (Belleville, Millstadt & Grafton)

October 2,3,9,10,16,17,23,24,30 & 31

Ride the wagons out to the pumpkin patch to search for your great pumpkin. Our pumpkins range from a couple of pounds to more than 150 pounds so we are sure to have the perfect jack-0-lantern for you! Wagon rides, country music, live entertainment, pony rides, make-your-own scarecrow, funnel cakes and festival foods make this a fun-filled weekend for everyone! Children's activities. Petting farm.

Mary Engelbreit Book Signing (Belleville)

October 2

Join us in the classroom on Eckert's Country Store from 11am-1 pm as Mary Engelbreit will be on property signing cookbooks, prints, cards, calendars - whatever work of hers that you may have. Bring your own Mary Engelbreit items to get signed or buy them from us! You won't want to miss this guest appearance...we couldn't be more excited!

Costume Carnival (Millstadt)

October 31

Put on your costumes and come out to the farm for a real fall treat. Any child, 12 years of age or younger, with a costume on will receive FREE admission to our entertainment farm. There will be plenty of fall fun.

Wine Classes

If you would like to expand your wine knowledge, please sign up for one of our popular wine classes. We offer classes for wine enthusiasts and beginners.

Cooking Classes

If you would like to learn new recipes and discover new ingredients, sign up for one of our mouth-watering cooking classes!

Children's Cooking Classes

We also have Kids Cooking Classes, or for children ages 2-5 we have Mommy & Me Cooking Classes available!

For more information on any of these events please visit our website at Eckerts.com! We do ask that you RSVP for classes, and you can do so by calling 618.233.0513

Eckert's Millstadt Fun Farm

2010-09-03T10:06:00.013-05:00

Eckert's Millstadt F un Farm is now open! Pick Your Own Apples are available, but all of our our fun-filled activities will begin on Tuesday, September 14th. Let the excitement begin! Our Millstadt location truly earns its name as the "Fun Farm." With activities such as Uncle Aubrey's Workshop, Billy Bob's Pig Races, the 70-foot underground slide at Eckert's Mining Company, and the Deere Express how can you go wrong? Our Millstadt Fun Farm has been open since 1968, although times have changed, our Millstadt Farm has held true to its Country roots, still offering country cookin' with mouth-watering country food like roasted sweet corn, and chicken shish kabobs at Bob's N' Cobs Food Stand. Or for a manly meal fit for a farmer, visit our newest addition for country vittles... the Applewood Smokehouse. Of course, hot dogs, bratwurst, KettleKorn, homemade ice cream and funnel cakes are always on the menu too! Also available, are children's activities, and wagon rides to the apple orchard and pumpkin patch! (Pumpkins begin October 1st)

It is only a short drive from downtown St. Louis, but this farm is located out in the country with nothing surrounding it but fields and winding country roads. This is the most "Country" of all of our farms, and because of this farms great location, we are able to offer some very unique activities. Haunted hayrides through the apple orchards and pumpkin patch is always a great treat near Halloween, bon-fires to keep warm during the crisp and cool fall weather, and also one of our newer attractions, the Jack-o-Lobber. The kids are sure to love our pumpkin cannon that shoots pumpkins over half a mile!

Millstadt Fun Farm is open through October 31st and not only does it have plenty of children's activities, but it also provides apples and pumpkins for picking and fresh bakery items available for purchase. I can hardly wait for all of this fall excitement; it is my favorite time of year!

Millstadt Fun Farm Hours of Operation:

Open Daily from 9 am - 6:30 pm
For more information on our hours of operation and admission rates please visit Eckerts.com!

Our Millstadt location is a bit tricky to get to, so here are some different options for directions:

2719 Eckert Orchard Lane

Millstadt, IL 62260

Phone Number: 618.233.0513 or 800.745.0513

You can find directions to all of our farms at Eckerts.com!

It's Apple Season!!!

2010-08-26T15:27:00.005-05:00

Apple season is officially underway at the Belleville, Millstadt and Grafton farms! Our Belleville Country Store currently has Honeycrisp available for purchase and all three farms will begin Pick-Your-Own apples tomorrow, August 27th!

Thousands of varieties of apples are on the market today. For over 100 years Eckert's has been growing both traditional favorites, as well as introducing new and unique varieties. Eckert's grows nine varieties. These apples can be sweet, tart, smooth, crisp or a combination of these traits. Depending on what you like there is an apple for everyone's taste!

Below is a list of Eckert's homegrown apple varieties. Ripening varies due to the temperature, hours of sunlight and rain. Please check the Harvest Hotline to get the most current crop information.

Honeycrisp - ripens late August

This apple is a cross between a Macoun and Honeygold. It is highly popular for its sweetness, and is a great apple for fresh eating, pies and applesauce.

Jonathan - ripens early September

This apple has a sweet-tart flavor with a firm texture and is used mostly for fresh eating and cooking.

Jonagold - ripens in September

A brilliant cross between Jonathan and Golden Delicious, inheriting a sweet and tangy flavor which is excellent for fresh eating and cooking. Also great for fried apples.

Golden Delicious - ripens mid September

This all-purpose apple is known for its firm, white flesh and rich, mild flavor when baked or cooked. The tender skin overwrapping a mellow, sweet flavor makes this an appealing choice for fresh eating.

Red Delicious - ripens mid September

An American classic! Red Delcious has been a favorite for decades. Its beautiful shiny color and broad shape makes it an excellent addition to fresh salads and gift baskets.

Suncrisp - ripens late September

A hard, tart, and long-keeping apple with almost an orange color. Ripens very late in the season, but has a very firm and juicy flesh. This is the best apple for long-term storage.

Fuji - ripens early October

America's new favorite! This supersweet and crispy apple originates from Japan, but America has now become the leading producer of this apple. Fujis ripen in October, and are great for topping salads and fresh eating.

Granny Smith - ripens in October

This large apple with its beautiful green color is best known for its sour and tart flavor. Ripening in October, its tart flavor contrasts well with sweet caramel and covered with your favorite topping.

GoldRush - ripens late October

A hard, tart apple with a very rich flavor. Golden brozne in color with a long shelf life.

Selecting apples is the same regardless of variety. Look for apples that are free of bruises, with skin that is shiny, not dull, and firm to the touch. Apples should be stored by themselves, since they naturally emit ethylene gas which can cause other fruits and vegetables to quickly turn soft and spoil. Apples soften quickly, 6-10 times faster at room temperature than if refrigerated. Cooler temperatures help main quality, nutrition, juiciness and crispness.

The First of the Season: Honeycrisp Apples

2010-08-20T09:51:00.006-05:00

The first apples of the season are on the way at Eckert's! We will be celebrating Honeycrisp Weekend August 27th - 29th. Honeycrisp apples are the first to arrive and is one of my favorite varieties, but unfortunately never lasts long enough! They will be available for Pick-Your-Own at the Belleville, Millstadt and Grafton farms, and will also be available for purchase in the Country Store.

Honeycrisp apples were introduced by the apple experts at Minnesota University and are a cross between a 1960 Macoun apple and a Honeygold apple (a Honeygold itself is a cross between a Golden Delicious and a Haralson). Honeycrisps are famous for their crisp sweet-tart bite and are said to "explosively crisp." While these apples are perfect for eating raw they are also excellent for baking, and can be a sweeter substitute for apples in any recipe.

Honeycrisp apples, despite being very firm, tend to be very sensitive. Its thin skin makes it an ideal fresh eating apple, but causes them to bruise easily and makes them susceptible to stem damage. Honeycrisp growers often refer to this variety as the "picky apple." When harvesting Honeycrisp, pickers must pay special attention to detail and be cautious with the fruit because of its sensitivity. The further south you grow Honeycrisp, the more difficult it is to care for them, as the variety was created to withstand cold temperatures. Our warm, southern temperatures can be hard on the fruit. At Eckert's we take special care of our Honeycrisps, packing them in peach peck boxes rather than standard apple bags to help minimize bruising.

Our Honeycrisp crop is limited at the Belleville and Grafton farm, so hurry out, as these delicious and newly popular apples won't last long! Please visit our Harvest Hotline for the most current crop information.

Here's an "Awesome Apple" recipe my kids and I make with fresh-picked apples. It serves as a delicious (and secretly healthy) addition to their lunchboxes!

Awesome Applesauce

Ingredients
2 small red apples (or Honeycrisp Apples!)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons sugar
2 pinches of cinnamon

Utensils
Knife (get help from your adult assistant)
Blender or food processor
Measuring spoons
Serving bowls

Directions

Peel the apples and cut them into small pieces or use apple corer slicer. Throw out the core.
Put the apple pieces and lemon juice into the blender or food processor. Blend until the mixture is very smooth.
Pour the mixture into two small bowls and stir in the sugar and cinnamon.
Enjoy your awesome applesauce!

Sources:

www.honeycrisp.org

www.web.extension.illinois.edu

www.fruitgrowersnews.com

Juicy Peaches + Sweet Price = Back to School Fun

2010-08-13T12:40:00.006-05:00

Can you believe it's already that time of the year again? All the kids are heading back to school and fall is closing in. On the farm, "back to school" also translates to "the last of peach season." Although we always hate to see peach season come to an end, our dismay is somewhat alleviated since the last of our peaches are the Crest Havens, our juiciest, largest, prize-winning peaches! To celebrate the end of a fantastic peach season and the beginning of a new school year, we are proud to be offering the "Sale of the Season!" Pick-Your-Own peaches and loose peaches for sale in the store are now only $.99/lb from now until the end of peach season! We invite you to join us this weekend for one last day of fun in the sun - enjoying juicy peaches at a sweet price!

I have kids of my own, so I know just how crazy things are around the house trying to get the kids back on schedule and making sure everything is ready for when the first day of school arrives. Here is one of my favorite peach recipes to make with my kiddos. It's a great recipe to end the season with and gives them a little taste of the summer that first day in the cafeteria!

Lunchbox Peach Crisps

Ingredients

10 medium peaches, peeled and sliced

1/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup flour

Crumb Topping

2 1/2 cups flour

1 2/3 cups brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 1/4 cup oats

1 1/4 cup chilled butter, cut into pieces

Combine ingredients in a large bowl and stir well. Divide peach mixture evenly between greased 4" pie pans or ramekins.

For crumb topping: Combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Cut in butter with pastry blending tool until crumbly. Divide topping evenly between dishes. Place dishes on a cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until evenly browned.

I also happened upon a fellow blogger that had a great recipe for popsicles, made with fresh fruit from yours truly. The Mommy & Me, Naturally blog, is a great read for moms and dads alike!

Old Country Store: Gone, But Not Forgotten

2010-08-06T14:43:00.010-05:00

Although the new Country Store is completed and has been open to the public a month today, we are still under construction at Eckert's. Most of what we now call the "old Country Store" has been demolished so that the restaurant expansion can take place. We wanted to keep some of our history intact, so the original Country Store (built in 1927) remains and will be renovated as part of the expansion.

We are very sad to say goodbye to the old store. There have been many memories made in the building, not only by our own family, but for the many families that have came and visited our store over the last 100 years. Although it's hard to see the Country Store we know and love go, we are very excited to explore the new opportunites an expanded restaurant will afford us. This increase in space will double the restaurant's current seating capacity and will make way for us to highlight some new menu options!

The expanded restaurant is scheduled to open in mid-September, although an exact date has yet to be determined. The current restaurant is open daily and will function as usual throughout construction.

As always, we invite our guests to share any ideas and questions with us, and would love to hear your feedback on our new project. We hope to see you and your family soon, as we witness another big change in Eckert's history!

Tri-Fecta Weekend: 3 Crops in 3 Days

2010-07-30T13:19:00.010-05:00

This is the BIGGEST weekend of Pick-Your-Own at Eckert's Belleville farm, due to the fact we are celebrating our Tri-Fecta! So why is this weekend so special and deserving of its name. There's three reasons (go figure):

Loring Peaches, one of our biggest peaches and a long-time customer favorite, will be available for Pick-Your-Own!

We are celebrating our largest blackberry crop in history, and this is the perfect weekend to pick some sweet and plump berries!

For the first time in our history, Eckert's is advertising Pick-Your-Own tomatoes! Never before have we invited our guests into the tomato field to harvest their own bounty, and we're not sure we ever will again!

The Tri-Fecta begins tomorrow, July 31st and continues through Monday, August 2nd. We couldn't have a Tri-Fecta that only lasted two days, right? One thing we can't anticipate is the crowds the Tri-Fecta will attract, so please check our Harvest Hotline the day you are planning to visit for the most current crop information.

In addition to three crops in three days, we are also celebrating the Tri-Fecta on Facebook. Visit Eckert's Facebook Page for a chance to win a $30 Eckert's Gift Card!

Take Your Pick: NEW Homegrown Recipes!

2010-07-23T15:34:00.004-05:00

We hosted this year's first homegrown cooking class in our new cooking classroom on Thursday! Guests were treated to a variety of recipes featuring this season's freshest produce. We thought we would share some of their favorites with you!

Peach Tomato Motz

2 medium Eckert's tomatoes, cut in half through core and sliced

Pearl or small fresh mozzarella balls

1/2 - 1 tsp Kosher salt

Extra Virgin Olive Oil (2-4 Tbsp)

1/2 red onion, sliced very thin

2 medium peaches, peeled, sliced from the pit

Cider vinegar (1 to 2 Tbsp)

Sugar (1 tsp to 1/2 Tbsp)

Layer the tomato slices on a rimmed platter. Salt. Top with thin slices of red onions. Sprinkle sugar across latter. Top with peach slices. Drizzle olive oil. Drizzle withe cider vinegar. Top with mozzarella balls. Serves 4.

Sweet Lime Watermelon Bites

1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (about 4 medium limes)

1/2 cup honey

watermelon, cut in 1/2 inch chunks

mint sprigs for garnish

Place lime juice and honey in a saucepan over low heat or on the side burners of a grill. Bring to a boil and let boil for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Place watermelon slices on a large platter and drizzle with the lime syrup and garnish with mint.

Peach Blackberry Cobbler

Filling

1/2 cup sugar

2 Tbsp all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp salt

3 cups peaches, peeled and sliced

2 cups blackberries

Topping

1 1/3 cups all purpose flour

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

3 Tbsp chilled butter, cut into small pieces

2/3 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine sugar, flour and salt in a large bowl and mix. Stir in fruit. Spoon into a greased 8x8 pan and bake for 15 minutes.

To prepare topping, pour 1 1/3 cup flour, 1/3 cup sugar, baking powder and salt in a food processor: pulse to combine. Add pieces of butter and pulse until it resembles a coarse meal. Pour in buttermilk and pulse until just incorporated.

Remove fruit from oven and top with irregular spoonfuls of dough. Place baking dish on a rimmed pan. Return to oven for 25 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly. Serves 6.

Peaches and blackberries are still ripe for the picking at the Belleville and Grafton farms. Stop by soon and take advantage of our Sale of the Season on homegrown tomatoes... only $.79/lb!!!

Picking & Packing Peaches: Why Eckert's is the Best!

2010-07-16T14:44:00.008-05:00

Harvesting peaches is a lot more complicated than plucking the fruit from a tree and selling it in a store. Well, it's a lot more complicated than that if you want the best peach! We pride ourselves on mastering the techniques that result in the freshest, best tasting fruit and we want to tell you how.

We are now in the heart of peach season, and are picking and packing in the greatest abundance. On a typical day, our farm is harvesting and packing approximately 1500 bushels, in other words 75,000 lbs of peaches. That's a lot of peaches! Our farm crew sets out into the peach orchard at 6 o'clock in the morning to start the day's harvest. Each peach is hand-picked from the tree and put in bins on trailers. These trailers transport the peaches back to Eckert's so they may be put through the packing line.

Once a peach is plucked from the tree, in instantely begins to soften. In order to delay this process, peaches must be cooled down. For instance, on an average summer day, the temperature of a peach is between 90 and 95 degrees when first picked from the tree. This is referred to as "field heat." It is at these high temperatures that the peaches begin to soften and risk becoming mealy in texture. Due to this breakdown risk, it is our policy that our peaches are never in transit from the field to the packing line for anymore than 45 minutes to an hour.

The first step in the peach packing line is the hydrocooler. The hydrocooler pours cold water (36 degrees Fahrenheit) over the peaches, which drops the temperature of each peach by about 20 degrees. At these cooler temperatures, the fruit will remain firmer, enabling them to better withstand the packing process.

Once the peaches are cooled, each piece of fruit, individually, is weighed and graded by hand. Peach size varies anywhere to very small, what we refer to as Checks, all the way to Extra Fancy, our largest, prize-winning peaches. There are four sizes in between Checks and Extra Fancy, totaling six weights of peaches. Grading peaches is much less complex. There is #1 fruit, which is any fruit free of blemishes, bruises, mold and decay. The other group is made up of ripes and seconds; fruit that is too ripe (needs to be used immediately) or damaged fruit. Forty percent of peaches that move through the packing line will be graded as seconds. Of those, half will be sold for a discounted price, while the other half of the peaches will be thrown out on the ground of the peach orchard to serve as a natural fertilizer for future peach crops. None of the peaches we pick are ever just thrown in a dumpster!

After our peaches are hand-picked, hand-graded, hand-weighed and hand-packed, they are then taken into our Country Store where they are available for purchase. While it is a complex and tedious process, we strive to move our peaches through the packing line as quickly and as efficiently as possible. Since the freshest fruit comes directly from its source, it is our policy that peaches bought in our store were hanging on the tree less than two hours before you bought it!

The Unveiling of our New Country Store

2010-07-09T13:51:00.005-05:00

It was a long and hectic 4th of July weekend, but worth every minute of it. We kicked off the Grand Opening of the new Country Store in Belleville this past Tuesday. Forty-five members of the Eckert Family came from as far as Shanghai to take part in the ribbon cutting and met tons of staff, vendors and guests that have been visiting Eckert's for generations. It was amazing! We are so appreciative of everyone's support and encouragement! It's because of all of you that the Illinois House of Representatives declared July 6, 2010 as Eckert's Day! Here's some of the buzz and videos local media contributed to the Grand Opening of the new Country Store. One thing is for sure... Eckert's will be around to serve you and your families for another 100 years!

Show Me St. Louis

St. Louis Post Dispatch - St. Louis Today

Belleville News-Democrat

KSDK Channel 5

KTVI Fox 2 News

Ribbon Cutting and Grand Opening July 6th!

2010-07-02T09:39:00.003-05:00

Our family is excited to announce that the construction of the new Country Store is days away from being complete!

One hundred years ago Alvin O. Eckert, my great-grandfather and member of the fourth generation of the Eckert family to farm in St. Clair County, opened A.O. Eckert's Roadside Market, which was then a simple roadside farm stand. Subsequent generations continued to evolve the family business creating a desitination that millions of families have visited over the years. Today, we represent the sixth and seventh generations of my family to farm in St. Clair County and this project continues that evolution. Eckert's will continue creating family memories for another 100 years with this new facility.

Most of our guests and friends want to know what we like best about the new 22,000 square foot Country Store. Here's is some of the most popular answers from fellow Eckert family members and team members:

Bathrooms
It sounds simple, I know, but the fact of the matter is this is the first time in our 100 year history that we have bathrooms located inside the Country Store. In fact, the new store houses two family restrooms, in addition to separate restrooms for men and women. No more walking to the Country Restaurant unless you want to eat!

Cooking Class
We have been hosting cooking and wine classes for the past three years. Our new store has a 1200 square foot cooking classroom that allows plenty of space and storage to offer more activities, such as private events, birthday parties, and more frequent classes for kids and adults in general. This space is 100 times better than the makeshift classroom we have been previously assembling in the back of the current store.

Space
We now have more retail space and preparation area so that we are able to carry even more fresh meat, produce and specialty items that our guests have been requesting. Plus, there is more room for our guests to safely manuever around the store to find those products. No more traffic jams in the fall!

Garden Center
The Country Store and Garden Center will be adjoined for the first time since the Garden Center opened in 2001. This is much more convenient for our guests and will limit the amount of walking that is required.

Decor

While it is a brand new building, much effort went into emphasizing our farming background and history within the new space. Throughout the facility, guests can enjoy authentic photos, advertisements and labels going back in Eckert's history several decades. In addition, a hand painted family tree adorns a wall of the new facility, starting with Johann Eckert in 1837 all the way to the Eckert children of the eighth generation.

On behalf of the Eckert family, I would like to personally invite you to see the Country Store during Grand Opening Week. Our Ribbon Cutting ceremony is open to the public and will take place at 10:30 am on Tuesday, July 6th. We are continuing the celebration through July 11th with special offers and give-aways for our guests. We hope to see you and your family soon!

Sincerely,

Chris Eckert, President

New Classes in our New Classroom!

2010-06-25T09:13:00.004-05:00

Since Johann Eckert settled in Illinois in 1837, the Eckert family has not only continued the legacy of growing the finest fruit, but also the tradition of preparing and enjoying meals as a family. There years ago, Eckert's began offering cooking and wine classes so we could share this passion with our guests. What started as a seasonal cooking demonstration, has since evolved, resulting in a 1,200 square foot cooking classroom in the new Country Store!

Eckert's has increased the amount of adult cooking classes, wine and food pairing classes, Mommy & Me cooking classes (ages 4 and under) and kids cooking classes (4-12 years old). In addition, classes will expand to include visiting local farmers, cookbook authors and chefs. We will also be offering this new space to visiting groups, as well as for birthday parties and scout activities.

Here is a sneak peek preview of all the July classes that will be held in the new classroom:

FREE Drop-In Cooking Demo
July 10th & 11th: 10 am - 4 pm

Wine & Cheese Pairings
July 15th: 6 pm - 8 pm

Cooking with Herbs
July 17th: 1 pm - 3 pm
July 28th: 6 pm - 8 pm

Mommy & Me Cooking Class: Eckert Grown Favorites
July 19th: 9:30 am - 11 am
July 31st: 9:30 am - 11 am

Kids Cooking Class: Homegrown Cooking
July 20th: 10 am - 12 pm
July 27th: 10 am - 12 pm

Homegrown Recipes Cooking Class
July 22: 6 pm - 8 pm

Canning, Preserving & Freezing Homegrown Favorites
July 24: 1 pm - 3 pm

Wine 101
July 31: 4 pm - 5:30 pm

The new Country Store, residing at the original Belleville location, will open to the public on July 6th. Make sure to stop by the new classroom and get a complete listing of classes offered throughout the rest of the year!

Spaces are limited and reservations are required. Please call (618) 233-0513 to make your reservation today!

First of the Season Sweet Corn, Peaches & Green Beans!

2010-06-18T09:22:00.008-05:00

These hot and humid temperatures are starting to pay it forward with an early homegrown season. In addition to our tree-ripened peaches, we now have homegrown sweet corn, tomatoes, green beans, yellow squash, beets, green peppers and zucchini!

Eckert's Tree-Ripened Peaches
All of Eckert's peaches are tree-ripened, meaning they are left on the tree as long as possible, in order to maximize its sugar content. The peaches are hand-picked at their sweetest, but still firm enough to avoid bruising and blemishes.

Tree-ripened peaches need additional maturing to increase their softness and juiciness. Place peaches on the counter at room temperature for 2-3 days. Do not refrigerate immature peaches, as this inhibits ripening and causes the fruit to become dry, mealy and flavorless. Once the peaches are fully matured, they can be refrigerated for 5-7 days.

There are two types of peaches: clingstones and freestones. Clingstone peaches are the earliest ripening peaches, and are named for the flesh that will not pull away from the pit. Even though clingstones cannot be pitted, they are just as sweet and flavorful as the later, freestone varieties. To remove clingstone peaches from the pit, simply slice or quarter them, making cuts with a paring knife toward the center and around the pit.

Homegrown Sweet Corn
The first of our sweet corn arrived fresh from a field in Smithton, Illinois. This sweet corn is bi-color, meaning the kernels are a combination of yellow and white. Kernel color is a characteristic of its variety, but not an indicator of sweetness.

When selecting sweet corn, look for ears with husks that are tightly folded and green. The silk on the corn should be turning brown and dry on the end. The sugar in sweet corn will begin to breakdown into starch if left at room temperature so refrigerate corn until ready to prepare it. Leave the husk on to retain moisture. If the ears are already husked, place them in a perforated plastic bag.

First Eckert Peaches of the Season are Here!

2010-06-10T10:57:00.008-05:00

Yes, you read it right! The first of our tree-ripened peaches have been hand picked from the tree and are available for purchase in the Country Store. These first peaches are smaller, but are just as sweet and juicy as the larger, later ripening varieties. All in all, it's a great start to the fruitful peach harvest that will continue through most of August!

Here are some of our favorite recipes that we kick off peach season with:

Fresh Peach Pie
4-5 cups peeled and sliced Eckert's peaches
3/4 cup + 1 tsp sugar, divided
3 Tbsp flour
2 Tbsp butter
1/4 Tbsp flavoring* of choice
2 (9-inch) unbaked pie crusts

In a large mixing bowl, combine peaches, 3/4 cup sugar, flour, butter and flavoring. Mix well. Pour into pie crust. Cover with top crust. Seal edges, flute and prick with fork for venting or prepare a lattice-style crust. Brush crust lightly with cold water or cream; sprinkle remaining sugar on top. Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 minutes. Pies may be frozen.

*Our Flavoring Suggestions: cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice or almond extract.

Angie's Peach Cobbler
5 cups peeled and sliced Eckert's peaches
1 cup sugar
3 Tbsp flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 Tbsp butter
Pie crust
Eckert's Frozen Custard

In a large mixing bowl, combine peaches, sugar, flour and cinnamon and mix gently. Pour into an 8 x 8 baking pan. Dot top with butter. Top mixture with pie crust. Bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 35 minutes; allow to cool. Serve topped with Eckert's frozen custard.

In celebration of the first peaches of the season, we are offering 40% OFF a single item from our Country Store, Restaurant or Garden Center. This generous offer won't last long, so hurry in! CLICK HERE FOR YOUR COUPON

See you soon and have a peachy day!

A Perfect Pair - A Wine and Cheese Guide

2010-06-03T08:51:00.004-05:00

Because many of our family members are true wine lovers, we enjoy searching out excellent wines and cheeses. Our Country Store houses over 200 labels of wine and offers over 50 varieties of fresh cut and packaged cheeses. Whether you're an occasional wine drinker or a serious wine enthusiast, here are some general guides our family uses to successfully pair wine and cheese.

Cheeses for the Occasional Wine Drinker
Pairing wine and cheese does not have to be a long, drawn out process of pairing unrecognizable cheeses, with variety-specific wines. Instead, there are widely accepted and general guidelines for pleasing the palate. When serving white wine, serve soft or strong flavored cheeses. If serving red wine, choose hard and milder cheeses. If serving a wide range of cheeses, its best to serve fruity and sweet white wines. If you're still not sure, serve Manchego, Parmigiano and Romano cheeses as they compliment the majority of wines.

Cheeses for the Wine Enthusiast
Bleu - Tawny Port, Sherry, Shiraz
Brie - Sweet Sherry
Cheddar, Mild - Chardonnay
Cheddar, Aged - Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, Port
Colby - Riesling
Gouda - Riesling
Gruyere - Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Cote du Rhone
Havarti - Bordeaux, Cabernet Sauvignon
Mascarpone - Moscado d'Asti
Monterey Jack - Riesling
Muenster - Zinfandel, Gewurztraminer
Provolone - Chardonnay
Swiss - Gewurztraminer

Serving Suggestions
A cheese's flavor is always at its best when served at room temperature. Cut cheese just before serving to keep it from drying out.

Red wines should be stored at room temperature, but placed in the refrigerator 30 minutes before serving. White wines should be chilled, but removed from refrigeration 30 minutes before serving. These temperatures allow the wine to present best on the palate.

Adding fruit is a great way to enhance the appeal of a traditional cheese tray. We recommend serving grapes, peaches, pears, apples, strawberries and blackberries with various wines and cheeses.

Summer Wine Pairings in the Vineyards - June 10 at 6 pm
Join us for our second annual summer wine class taking place amid the beautiful vineyard and orchard landscape. Enjoy a tractor ride from the Country Store to the vineyard, where you will compare and contrast varietals and sample food pairings that work fantastically with these wines. Spaces are limited so please call (618) 233-0513 to make your reservation. $20/person

Wine, Dine and Jazz Festival - June 11 and June 12
Eckert's is excited to be the presenting sponsor for this year's Wine, Dine and Jazz Festival in downtown Belleville. We will also be hosting cooking classes at the event for the third consecutive year. Chris Eckert will be demonstrating a variety of recipes showcasing our local meats and produce. Each recipe will have an accompanying Illinois wine pairing. The cooking classes will be held in Eckert's cooking tent in Belleville's public square at 6:15 pm on Friday, June 11th and again at 3:15 and 6:15 pm on Saturday, June 12th. Classes are FREE and open to the public.

Enjoy 25% OFF seafood at Eckert's through June 8, 2010. CLICK HERE for a printer-friendly coupon.

Our Favorite Memorial Day Recipes

2010-05-28T09:14:00.006-05:00

How I've looked forward to this weekend since December. The weather is warm and I finally get to break out my grill for the year! Here is one of my favorite all-American cheeseburger recipes that puts a twist on the traditional burger.

Tastiest Bacon Cheddar Burgers

2 lbs ground chuck

1 pkg instant dry onion-mushroom soup mix

1/4 cup chopped parsley

1/4 cup steak sauce

8 slices white cheddar cheese

1 large red onion, cut into 1/4 inch thick slices

8 hamburger buns

1/2 cup ranch dressing

2 medium tomatoes, thinly sliced

16 slices of bacon, fried

Heat gas or charcoal grill. In large bowl, mix ground beef, soup mix, parsley and steak sauce until well blended. Shape mixture into 8 patties, about 3/4 inch thick. Place patties on grill. Cover grill; cook over medium heat 13-15 minutes, turning once - until meat thermometer inserted in center of patties reads 160 degrees F. Top each burger patty with cheese slice; cook just until cheese is melted. Meanwhile, brush onion slices with olive oil. Add to grill last 5 to 8 minutes or cooking time for patties. To toast buns, place cut side down on grill during last 1 to 2 minutes of cooking time. Layer buns with lettuce, ranch dressing, burger patties, bacon, tomato slices and onion slices.

Aunt Helen's salad has always been a favorite, too. It's the first thing I always go for on our picnic table smorgasbord.

Aunt Helen's Strawberry Romaine Salad

1 cup vegetable oil

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1 large head Romaine lettuce

1 pint Eckert strawberries, sliced

1 cup shredded Swiss cheese

1/2 cup walnuts

Combine first seven ingredients in a large jar. Cover tightly, and shake well. You can refrigerate this dressing up to 1 week.

To serve: Tear lettuce into bit-size pieces. Combine torn lettuce, strawberries, cheese and walnuts in a large bowl. Pour shaken dressing over salad. Toss gently.

Eckert Family Tip: If serving as a entree, use grilled or fried chicken to add protein!

Stop by Eckert's this weekend for your favorite dips, spreads and salsas. Receive 50% off when you buy one at regular price. Click here for a printer-friendly coupon.

Most importantly...

On behalf of the Eckert family, I would like to thank our service members and their families for their unwavering dedication to freedom and for all their sacrifices. May your Memorial Day be one of honor and rememberance.

Eckert Family Favorite Strawberry Recipes

2010-05-21T08:39:00.007-05:00

We have been growing strawberries at the Belleville farm for over 50 years. Throughout the years, our family has developed signature recipes that have became spring time traditions in our family. Now we'd like to pass them on to your family.

Grandma Ruth's Glazed Strawberry Pie

2 full pints hulled Eckert's strawberries
1 cup sugar
4 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. lemon juice or lemon extract

1 (9-inch) baked pie shell

Whipped cream

Using a potato masher, crush one pint of berries in a saucepan. In a bowl, combine sugar and cornstarch; add to berries. Cook, stirring until thickened and clear. Add lemon juice. Cool. Cut remaining pint of berries in halves and add to mixture. Pour into pie shell and chill. Top with whipped cream and serve.

Gracie's Favorite Strawberry Lemonade
1 quart of Eckert's strawberries, washed and hulled
3/4 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup granulated sugar
3 3/4 cup club soda, chilled
Fresh strawberries and lemon to garnish

Place 1 quart strawberries in blender or food processor. Cover and process until smooth. Combine lemon juice and sugar in a pitcher, stir until sugar is dissolved. Add strawberry puree, stirring well. Stir in club soda just before serving. Serve over ice. Garnish each glass with a fresh strawberry.

Aunt Juanita's Strawberry Preserves
1 1/5 quarts of Eckert's strawberries, washed and hulled
1/2 cup lemon juice
6 cups of sugar

Place whole strawberries in a large kettle. Sprinkle sugar and let stand for 3 or 4 hours. Bring slowly to a boil, stirring occasionally until sugar dissolves. Add lemon juice. Boil rapidly until thick, about 20 minutes. Ladle immediately into sterilized jelly jars. Fill to 1/8 inch of top. Screw caps on evenly and tightly. Invert for a few seconds and stand upright to cool. Make about four 8 oz. jars.

Think Like Grandma... Freeze Your Berries

2010-05-14T08:27:00.007-05:00

You go out to the field with your family and spend all that time stooped over seeking out nature's sweetest rewards. The berries are red and ripe. You would know, you've taste tested a couple already. You couldn't resist that plump, dangling berry calling your name. Before you know it, the kids look adorable with their strawberry-stained faces and your flat is heaping with mounds of fresh picked strawberries, given to you by Mother Nature herself. Your smiling, and then it dawns on you. "What in the heck am I going to do with all these berries? They'll mold and rot and I'll have to throw them out. What a shame." That's when Grandma pops in your head and says, "Freeze those berries. Don't waste them! Enjoy them while their long-gone out of season. That's what we would of done."

When Measuring Strawberries:

1 1/2 pounds = 2 pints or 1 quart

1 pint = 3 1/4 cups whole berries

1 pint = 2 1/4 cups sliced berries

1 pint = 1 2/3 cups pureed berries

1 cup = 4 ounces

Dry Sugar Pack

Sprinkle sugar over berries, using 2/3 to 3/4 cups sugar for each quart of fruit. Gently turn berries over and over until the sugar is thoroughly dissolved before packing in containers.

Syrup Pack

Make a syrup using 1 1/4 cups water with a 1 cup of sugar. Dissolve the sugar in either cold or hot water; if hot water is used, be sure to chill the syrup before using. Use about 1/2 to 2/3 cup of syrup for each pint.

Pectin Syrup

Combine one box powdered pectin with one cup water in sauce pan; stir and boil for one minute. Stir in 1/2 cup sugar and dissolve. Remove from stove and add enough cold water to make 2 cups syrup; chill the mixture before using. This amount should coat approximately 16 pints of berries.

Unsweetened Pack

Cover whole or sliced berries with water or berry juice containing one teaspoon of Fruit Fresh to each quart of liquid.

Strawberries: The Pick of the Season

2010-05-07T09:09:00.007-05:00

There is nothing like a big, red and juicy strawberry fresh from the field. We have been growing berries at the Belleville farm for over 50 years. We usually expect to harvest our strawberries in mid-May, but the unpredictable weather is always the final decision maker. This year is no exception, as the early spring temperatures allowed our berries to ripen a week ahead of schedule. Sunlight and temperature also play a vital role in the day to day ripening of berries, so we always recommend checking our Harvest Hotline the day you are planning to visit Eckert's.

Not only do these attractive and sweet berries make excellent additions to a variety of dishes and desserts, but they are also very nutritious. Ounce for ounce, strawberries have more Vitamin C than than any type of citrus fruit. Eight strawberries will provide 140% of the recommended daily intake of Vitamin C for kids. One cup of strawberries yields 94.12 mg of Vitamin C, 44.82 mg of Potassium, 23.24 mg of Calcium, and contains only 50 calories!

Look for bright red strawberries, with the green caps still in place. When these caps are removed, chemicals are released that deplete Vitamin C. Make sure mold is not present on any of the strawberries. Once one berry grows mold, the other berries have been exposed to invisible spores, that will eventually lead to the contamination of the whole container.

Use strawberries as soon as possible after they are purchased. It is important to loosely cover unwashed berries with plastic wrap. Make sure to keep strawberries in the refrigerator. When you are ready to use the strawberries, rinse them in a colander. Do not let the berries soak, for soaking minimizes both color and sweetness.

With all this excitement about berries, you probably think we've forgotten all about Mother's Day this coming Sunday, but our moms taught us better than that. In honor of the special day, we asked some of our moms for their favorite strawberry dessert recipes so you can surprise you're mom with a new spring dessert this Sunday!

Strawberry Napoleons
Submitted by Lauie Schloesser
1 package instant vanilla pudding
1 cup cold 2% milk
1 1/2 cups whipped topping
1/2 package frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 pint fresh Eckert strawberries, thinly sliced
1/4 cup confectioners sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Combine pudding mix and cold milk; fold in whipped topping. Refrigerate until ready to use. Unfold pastry on a cool, lightly floured surface. Cut into 3 strips along fold marks, then cut each strip into four equal pieces. Place 2 inches apart on a baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown. Remove from baking sheet and cool. Split pastries into two layers. Spread 8 bottom layers with dollops of the pudding mixture. Top each with a layer of strawberries, a small mound of pudding, and another pastry layer. Spread with remaining pudding mixture and strawberries and top with remaining pastry layers. Sprinkle with confectioners sugar.

Facts and Statistics provided by the University of Illinois Extension

Thinking Outside the Container... Tips for Great Hanging Baskets

2010-04-30T08:55:00.004-05:00

Just about anyone can grow a hanging basket brimming with blooms with a bit of creativity and some basic tips about baskets and what to put in them. A good container for plants is one that has sides and a drainage opening of some sort. Most of us think of the green or white plastic baskets that have a reservoir for water in the bottom - a good choice no doubt. However, there are millions of options for fun and creative hanging baskets. Create a drainage hole with a drill and add some wire or chains and just about anything can become a "hanging basket."

The beneath the scenes (a.k.a. "soil") of a hanging basket is the most critical part of a great looking basket. Successful baskets involve 3 main ingredients:

1. Good potting mix (I love Fertiloam brand!)

2. A slow release fertilizer such as Osmocote TM

3. A product to help the potting mix retain moisture, such as Soil Moist TM

A light weight potting mix is mostly comprised of peat moss and perlite. Both of these products allow good drainage so that roots can spread to develop full and sturdy plants. Osmocote helps reduce the need for fertilizing throughout the summer months. Soil moist on the other hand, is an excellent additive because it keeps the container from drying out so quickly. Lack of water is the number one cause of death or failure of beautiful hanging baskets. Simply follow the instructions on packages of Osmocote and Soil Moist for the best results.

Now it's time to consider the ingredients of a well-balanced basket. We talk in terms of thrillers, fillers and spillers. A thriller is the tallest plant in the basket and draws your attention via height. Examples include spikes, sun coleus and argyanthemum. The filler is the medium-height plants in the basket that fill the majority of the pot horizontally with its bushy shape. Sun plants on my filler list include melampodium, verbena, geranium and petunias. The spillers complete the look, pouring over the sides of the container to add trailing drama. Spillers with plentiful blooms include bacopa, tapien verbana and trailing lantana. The combinations are endless and if you are needing inspiration, just stop by the Garden Center to see some examples or to ask our garden experts to help you design the picture perfect basket. If you don't have the time or just don't want the mess, pick one of the hundreds of beautiful baskets that we have grown for you.

Happy Gardening!

Eckert's Frozen Custard Shop Opening Soon!

2010-04-26T14:21:00.005-05:00

"You can have any flavor, as long as it's vanilla." -Henry Eckert

While its true that frozen custard was first introduced at Coney Island in 1919, it wasn't until this frozen treat was brought to the World's Fair in 1934 that its popularity gained serious momentum and became an adopted child of the midwest.

There are several keys differences between frozen custard and ice cream. Most notable is that frozen custard contains at least 10% butterfat, which is higher than that of typical ice cream. This increase in butterfat directly relates to the taste. To get an idea of this difference, think about the taste of skim milk compared to that of whole milk. Despite this increase in butterfat and the resulting richness of frozen custard, it is actually lower in calories than ice cream, including Ben & Jerry's and Haagen Daz.

The way frozen custard is made and stored also differs from its ice cream counterpart. Frozen custard is made fresh daily and served fresh daily. Ice cream machines, including soft serve, generally pump a lot of air into the ice cream mixture, resulting in a courser, harder ice cream. This process is called "overrun" and traditional ice cream can have as much as 100% overrun. Frozen custard typically only has between 20% to 25%. Furthermore, ice cream is usually kept in a freezer, at or below 0 degrees Fahrenheit, while frozen custard is usually made and served at 20 degrees Fahrenheit. The super coldness of ice cream can cause a numbing effect, affecting taste. Since frozen custard is served warmer, you are better able to enjoy its smooth consistency and deliciously rich flavor.

Eckert's Frozen Custard Shop will be opening for its 2010 season this Saturday, May 1st. In addition to authentic frozen custard, we will also have a wide array of menu items including sundaes and concretes featuring our own homegrown fruits and home baked pies!

Simple Soil Testing... See If You Hit Pay Dirt

2010-04-23T10:19:00.005-05:00

Spring is certainly in the air and the planting urge is kicking in. When the first sunny days arrive, it is tempting to immediately plant anything we can get in our hands and shovels.

However, our plants would be a lot happier if we take just minute to think about their new home. After all, the more comfortable and nourishing their home becomes, the healthier they will be in the long run. Poor soil makes growing things much more challenging. So, if given the choice, start with good soil first to save yourself heartache and labor later.

A few techniques can help quickly identify general characteristics about your soil. Good soils are high in organic material (partially decomposing leaves, etc.) and are typically dark brown in color. New home sites often have been stripped of good, rich soil and consist of light brown soils. Unfortunately, lighter soils are typically higher in dense clay which impeded root growth.

Another simple and fun soil analysis is call the "Ribbon Test."
1. Moisten a handful of soil in the palm of your hand until it is the consistency of putty.
2. Work the soil into a ball about 1/2" in diameter.
3. Press the ball between your forefinger and thumb to form a ribbon.

If the soil forms ribbons easily and feels mostly sticky and smooth, it is primarily clay. If the soil does not hold any shape, it is very high in sand. If the soil forms short ribbons and feels smooth with a few rough particles, it is a loamy soil. Loam consists of sand, silt and clay and is ideal for garden and landscape plants.

If you have sandy or clay soil, you can improve it by adding organic materials such as compost, peat moss or humus. Spread to a 4" layer of organic materials on the soil and work it in to a depth of 12 inches. A good soil is comprised of approximately 1/3 organic material. Because organic material decomposes over time, it is a good idea to retest your soil and occasionally topdress established beds with organic materials.

Now let's take a pop quiz... What's the secret to spectacular plants? Good soil! So take some time this spring to set the stage for a great growing season and you'll be reaping rewards before you know it!

Happy Gardening,
Angie Eckert

Spring Vegetables Fresh from the Field

2010-04-19T13:45:00.008-05:00

Warm weather and sunny days have come early this year, and with it has come the harvest of spring vegetables. Rhubarb, artisan lettuce, and both green and white asparagus are now available, all with good volume and great quality.

Rhubarb: Selection, Storage and Tips
Look for moderately-thin, crisp stalks that are dark pink to red. Avoid green, thick stalks. If the leaves are still attached, make sure they are not wilted and that they are free of blemishes. Place rhubarb stalks in a plastic bag and store for 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator crisper.

Rhubarb is pretty tart, so you will have to sweeten it when you cook it, but the redder the stalk and the longer it is cooked, the less sweetener you will need.

Asparagus: Selection, Storage and Tips
Homegrown white asparagus is a tradition at Eckert's. Local farmers were among the first in the nation to begin mass cultivation of white asparagus over 30 years ago. White asparagus differs from green, in that it is never allowed exposure to the sun, halting the production of chlorophyll, the chemical responsible for giving the stalks color. Farmers mound dirt around the stalks to block the sunlight and then must dig the spears out of the dirt during harvest. The work is labor intensive, but the resulting snow white asparagus is delicious.

Even though white asparagus tends to be milder in flavor and more tender than its green relative, all varieties and colors of asparagus may be interchanged in recipes.

Select stalks that are straight and are richly green in color with tightly-closed tips. Avoid stalks that are discolored or have ridges. Stalks should be firm, not limp. Try and purchase stalks that are about the same size, for ease of preparation. Do not wash asparagus before storing it. Trim the ends and either stand them in a jar with a inch of water, covered by a plastic bag, or wrap the ends with damp paper towels. Asparagus will keep in the refrigerator for 2 days.

To wash asparagus, simply move the stalk through cool water, using your hands to wash it. Never soak asparagus.

Asparagus needs to be cooked quickly, so sauteing and stir frying is a great prep method. When boiling, asparagus will cook even after being removed from boiling water. It is important that you don't overcook it. Serve asparagus either warm or at room temperature. Refrigeration dulls the flavor of cooked asparagus.

Asparagus can be frozen for up to nine months, by blanching the stalks in boiling water for 3 to 4 minutes and then immediately chilling them in water.

Early plantings of lettuce and radishes are coming along nicely, as well. As long as temperatures stay reasonably warm, the harvest of tomatoes and sweet corn could come in as much as two weeks earlier than in recent years, with homegrown watermelon and cantaloupe right behind them. Of course, it's never good to count the chickens before the eggs hatch, so we will just keep an eye on Mother Nature, and patiently await the arrival of her bounty!

Redbuds... A Trophy for Your Landscape

2010-04-16T09:38:00.005-05:00

Trees are a great way to create memories with your family and friends. You don't always remember that Uncle Bob gave you a Barbie or Transformer, but the memory of climbing or napping under a tree lasts a lifetime.

Jerry, the Garden Center manager, personally loves redbuds for their bloom and their ease of growth. "This makes redbuds one of the best choices for homeowners who want a small, ornamental tree to brighten up their landscape." Since redbuds are adapted to our climate, they are one of the few flowering trees that thrive in the wild in southern Illinois.

Redbuds thrive in partial to full sun and need ample water. They generally grow to be 15 feet tall and are just as wide, and are vase shaped with green spade-shaped leaves. Some varieties of redbuds do have varying leaf color. For instance, Forest Pansy redbuds have red leaves, while Silver Cloud redbuds have variegated green and white leaves.

In our opinion, redbuds are under-used in the home landscape, but they are definately not your only option when it comes to a flowering tree. Dogwoods are nice, too. These are white blooming trees that stand 10-12 feet tall and 8-10 feet wide. Dogwoods do need shade or a half day of sun. They like water, but don't want to stand in it all the time.

Landscaping is an accessory to your home, and trees are the trophy. Why not choose the most beautiful ones that do well in our area? They are sure to give you years of memories and a nice place to call home.

A Picture is Worth a Billion Blossoms

2010-04-12T13:45:00.007-05:00

If you've driven by any apple orchards in the last day or two, you've probably noticed that apple bloom is well underway. Thanks to these warm temperatures, it's a little earlier than we first anticipated, but we're not complaining. The sooner we get to eat an apple fresh off the tree the better.

Not only is it an early bloom, but it is a heavy bloom. Judy Eckert described walking through the Millstadt orchard as "divine this spring." Farmers refer to a bloom of this magnitude as a "snowball bloom." Unfortunately, no matter how beautiful, the more the merrier doesn't hold true for apple orchards. Since blossoms essentially turn to fruit, there is a risk of overcropping. When there are too many apples on the tree, the size and quality of the fruit is sacrificed. This is why the farm crew will be working diligently the next couple of weeks to thin the blossoms, which will ensure successful fruit production.

What you probably haven't noticed is all the bees buzzing around the orchard. Bees are needed to successfully pollinate the apples. Unfortunately, Mother Nature doesn't guarantee the amount of bees required to pollinate an entire apple orchard, so we have beekeepers come in to help us. The bees are responsible for transferring pollen from one blossom to another. In order to successfully produce fruit, cross-pollination must occur between apple trees. In layman's terms, this means that a bee cannot transfer pollen from one Golden Delicious blossom to another Golden Delicious blossom, but rather must transfer it to another variety of apple tree. This is why it is an absolute necessity to plant two different varieties of apple trees in close proximity to one another.

As the old saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words, but here on the farm, it's worth a billion blossoms...

Azaleas... The Royalty of the Garden!

2010-04-09T12:19:00.004-05:00

"I love azaleas for their color and practicality in the landscape. The Girard and Hershey azaleas are a couple of my favorites. I also like the new Encore, a repeat blooming azalea." -Jerry Hearn, Garden Center Manager

As a child growing up, I always thought that azaleas were just another plant that my Grandpa had to replant every year, not realizing that they were a perennial shrub. When I was nine years old, I decided to help Grandpa "clean up" the flower beds in the back of the house. I think you can see where this is going. Yes, I cut down the azaleas! Instead of pulling out the belt, Grandpa, bless his heart, just smiled at me and said, "I guess we'll have to buy Grandma a new one." Because of this, I will always remember Azaleas and treasure them as one of my favorite flowering shrubs.

About Azaleas

Azaleas generally do well on the east or north side of a house. They like early morning sunlight to dry the dew off their foliage, but they do not like afternoon sun. Azaleas like acidic soil, ranging on the pH scale from 5.5-6. There are soil amendments that you can use to accomplish this pH level. They don't like wet feet, so make sure you plant them in a well-drained spot.

Evergreen vs. Deciduous

Are azaleas evergreen or deciduous? Azaleas can be both. Deciduous azaleas drop all their leaves in the fall. If the weather is dry, they may drop their leaves earlier than usual. Their leaves grow back in the spring. In warmer climates or unusually warm winters, deciduous azaleas may retain some of the their leaves through winter.

Evergreen azaleas also drop their leaves, but appear to be evergreen, because they grow two sets of leaves each year. Their spring leaves are thinner, larger and grow along the stems. These leaves drop off in the fall. Their summer leaves are thicker, small, grow crowded at the branch ends and remain through winter. In colder climates or extremely cold weather, evergreen azaleas may drop most of their leaves in the winter.

Pruning Azaleas

The best time to prune your azaleas is before they send out new growth for spring. The only problem is that you will be cutting off this year's blooms, so be careful. The next best time to prune is during or right after bloom. This will maximize the time the plant has to fill out before winter.

So, if you want a beautiful shrub that will give the color and grace of a rose without the thorns, try an azalea!

The Essence of Wine

2010-04-05T17:28:00.003-05:00

"The progression of smells and tastes we enjoy with wine is like that of no other beverage. Wine fans call these "essences" and these are what make wines special." -Glenn Boeker, Eckert's Wine Manager

Some will tell you that the soil where the grapes are grown has a history of producing other plant life. They will say that the scent and taste of these previous plantings finds its way into the wine grapes. Some Europeans believe their "old world" wine has more terroir, or flavor, from the soil than "new world" wine. While this is one possible explanation for the complexity of wine flavors, we don't believe it to be correct.

We believe that the vessels and processes used to produce the wine are a major factor in the earthiness or smoky taste in old world wines. Most of the old world wines use wood and concrete tanks, which cannot be cleaned as well as the stainless steel tanks used in the new world.

It is a fact, that wine grapes are blessed with more than 20 components of flavor, while ordinary fruits generally have less than 10. Hence a wine made from pears, for example, will not be as complex as one made from grapes. In other words, it won't have as many essences.

There are distinctive essences associated with most varietals of wine grapes. Grass, gooseberry and grapefruit, for example, are used to describe the essences of Sauvignon Blanc wine. If grown in a warmer climate, from 35 to 40 degrees latitude, the wine will show grassy essences. However, if the same grape varietal is grown in a cooler climate, from 50 to 55 degrees latitude, the gooseberry and grapefruit essences usually prevail. Maritime climates can adjust this latitudinal effect, which would explain why many good wine regions are close to water.

In our Essence of Wine class, we experiment with six wines produced from different grapes varietals and try to identify the essences they contain. Essences are distinctive to your individual perceptions and we may not agree on all of them. Obviously, your perceptions are most beneficial to your own wine drinking pleasure.

So why are wine essences important? Suppose you like Sauvignon Blanc and want one to enjoy with your favorite white lasagna recipe. This dish has the usual lasagna cheeses, but asparagus and maybe other greens instead of meat. When you ask a wine specialist for a recommendation, they may ask if you prefer the grass or grapefruit essence. There are grassy wines from California and citrusy ones from New Zealand. Obviously, you will want to pick a wine that displays the essence you most enjoy.

Other varietal wines have similar stories, but different essences. Find out what essences you like and look for them in the wines you buy. If you would like to learn more about the essence of wine and a chance to identify your own preferences, please join us for our wine essence class on Thursday, April 8th from 6-8 pm. Spaces are limited, so please call (618) 233-0513 to make your reservations.

Fresh Herbs: From Garden to Plate

2010-04-02T15:11:00.003-05:00

Did you know that Eckert's has its own herb garden? We sure do. The Garden Center grows fresh herbs and we use them in our prepared foods. Since becoming a culinary gardener, we've been rewarded with flavor, fragrance, and a variety of texture, color and leaf shapes.

If you have never grown herbs before, but are considering it, let us encourage you by telling you that they are super easy to grow and very tolerant plants. In fact, they often thrive and even produce the best flavors when kindly ignored (just keep them free of weeds). Herbs require well-drained soil or potting mix and about six hours per day of full sun. If you don't have space for a traditional garden, not to worry, as herbs will do excellent in containers, too.

If you are a beginning herb gardener, we recommend the following perennials: chives, marjoram, English thyme, sage and Italian oregano. These herbs will come back year after year. Basil is another great herb to try, but it is an annual, so it will have to re-planted each year.

We all know that kids like to help and gardening is a fun way to show them where their food comes from. Once you reap the benefits of your garden, cooking up some snacks with your fresh herbs will be both fun and delicious! Some favorites herbs for kids include chocolate mint (finely mince and add to your favorite brownie recipe), pineapple sage (actually tastes like the fruit) and French tarragon (tastes like black licorice)!

Once you begin to use fresh herbs in your favorite recipes, you'll never want to go back to using dried herbs again. But remember, a little goes a long way. You do not need much to make an extraordinary impact in your cooking.

Here are a just a few of our favorite recipes using fresh herbs, but let your taste buds guide you.

Crusty Tomato Basil Bites
4 medium sized tomatoes, seeded and chopped
2 Tbsp. finely chopped green or red bell peppers
1 Tbsp. finely chopped red onion
2 garlic clove, pressed
8 large, fresh basil leaves
2 Tbsp. olive oil
Salt and ground pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese
1 small sourdough break loaf

In a medium bowl, combine tomato, bell pepper, onion and garlic. Stack basil leaves, cut into long thin strips. Add basil leaves to tomato mixture and add oil. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and let stand 1-2 hours to let flavor blend.

Diagonally cut bread into long, thin slices. Broil or grill on both sides until golden brown. Spoon tomato mixture on to bread slices, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and add ground black pepper. Serve immediately!

Mom's Mint Punch
5 lemons
4 oranges
1 small grapefruit
1 6oz. can of pineapple juice (3/4 cup)
2 cups sugar
1 quart water
Two handfuls fresh mint leaves, washed

Squeeze lemons, oranges and grapefruit juice into a gallon pitcher or large container. Add rinds. Add pineapple juice. In medium saucepan, combine sugar, water and mint. Bring to boil, stir until sugar is dissolved. Pour the hot liquid over the juice and rinds. Let cool. Squeeze out rinds and discard. Add enough water to make one gallon. Refrigerate.

Egg-cellent Decorating Tips & Tricks

2010-03-29T13:24:00.010-05:00

I know what you're thinking... everything you need for decorating your eggs is available in that little kit you buy at the store. While this may be true, there is also some great decorating tricks and tools available right in your own home. So in case you've forgotten to pick up your kit, or are just wanting to be more resourceful, this blog posting is for you.

First, you must prepare your eggs for the decorating process. This is most effectively done by hard-cooking your eggs. Follow these steps to ensure your eggs are cooked appropriately.

1. Place eggs in one layer in a saucepan and add water to at least an inch above the eggs. It is very important that the eggs are not stacked on top of one another, as heaping them increases the likelihood of cracking.

2. Cover the saucepan and heat just to boiling and then turn off and remove from heat. Eggs that are over-cooked are more susceptible to cracking and tend to form a harmless, but unattractive green ring around the egg's yolk.

3. Keep the eggs in the covered saucepan for 15 minutes for large eggs (a few minutes less for smaller eggs, a few minutes more for larger eggs).

4. Place the eggs in ice water or run under cold water until the eggs are completely cooled.

One of my family's tradition was to remove the contents of our eggs, so my mother could keep the eggs we decorated. It's a bit gooey, but the kids think it's fun and it is a nice keepsake even if they only stay in one piece through summer.

To empty out the eggs, simply do the following:

1. Insert a needle in the larger end of a raw egg. Carefully move the needle around until the hole is about a quarter inch across.

2. Then insert the needle in the opposite end of the egg. This hole does not need to be as large as the other one. Make sure the needle is inserted deep into the egg so that the yolk breaks.

3. Using your mouth, blow into the smaller hole so that the egg yolk and whites come out of the larger hole. Make sure to do this over a bowl to catch all the insides.

4. Once the egg is empty, run the eggshell under the faucet, shaking and rinsing it to make sure the inside of the egg is cleaned out.

Make-Your-Own Egg Dye

Combine 1/2 to 1 Tbsp. of food coloring with 2 tsp. of vinegar. Simply combine food coloring to create different colors. Remember, the longer the egg sits in the dye, the darker the color of the egg.

Egg Designs

The wax used to make crayons is actually resistant to dyes. Use a white crayon to decorate or write on undyed eggs. Once the eggs are dyed, the artwork or writing will show through on the dyed egg. This is a great way to write names on your eggs.

To create a striped effect on eggs, simply wrap rubber bands around the eggs before you dip them in the dye. Wait until dry and then remove the rubber bands. Simply use a small paint brush and food coloring or acrylic paint to color over the white stripes.

Take a household sponge and cut it into pieces. Dip the pieces into food coloring or acrylic paint. Apply the sponge to the egg's surface for a spotty, spongy design.

A Twist on the Traditional Egg Hunt

An Eckert team member mentioned that her dad use to not only hide eggs, but also her Easter basket! I asked around and no one else had done this, but I thought what a fun twist. It'd be a great way to add an extra element, and could even it out if you have younger and older kids. Maybe only hide the older kids' baskets to give the tots a head start!

It's Time to Repot Your Plants!

2010-03-26T11:55:00.006-05:00

Houseplants are one of the best ways to bring the outdoors inside and is a great way to decorate your home. Now that the days are getting longer, you houseplants will start sprouting new growth. This is the ideal time to repot, before the new growing season begins. Repotting your plant is a simple process that will result in happier, more vigorous plants.

Does your plant need to be repotted? Here are some questions to ask yourself that will help you find the answer:

Is the plant too big for its pot?
Does the plant need to be watered constantly?
Are roots growing on the surface of the soil?
Are roots coming out of the holes in the pot?
Is there white, crusty salt build-up on the surface of the soil?
Is it all roots and no soil in the pot?
Is the overall health of the plant poor?

First, you'll need to decide what size of pot to use. As a general rule of thumb, use a pot that is no more than 2 inches bigger than the one the plant is currently in. For example, if the plant is in a 4" pot, then go no bigger than a 6" pot. Always make sure the pot you have selected has a drain hole in the bottom.

Now that you have chosen your new pot, you will need fresh potting soil, a pair of scissors, and gravel or a coffee filter. Line the bottom of the new pot with the gravel or coffee filter to keep the soil from washing out of the drain holes. Pick up your plant and gently tip it out of its pot and carefully remove as much soil as possible from around the roots. Examine the roots and cut off any roots that are black or mushy. Ruffle the good roots to promote new root growth. If the roots are growing in a circular patter, creating a root ball, then make 3 or 4 vertical cuts through the roots and gently pull them apart. Fill about 1/3 of the new pot with potting soil, then place the plant and fill the remaining area with potting soil. The goal is to have the newly potted plant sit in the new container at the same level it was in the previous container, with new soil around and beneath the roots. Tamp soil down, water thoroughly and let drain. Don't be surprised if the plant wilts a little, as repotting can shock them a bit. Just let it be and the plant should rebound quickly and reward you with vigorous new growth!

If you are still unsure how to repot your houseplants or just don't want the mess, bring them to the Garden Center and we will repot your plant for FREE if you bring in a larger pot or purchase one from us. FREE soil, FREE repotting and the mess stays with us! Offer expires April 11, 2010.

Happy Gardening!

What's That Going to Be?

2010-03-22T13:14:00.006-05:00

Now that our expansion project is starting to take shape we have found that our customers have a lot of questions, so we of course want to give you the answers:

So what is that going to be?

That my friends, is our soon-to-be new Country Store we've been talking about. This new facility will boast expanded retail space for local produce, locally raised beef and pork in a fresh meat shop, specialty foods, an expanded bakery and a 1200 square foot cooking and workshop classroom.

When will the new store open?

The new store will celebrate its grand opening in early July.

What's going to happen where the old store is?

Some of the building will be demolished, but the majority of it will stay intact and will be renovated to expand our Country Restaurant by 180 seats, doubling our current seating capacity. This renovation will bring our expansion project to its conclusion in September 2010.

Now for the most asked question of all...

What's happening with the white house on the property?

That is Aunt Juanita's house which now sits vacant. We will unfortunately be losing this house due to some changes required by the Illinois Department of Transportation. Due to traffic patterns and safety precautions, IDOT has requested we move our entrance further away from the traffic light at the intersection of Greenmount Road and Highway 15. It is an unfortunate loss, but we recognize that safety has to be our top priority.

While we will miss Aunt Juanita's house and cherish all the family memories made there, the Eckert family continues to make investments into what we call the "House on the Hill". The house is considered the original Eckert family home on Turkey Hill and has been in existence over 100 years. Fourteen years ago, the St. Clair County Historical Society cited the home has a historical landmark. We will continue the tradition of upkeep, maintenance and renovation to ensure this part of the Eckert heritage remains standing for another 100 years and hopefully many more.

Warm Memories with Cold Crop Vegetables

2010-03-19T12:44:00.005-05:00

Is it too early? This is the question I seem to ask myself every year at this time. Can I plant anything? Can I mow the grass? Am I wasting my time? These are the follow up questions and the answers depend on you as much as they do on the weather. I love to garden and find few things more rewarding than gardening. My boys are starting to get old enough to realize that it's time to "work in the yard." Luke, my six year old, loves to ride on the mower the first time every year with Dad, but Kaden my three year old, already got out his wheelbarrow and rake on his own and started to clean up the garden. How cool is that! Without so much as a word, my three old son is excited about gardening!

I remember my own childhood like it was yesterday, picking the sweet rewards of my first garden with my Grandpa. You might assume that it might of been the first tomato or first green bean, but it was actually lettuce. It was with my Grandpa that I learned a successful garden does not have to start with Mother's Day or Memorial Day. Cold crops vegetables do well before the beautiful days of May or the sun of July.

Have you ever tasted homegrown broccoli or the light, fresh taste of baby greens grown in your own backyard? Some of the most amazing food in the world is of the simplest form, no sauces or preservatives... who knew brussels sprouts could be sweet? Don't get me wrong, I do love sweet corn or the anxiously awaited first tomato from the garden. But it feels like you have a secret or a great prize when you are harvesting your first lettuce out of your own garden by the middle of April.

To start a cold crop, you need to have a well drained spot that gets as much sun as possible this time of year. Now, you will need to select which cold crops you are going to grow. The best performing cold crops in this geographic region includes broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, lettuce, cabbage, collards, kohlrabi and kale. Cold crops need very fertile soil, so I suggest starting with compost, like cotton blossom or an organic humus mix. Another thing worth mentioning is that cold crops like lettuce or kohlrabi don't have to planted in the ground, but can also make up your first container planter for your front porch or patio.

Luckily, you don't usually have to worry about bugs or even fungus with cold crops, since it is typically still cool and cloudy this time of year. You will have to worry about the squirrels and bunnies though, because they love eating cold crops as much as we do. I personally feel like this is a small price to pay, knowing that my boys will soon be eating their vegetables without a fight and even asking for more.

I love to garden, but I love my boys even more. It is amazing to make those lasting memories with them around a little plant, in a little garden, just as I did with my Grandpa so long ago.

Happy Growing,

Jerry Hearn, Garden Center Manager

Why Domestic Apples are Available All Year

2010-03-15T12:34:00.010-05:00

This is the time of year many of us are planning our gardens. We are tilling, starting seedlings and fertilizing. The one thing we are not doing is picking apples. So how is it there are so many varieties of premium apples available? Contrary to popular belief, they are not imported. In fact, almost every apple in our produce department is from right here in the United States. They are still available because of the tremendous strides that been have made in apple storage techniques.

Cold storage techniques have been used for many years. This key is to pick the apples at the absolute perfect time (not too green, not too ripe) and rush them into a cool place. A picked apple cannot be frozen; it will turn brown and rot quickly. Instead, it can be chilled to 32 degrees Fahrenheit. At this temperature, with added humidity, apples can be stored for up to two months with very little quality loss. Markets sell these stored apples through January and February.

Controlled Atmosphere (CA) techniques are relatively new. We have known for quite some time that a picked apple "breathes" just like people; apples absorb oxygen and release carbon dioxide. It was only recently discovered that if we remove most of the oxygen while storing apples and add carbon dioxide in a completely airtight environment, the apples remain virtually unchanged for months (or even years) at a time. If the U.S. crop is big enough, like it has been the last two years, apples can come out of CA storage for sale to markets all the way until August when the new crops are being harvested. Many apples come out of CA storage in such good shape that it is difficult to tell the difference between stored and fresh apples. Some apples even improve with CA storage. In the week ahead, look for "Pinata" apples and a new Golden Delicious/Jonathan hybrid called "Red Prince," in our produce department. These varieties in particular are not sold until they are stored for at least two months, enabling them to develop a more distinctive color and flavor.

Fruit Tree How-To

2010-03-12T12:14:00.014-06:00

Home fruit production can be one of the most rewarding and enjoyable experiences you do with your family. All you really need are the right tools for the job, starting with the understanding that it is supposed be fun. But Jerry Hearn, the Garden Center manager, sums fruit growing up best, "There is no better reward than knowing how your food grows and where it comes from."

Now for the tangible tools...

The first thing you will need is a sunny, well-drained spot. Fruit trees need plenty of water, but don't like to stand in a puddle either. Next, you'll need to figure out what type of fruit you want to grow: apples, peaches, plums, or maybe all of the above. Once your family has decided what fruit you want to grow, it's time to seek out the resources on how to grow those trees successfully.

One of the most important choices your can make when buying a fruit tree is the rootstock. All trees available commercially come as a scion (the top determine what variety of fruit) and the rootstock (the bottom determines if it is a standard size tree or dwarfing). All of the trees that we grow are a semi-dwarfing or dwarf rootstock. This keeps the fruit closer to the ground for ease of maintenance (pruning and spraying) and obviously to make harvesting easier. A standard apple tree can be as tall as 25-30 feet, where as a semi-dwarf is typically only 10-15 feet tall. Eckert's rootstocks are hand selected for drought tolerance, cold hardiness and disease resistance, all specific to our local climate. You can't always be guaranteed that the fruit trees sold at big-box stores are specific to our area and its growing requirements.

After you have picked which varieties you will be growing, you will need to know whether or not you will need one or two trees for the pollination process. This is where the advice of the Garden Center staff comes in handy. As a general rule though, must stone fruits such as peaches and nectarines are self-fertile and do not need another variety to produce fruit. However, apples and pears along with some cherry varieties do need another variety to pollinate with in order to produce fruit. Some people may confuse this as needing two apple trees. While this is true, it is important that the apple trees are different varieties. For example, you will need one Jonathan apple tree and one Golden Delicious apple tree to successfully pollinate. Two Jonathan trees just isn't going to get the job done. The is due to the different bloom times that occur in the spring. That being said, keep in mind that the bloom times need to overlap so that the bees are able to work their magic.

Now you just need a good, integrated pest management program. This can be a complicated subject, and it is probably best to seek advice from fellow fruit growers. A Garden Center team member is available daily to answer any questions you may have. Other reliable information can be found through the University of Illinois Extension and Purdue University.

Eckert's will be holding its annual Fruit Tree Seminar on Saturday, March 20th from 12pm to 2pm. This seminar is open to the public at no charge. During the seminar, the Eckert family will take you through the four seasons starting with planting all the way through winter dormancy. We will cover several topics including location selection, varieties of fruit trees, pruning, spraying, bloom thinning, and finally harvest. Whether you are just beginning your home orchard or just wanting to refine your green thumb, Eckert's can help you grow a strong, productive tree that will give you wonderful fruit to share with your family and friends for years to come.

Happy Growing!

2010-03-08T13:00:00.004-06:00

It's hard to believe that in less than four months this dirt filled space will be completed, housing a brand new 22,000 square foot Country Store. Despite the construction, the Garden Center kicked off the planting season last Friday, and is now open daily from 10 am to 6 pm!

The Week Ahead...

Monday, March 8th
Military Monday - Anyone with a military ID will receive 10% off their entire purchase.
Bunko - Join us at 6:30 pm in the restaurant for America's favorite dice game. Anyone that dines at the Country Restaurant plays FREE!

Tuesday, March 9th
Mommy & Me Cooking Class: Yummy Green Things - Bring your tot for this March cooking class that will teach your kids that healthy green things can also be delicious! This class takes place from 9:30-10:30 am and is geared for ages 2 - 5 years old and costs $8/child. Spaces are limited so please call (618) 233-0513 to reserve your spot!
Coin Toss Tuesday - Flip a coin to see if your meal will be on us!

Wednesday, March 10th
Mommy & Me Cooking Class: Yummy Green Things - Bring your tot for the March cooking class that will teach your kids that healthy green things can also be delicious! This class takes place from 9:30-10:30 am and is geared for ages 2-5 years old and costs $8/child. Spaces are limited so please call (618) 233-0513 to reserve your spot!

Thursday, March 11th
Wine Class: Wines Down Under - Explore the best wines that the Outback has to offer. This class takes place from 6-8 pm and costs $20/person. Spaces are limited so please call (618) 233-0513 to reserve your spot!
Kids Eat FREE - Purchase an adult entree and one child's meal is FREE!

Friday, March 12th
50% OFF Smoked Shrimp
40% OFF One Piece of Pottery

Saturday, March 13th
$1 OFF All Eckert-labeled Products

Sunday, March 14th
25% OFF All Frozen Fruits and Vegetables

Gearing Up for Another Gardening Season!

2010-03-01T15:21:00.005-06:00

Who knew dirt could smell so good? Yes, you read that right and no, it isn't a typo. Nothing makes the spring season seem closer than that smell of fresh potting soil. This aroma is exactly what I encountered when dropping by the Garden Center today. The Eckert team has been busy setting up and getting the first perennials on display in the greenhouse. Although we are running a week late this year due to the construction, we will be re-opening the Garden Center this coming Friday, March 5th. In celebration of opening day, customers will receive 25% off one item, so stop by and get yourself thinking spring!

The Week Ahead...

Monday, March 1st

Military Monday - Anyone with a military ID receives 10% OFF their entire purchase.

Tuesday, March 2nd

Coin Toss Tuesday - Flip a coin to see if your meal in the Country Restaurant is on us!

$1 OFF Eckert-Labeled Products

Wednesday, March 3rd

SALE on Shamrock Cookies - Get a dozen Shamrock cookies for a discounted price of $4.99, regularly priced at $7.49.

Thursday, March 4th

Kids Eat FREE - One child eats FREE with the purchase of one adult entree at regular menu price.

40% Applewood Smoked Ribs

Friday, March 5th

Garden Center Re-opens - Visit the Garden Center on opening day and receive 25% off one item.

50% OFF Applewood Smoked Shrimp

Saturday, March 6th

Kids Cooking Class: Green with Envy - Bring your kids to join in the fun as we prepare for St. Patrick's Day! Your kids will be surprised in this class by finding out that green food can actually be delicious! This class takes place from 1-3 pm in the Country Store and costs $15/child. This class is geared for children ages 4-12. Spaces are limited so please call today to reserve your spot. (618) 233-0513.

Sunday, March 7th

Peach Pie SALE - Eckert's home baked peach pie only $9.99, Sunday, March 7th through Saturday, March 13th.

40% Off Never Tasted So Good!

2010-02-26T13:52:00.004-06:00

Our famous baby back ribs are a house specialty, not to mention a best seller. In true farm fashion, our ready-to-eat pork ribs are smoked three to four hours using our very own applewood from the orchards. By doing so, the tender rib meat has a sweet, mild apple flavor and easily pulls away from the bone.

Depending on your preferences, you may choose to order your ribs plain, but we have taken a liking to our sweet tangy BBQ sauce made with apple cider. Buy hey, we're a little biased, aren't we? Regardless, you make the call.

A typical rack of ribs weighs approximately 2.5 lbs. As a general rule, allow two ribs per person if serving as an appetizer or allow 1/2 slab per person if serving as an entree.

Although the ribs are ready to be eaten at the time of purchase, (and trust me, you'll want to) they can easily be frozen and reheated without affecting flavor. Just keep the foil lined bag the ribs are packaged in and preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Close the bag and bake in the center of the oven for a maximum of 15 minutes. Enjoy!

Enjoy 40% off Applewood Smoked Ribs on Thursday, March 4th and March 18th. Please call Eckert's Deli at (618) 233-0513 x5 to place your rib order. We'll be sure to have them packed an ready to go upon your arrival.

Warming Up By Looking Forward

2010-02-16T13:11:00.009-06:00

Don't get too excited as these are not pictures that were taken recently. No, in fact they are photos of the peach bloom in the spring of 2006. Regardless, these beautiful pics at least make it feel a little like spring. As our temperatures climb to the 40 degree mark, let these blooms and blue skies serve as a pleasant visual of what will soon be coming! The Week Ahead...

$5 OFF Home Baked Peach Pie - Peach pies are on sale for $9.99 now through February 27th. Regularly $14.99

Monday, February 22

Military Mondays - Anyone with a military ID received 10% off their entire purchase.

Bunko - America's favorite dice game takes place in the Country Restaurant at 6:30. Dine in the restaurant and play for FREE or pay for $5/person.

Tuesday, February 23

Mommy & Me Cooking Class: Your Heart's Desire - Bring your tot to this fun and interactive class to make yummy treats, perfect to share with a sweetheart or to enjoy on their own! This class costs $8/child and takes place from 9:30 - 10:30 am. Spaces are limited for please call (618) 233-0513 to reserve your spot!

Coin Toss Tuesday - Flip a coin in the Country Restaurant to see if your meal will be on us!

Wednesday, February 24

Mommy & Me Cooking Class: Your Heart's Desire - Bring your tot to this fun and interactive class to make yummy treats, perfect to share with a sweetheart or to enjoy on their own! This class costs $8/child and takes place from 9:30 - 10:30 am. Spaces are limited so please call (618) 233-0513 to reserve your spot!

FREE Applewurst - Receive a FREE pound of applewurst when you purchase a pound at regular price.

Thursday, February 25

Adult Cooking Class: In a Stew - Warm up on a cold night with delicious recipes that are sure to warm your soul. This class costs $25/person and takes place from 6 - 8 pm. Spaces are limited so please call (618) 233-0513 to reserve your spot!

Kids Eat FREE - Dine in the Country Restaurant this Thursday and kids eat FREE with the purchase of an adult entree.

Friday, February 26

40% OFF Seafood - Enjoy 40% off our entire selection of Dixon's Fisheries' premium frozen seafood.

Saturday, February 27

Adult Cooking Class: In a Stew - Warm up on a cold day with delicious recipes that are sure to warm your soul. This class costs $25/person and takes place from 1 - 3 pm. Spaces are limited so please call (618) 233-0513 to reserve your spot!

Sunday, February 28

$3 OFF Eckert's Apple Crisp Mix - Eckert's best selling Apple Crisp Mix is on sale for $2, regularly $4.99.

Lent-Friendly Recipes

2010-02-16T12:39:00.007-06:00

Whether your fasting for Lent or just looking for a new seafood entree, these recipes are some of our favorites:

Sandy's Shrimp Scampi

2 shallots, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 stick of unsalted butter

2-3 Tbsps. olive oil

1 lb. of shrimp

1 lb. of linguini or fettuccini

1/2 lemon

2 Tbsps. fresh parsley, chopped

Cook the pasta in boiling, salted water until al dente. Heat butter and oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute the shallots and garlic in the butter olive oil until soft. Add the shrimp and cook approximately 5 (if thawed) to 10 (if frozen) minutes. The shrimp will turn orange in color. Add the pasta and saute until heated through and sauce has coated the pasta well. Remove from heat. Squeeze the lemon of the dish and sprinkle with chopped parsley.

Italian Baked Orange Roughy

1/4 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs

2 Tbsps. grated Parmesan cheese

2 Tbsps. grated Romano cheese

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 lb orange roughy fillets

1/4 cup butter, melted

1 Tbsp. fresh shopped parsley

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Coat baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. In a shallow bowl, mix bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, Romano cheese, garlic powder and salt. Brush both sides of orange roughy fillets with butter and dredge in the bread crumb mixture. Arrange fillets in a single layer in prepared dish and sprinkle with parsley. Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.

Blackened Tuna

1 1/2 lbs. tuna steaks, 1 inch thick

2 Tbsps. Cajun seasoning

2 Tbsps. olive oil

2 Tbsps. butter

Generously coat tuna with Cajun seasoning. Heat oil and butter in a large skillet over high heat. When oil is nearly smoking, place steaks in pan. Cook on one side for 3 or 4 minutes, or until blackened. Turn steaks and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or to desired doneness.

Eckert's deli proudly partners with Dixon Fisheries to offer our customers the most premium frozen seafood. Enjoy 40% off your frozen seafood purchase on Friday, February 19th and 26th!

The Official Groundbreaking and Celebration of 100 Years

2010-02-15T13:00:00.004-06:00

The official groundbreaking ceremony for our 2010 expansion took place this past Wednesday evening. As part of the program, members of the fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth generations traveled through time with the audience, reminiscing of what Eckert's has been, what it is today, and what this expansion can mean for the future. Mayor Mark Eckert emphasized the importance of Eckert's, as the business brings destination travellers to Belleville who otherwise would not come visit the city. Mindy Schmidt, a former employee and loyal customer was kind enough to tell the audience of her childhood memories of Eckert's and told of her first job as a server in the Country Restaurant. Now a mother herself, Mindy brings her own children to the farm, creating a whole new generation of memories. Other guests of honor included Dennis McGrath of The Lawrence Group and Bruce Holland of Holland Construction Services. Pictures of the event can be found on our facebook page.

The Week Ahead...

$3 OFF Home Baked Cherry Pie - Cherry pies are on sale for $11.99 now through February 20th. Regularly $14.99

Monday, February 15th
Kids Cooking Class: Made with Love - Bring your child to this fun and interactive class to make yummy treats, perfect to share with a sweetheart or to enjoy on their own! This class costs $15/child and takes place from 1-3 pm. Spaces are limited so please call (618) 233-0513 to reserve your spot!

Military Mondays - Anyone with a military ID receives 10% off their entire purchase.

Tuesday, February 16th
40% OFF Ribs - Our Applewood Smoked Baby Back Ribs are available plain or with our sweet tangy BBQ sauce. Preorders are recommended. Please call (618) 233-0513 x5 to place your order.

Coin Toss Tuesday - Flip a coin in the Country Restaurant to see if your meal will be on us!

Wednesday, February 17th
$1 Dessert - Add any dessert to your meal in the Country Restaurant for only $1.

Thursday, February 18th
Kids Eat FREE - Dine in the Country Restaurant on any Thursday in February and kids eat FREE with the purchase of an adult entree.

Friday, February 19th
40% OFF Seafood - Enjoy 40% off our entire selection of Dixon's Fisheries' premium frozen seafood.

Saturday, February 20th
Kids Cooking Class: Made with Love - Bring your child to this fun and interactive class to make yummy treats, perfect to share with a sweetheart or to enjoy on their own! This class costs $15/child and takes place from 1-3 pm. Spaces are limited so please call (618) 233-0513 to reserve your spot!

Eckert's Proudly Partners with Dixon Fisheries

2010-02-11T11:26:00.009-06:00

About Dixon Fisheries

Eckert's deli department has proudly partnered with East Peoria, Illinois' Dixon Fisheries to offer our customers the most premium frozen seafood. Dixon Fisheries, also a 100-year family business, specializes in the finest seafood in the midwest. Dixon follows the U.S. Department of Commerce inspection program for seafood and implements up-to-date sanitation practices in a modern state-of-the-art facility. All of Dixon's seafood has a clean fresh water or ocean smell, bright colored flesh and smooth, firm surfaces.

Cooking

If you are new to preparing seafood, use any of the following methods to determine if your seafood dish is fully cooked.

Temeperature - internal temperature on an oven thermometer of 145 degrees.

Texture - fish flakes easily with a fork

Color - fish is opaque in color, rather than translucent

Taste

One of the most common questions from customers is which fish is mild in taste or "not fishy?" For a mild tasting seafood, we recommend haddock, sole, scallops, cod, orange roughy, tilapia and halibut. To add flavor to your dish, we suggest using lemon pepper, dill, lime, thyme or garlic.

Nutrition

Grilled seafood per 3 oz. serving offers some healthy food choices, rich in Omega-3 fatty acids and averaging about 90-150 calories with 1-4 grams of total fat. Seafood ranges from 25-100 grams of cholesterol per serving.

Environment

Jim Dixon, president of Dixon Fisheries, states "we support renewable resources that are caught and farmed in a responible manner." Sustainable fisheries avoid overfishing and work toward economically viable fishing practices. This conserves the earth's natural resources and is part of the "going green" trend.

With Lent just around the corner, Eckert's will be carrying various frozen seafood items including orange roughy, Atlantic salmon steaks, sea scallops, tilapia filets, tuna steaks, cod loins and peeled and deveined black tiger shrimp. All frozen seafood will be 40% off on Friday, February 19th and 26th! In addition, Dixon supplies Eckert's with seafood spreads and dips, popular as healthy and tasty appetizers or snacks. Some customer favorites include Bacon Ranch Crap Dip, Cheesy Crab Spread, Shrimp Dip, and Crab Spinach Dip. These recipes use only real seafood, never imitation.

Pecan Honey Glazed Salmon

1 cup pecan halves or pieces

1 cup honey

3/4 cup butter

1/4 cup vegetable oil

4 each (6 oz) salmon fillets

Salt to taste

Freshly ground pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spread pecans in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake until brown and crisp, about 5 minutes, stirring 2 or 3 times to toast uniformly. Cool to room temperature, and chop coarsely. In a small sauce pan over medium heat, combine honey with half of the butter. Stir in toasted pecans. Cook until pecans are coated in a glassy glaze, about 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and keep warm. In a large sauce pan over high heat, melt remaining butter with oil. Season fish with salt and pepper to taste. Saute until fillets are firm to the touch, about 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to serving plate and spoon glaze over top. Makes 4 servings.

Lots to Love This Week

2010-02-08T13:45:00.009-06:00

Eckert's is all about creating family memories, but who knew we help to create families!

Doug & Norma

It was in the early nineties when Doug, a recently laid off pilot, came to Eckert's seeking employment. With his love of machinery, he was employed as a tractor driver during the pick-your-own season. His fall employment went so well the farm continued to employ Doug for various year-round tasks. It was during this time that Doug began to notice Norma, a woman from the accounting department. He finally got his nerve to ask her out and she pushed him off on another fellow employee, Dana! Luckily, Dana and Doug didn't work out, and Norma finally agreed to go out with him. She must of realized what she was missing, because the couple married in 1994. Doug is back flying around the world, while Norma is still crunching numbers at Eckert's, but the love that grew on the farm is as fresh as it was 16 years ago.

Phil & Emily

You never know when it's going to happen, and either did Phil and Emily. Phil, a member of the accounting department, thought he was going to just another Eckert's holiday party at the Turkey Hill Grange. Emily, the daughter of an Eckert's employee, was soon to catch Phil's eye that cold night in December. Their first date was a double date with Chris and Angie Eckert. The chemistry between Phil and Emily was so strong that Angie said, "It made me and Chris feel like an old married couple." Mind you, that Chris and Angie were only newlyweds. It was at that point, that Angie new it was a love connection. Phil and Emily walked down the aisle of matrimony in 2000. A decade later, Phil is now the Chief Fiancial Officer of Eckert's, while Emily is a literature Phd, and the two of them are the proud parents of an adorable 16 month old daughter, Caroline. Oh, the buds that blossom from love!

Now that we are all warm and fuzzy inside, see what Eckert's has in store for this upcoming week:

Monday, February 8th

Military Mondays - Anyone with a military ID receives 10% OFF their entire purchase.

Bunko - Join us in the Country Restaurant at 6:30 pm for America's favorite dice game. Dine in the Restaurant and play for FREE or pay $5 to participate.

Tuesday, February 9th

Mommy & Me Cooking Class: Your Heart's Desire - Bring your little tot to the fun and interactive class to make yummy treats, perfect to share with a sweetheart or to enjoy on their own! This class costs $8/child and takes place from 9:30-10:30 am. Spaces are limited so call (618) 233-0513 to reserve your spot today!

Coin Toss Tuesday - Flip a coin in the Country Restaurant on Tuesdays to see if your meal is on us!

Wednesday, February 10th

FREE Pound of Applewurst - Purchase one pound of Eckert's Applewood Smoked Applewurst and receive another pound FREE!

Thursday, February 11th

Sweet Wine for your Sweetheart - In this class we will explore some of Eckert's best selling and world famous sweet wines. Spaces are limited and reservations are required, so please call (618) 233-0513 to reserve a spot for you and that special someone.

Kids Eat FREE - Dine in the Country Restaurant on any Thursday in February and kids eat FREE with the purchase of an adult entree.

Friday, February 12th

Murder Mystery Dinner: Bullets in the Bathtub - Looking for a fun alternative to the traditional Valentine's Day? Join us for a murder mystery dinner in the Country Restaurant at 6 pm. In addition to the show, you will receive snacks and a three course meal. The cost is $29.99/person and spaces are limited. Please call (618) 233-0513 x3 to make your reservations.

Sunday, February 14th

Valentine's Day Breakfast - Bring you sweetheart for a Valentine breakfast at the Country Restaurant from 7 am - 2 pm. In addition to our regular breakfast menu, we will also be offering Strawberry French Toast, Quiche Lorraine and a Steak & Egg breakfast.

2010-02-05T15:05:00.008-06:00

So what makes a sweet wine sweet? Wines have something called residual sugar which is measured in grams. Any wine with over 45 g/L of residual sugar is considered sweet, but that doesn't necessarily mean the wine will taste sweet. For instance, a sweet wine can seem dry because of a high level of acidity and a dry wine can taste sweet when the alcohol level is elevated.

Sweet wines often get a bad wrap for being considered lower quality and less sophisticated than their dry, big red counterparts. Contrary to this belief, sweet wines tend to be the best selling wines at Eckert's, and are very popular in Missouri and Illinois wineries. If it pleases your palate, then drink it! Our philosophy is just that simple.

One of our best selling wines is Bartenura Moscato d' Asti from Di Pavia, Italy. This sparkling white wine is made from Muscat grapes and is a very good choice for sweet wine lovers. We have found it is frequently enjoyed by people who "don't like wine!" Try Bartenura with freshly baked pastries or frozen custard topped with fresh fruit.

Anyone that believes sweet wines are always on the low end of the spectrum has obviously not encountered the French wine, Sauternes. This one is widely regarded as the best sweet wine in the world, and it costs like it, too! A regular 750ml bottle of Sauternes typically retails around $80; however, we do carry Le Tertre du Lys d'Or Sauternes for less than half of that. We know it still may be more than you usually spend on a bottle of wine, but your sweetheart will never forget sharing it with you on Valentine's Day.

The Sweet Wines for your Sweetheart class will be held Thursday, February 11th at 6 pm, just in time for Valentine's Day. Spaces are limited and reservations are required, so please call (618) 233-0513 so you and that special someone can reserve your seats!

We're Digging It!

2010-02-03T13:17:00.011-06:00

Eckert team members have always referred to the site just north of the Garden Center as the Rock Lot. True to its name, it was a wide open lot filled with gravel. Despite its simplistic look, this space has been responsible for many seasonal operations during its tenure, including merchandising trees and shrubs during the spring and housing pumpkins and festival activities in the fall. When the Garden Center was built in 2000, the Rock Lot was actually created to be the future birthplace of a new store if we ever decided to expand our operations.

A decade later this dream is becoming a reality, as made evident by the mounds of dirt and swamps of mud. It feels like for the last week they have just been moving around the same dirt pile, but this of course is hardly the case. They are actually doing all the necessary things that us on this side of the ground take for granted. Our new Country Store wouldn't be any better than the soon-to-be retired one without the proper sewer, plumbing and foundation. So we will stick to farming fruit trees, and let the construction workers keep digging dirt.

The new 22,000 square foot Country Store will boast expanded retail space and a 1200 square foot cooking and workshop classroom. Despite the construction, the current Country Store will remain open all year. We anticipate opening the new Country Store in July 2010. The final phase will include expanding the seating of the Country Restaurant into the vacated store, which will bring the expansion project to its conclusion in September 2010.