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Hot News from Soup Central at E.D. Foods
                 June 8, 2004
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    over a MILLION site visitors
Over 80,000 subscribers to this newsletter

             TABLE OF CONTENTS:
                     for
           All you wanted to know 
     (and some you didn't) about the Avocado


The avocado. When most people think of this creamy fruit 
(yup, it's a fruit.), they think of guacamole, salads, or even 
sushi, but there's so much more to this versatile little food. 
The avocado is healthy, tasty, convenient, colorful and fun. 
Don't believe me? Read on... 

A.  Monthly specials
B.  When the Alligator Pears Roamed
C.  Finding the right avocado for you
D.  Good Things Do Come In Small Packages 
E.  Spa + Avocado = a Spavocado?
F.  Avocado Recipes
         Guacamole
         Cheesy BBQ Quesadillas
         Chicken Pasta Salad
         Avocado Grapefruit Salad
         Avocado Pie
G.  Some Interesting Avocado Sites
H.  A Stress-Relieving Avocado Activity
I.  People Pleasing Soups
J.  Customer's Recipe Corner
K.  Short and to the Point
L.  Quote of the Month
M.  If a Dog was the Teacher...

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A.  Monthly specials
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Check out all our great deals and specials at:

U.S. Customers:
http://www.ed-foods.com/special.html

Canadian Customers:
http://www.ed-foods.com/special_C.html

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B.  When the Alligator Pears Roamed
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The Avocado (also referred to as an Alligator Pear due to it's 
rough skin), first started running around wild in South-Central 
Mexico sometime between 7,000 and 5,000 B.C. These little 
rascals were later captured and domesticated around 500 B.C. 

Over the years, many different cultures and eras tried their 
luck at taming these little guys, which resulted in almost 1000 
different shapes, flavors and varieties. The most popular 
variety, the Haas avocado, was first born in 1926 in California. 

The seedling tree was a fortunate accident, which was nearly 
destroyed when Mr. Haas wasn't able to cross-breed different 
varieties of avocado with the original (Apparently the Haas 
avocado was stubborn right from the get-go). Thankfully his 
children knew better and, after what I'm sure was a lot of 
begging and whining, the Haas avocado lives on today, 
accounting for about 80% of worldwide avocado consumption. 

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C. Finding the Right Avocado for You
******************************************

It's a tragedy that happens all too often. A perfectly ripe 
avocado is purchased at a local grocery store. It is toted along 
to someone's home, and is placed in their fridge along with the 
other fruits and veggies. A day goes by, and other things are 
being taken out and enjoyed... another day goes by, and 
another. Finally, the little avocado is chosen. It's taken out and 
happily thinks that it will get to add color, flavor, and 
nutrition to someone's life.  But alas, by this time it is no 
longer able to do any of those things. All is not lost though. 

This avocado still has a chance to add a little happiness to 
someone's life (see 'A Stress-Relieving Avocado Activity' for 
more on that).

There are two questions that need to be answered before 
choosing the perfect avocado:

1. Why do I want an avocado?

2. When will I have time for my new avocado?

Let's start with question 1 (always a good place, I find). As I 
mentioned, there are almost 1000 varieties of avocado. Now 
it's true that your local supermarket will most likely not carry 
all of these, but in case you're faced with more than the 
garden variety Haas avocado, here's what to do:

There are only 7 varieties that are commercially grown in 
California (the state which grows, by far, the most avocados in 
North America). This means that you will probably come 
across only these varieties in your shopping adventures. 

Depending on what you'll be using your avocado for, and your 
own personal tastes, here is a brief bio on each local avocado:

Bacon Avocado:  This oval-shaped, medium-sized avocado has 
a medium to large seed and is easy to peel. It has a light taste, 
and smooth thin green skin, which darkens slightly when ripe.

Fuerte Avocado:  This "established favorite" is also pear-
shaped and peels easiliy. It has a great taste, and is medium to 
large when fully grown.

Gwen Avocado:  This "Haas-like" fruit is plump, with a small to 
medium seed (less seed = more fruit.). Don't be deceived by 
its bumpy, thick skin. It is easy to peel, and has a great taste.

Haas Avocado:  This oval-shaped avocado has a small to 
medium seed and is easy to peel. It is also the most user- 
friendly avocado and is what I consider to be the "indicator 
toothbrush" of avocados. When the skin turns from green to 
black, it means that this little guy is ripe and ready to be 
eaten.

Pinkerton Avocado:  This long pear-shaped fruit is easy to peel, 
tastes great, has a small seed and is a large fruit when fully 
grown (so make sure you're hungry.)

Reed Avocado:  This avocado is round with a medium seed. It 
has a slightly pebbly skin, but a rich buttery texture on the 
inside.

Zutano Avocado:  This pear-shaped fruit is a little less easy to 
peel, but has a light taste, and would be a great addition to any 
meal.

On to Question 2.  Unfortunately, nothing's 100% perfect, and 
the avocado is no exception. Avocados, while tasty and 
nutritious, have a short lifespan once they're ripe (They can go 
from perfectly ripe to over-ripe and useless in only a day.). 

When you're choosing an avocado, think about when you will 
be using it. If you plan on using it immediately, select one that 
is firm but yields to gentle pressure.

If you're planning to use it later in the week, select one that is 
firm and under-ripe, and allow it to ripen on your counter, or 
in a brown paper bag (to accelerate the ripening process, add 
an apple or banana to the paper bag). 

If you can't use the entire avocado at one time, you can keep 
the fresh green color by sprinkling it with lemon or lime juice 
and sealing it in an airtight container.

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D.  Good Things Do Come In Small Packages
******************************************

Avocados are cholesterol-free, sodium-free, low in saturated 
fats, contain 14 minerals which regenerate and stimulate 
growth, are an excellent source of iron and copper (which 
build red blood cells), contain vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, C, iron, 
phosphorous, magnesium and potassium, and (one second, 
have to catch my breath) are high in vitamin E (which slows 
aging). Along with being full of vitamins and nutrients, the 
avocado is a very easy-going fruit, and is compatible with most 
diets and lifestyles.

- The avocado is low in sugar and is starch-free, making it 
ideal for diabetics or those with other sugar-sensitive 
disorders (see http://www.avocado.org/health-
nutrition/health_544.php

for more information).

- The avocado is also a refreshing choice for those of you 
watching your carbohydrate intake. One whole medium 
avocado has only 6 net carbs. For atkins friendly recipes check 
out:

http://atkins.com/food/index.html

- Avocados, much like bananas, are a great source of slow 
burning energy, making them a great snack for athletes and 
those on-the-go. It's hard to believe that so much nutrition 
and great taste comes in such a small package.

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E.  Spa + Avocado = A Spavocado?
**********************************

Avocadoes aren't just healthy and delicious; they're also very 
good for your skin and hair.

Avocados are full of Vitamin E, which provides moisturizing 
assets through both consumption and topical use. Vitamin E 
may also reduce UV-induced damage and protect against 
ozone damage and can even reduce redness after sun 
exposure.

Many different shampoos, lotions and other beauty products 
now contain vitamin E, and many use avocados. For ideas on 
how to create your own at-home spavocado, visit 
http://www.avocado.org/health-beauty/#

and click on 'the Avocado Touch'.

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F.  Avocado Recipes
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Don't forget to try our zesty variation on Avocado Dip. 

1 package Instant Tortilla Soup Mix
1 large ripe avocado, mashed
1 tsp lime juice
1/2 cup sour cream
Combine ingredients together, and serve with your favorite 
chips or fresh veggies.

Recipe Variations:

-For those who like a milder taste, use 1 cup of sour cream, 
and 1 tbsp of lemon juice instead

And for those summer BBQ's, here's a delicious recipe for 
Mexicali-Hamburgers!

3 packages Instant Tortilla Soup Mix
1 lb ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 egg, beaten

Combine ingredients in a bowl and shape into hamburger 
patties. Grill and serve!
(Dress 'm up with sliced Avocado of course!)

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Guacamole
**********
Yields 2 Cups
There is an indefinite number of variations to this classic dip. 
This recipe is more of a guideline, so feel free to add or leave 
out ingredients and play with the amounts to make it your own 
unique recipe.

2 cups avocados - peeled, pitted and sliced
1/2 cup salsa
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 tablespoon garlic powder (for a more intense garlic taste, 
use 2 minced garlic cloves instead)
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (for those spice-a-phobics out 
there (like me), you may want to leave this one out)
Lemon juice (optional)
Salt (optional

-Place sliced avocados into a food processor (for lumpier 
guacamole, use blender or mix by hand), and set to medium. 
Slowly add salsa until the texture is lumpy. Add the other 
ingredients and continue to process until smooth. Salt to taste. 

Recipe Varations: 
- Add fresh chilis instead of hot sauce
- Add chopped onions or scallions
- For a lighter option, replace salsa with low-fat cottage 
cheese, and omit salsa

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Cheesy BBQ Quesadillas
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Once again, the ingredients and quantities of this recipe can be 
modified to suit your own taste, so have fun with it.

2 large flour tortillas
1-2 cups chopped tomatoes
1-2 cups chopped avocado
1-2 cups cooked skinless chicken breast, cubed
Shredded cheddar cheese (amount to taste)

Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese over one large tortilla. Top 
with cubed chicken and chopped tomatoes and avocados, and 
cover with another Tortilla. Grill on a pre-heated BBQ over 
medium heat for 5-10 minutes, or until cheddar cheese is 
melted. Cut in wedges and serve with salsa, sour cream or 
guacamole.

Recipe Variations:
- Add additional vegetables of your choice, such as onions, 
peppers or even corn.
- For a vegetarian alternative, replace chicken with tofu, 
seitan, or black beans

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Chicken Pasta Salad
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2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1/2 cup steak sauce
1 12-ounce package fusilli pasta
2 cubes chicken bouillon
1 Vidalia onion (or another sweet onion), diced 
2 avocados - peeled, pitted, and diced
1 cup halved cherry, or grape, tomatoes
1/2 cup Ranch-style salad dressing (to taste)

Preheat grill (outdoor or George Forman-style indoor grill) for 
high heat. Marinate chicken in steak sauce for 15-60 minutes 
(according to taste). Grill chicken until no longer pink and 
juices run clear. Remove from grill, and chop into bite-size 
pieces.
Add bouillon cubes and pasta to a large pot of boiling water. 
Cook pasta until al dente. Drain, and rinse under cold water. 
In a large bowl, combine chicken, pasta, onion, avocados and 
tomatoes. Mix in salad dressing until desired creaminess, 
cover and refrigerate until chilled.

Recipe Variations:
- For an added 'crunch', add chopped cucumber or celery.
- For a vegetarian option, replace chicken bouillon with 
vegetable or onion bouillon, and replace the chicken with tofu 
or soy 'chicken'.
- For a spicier option, use peppercorn ranch dressing instead.
- For a flavorful kick, mix fajita seasoning in when adding the 
ranch dressing.

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Avocado Grapefruit Salad
*********************************
Everyone's busy, and sometimes, we all just need a quick and 
easy meal-fix. Every month, I'll bring you a new recipe that's 
quick, easy and delicious. 

1 bag fresh spinach
26 ounces grapefruit sections, drained
2 ripe avocados, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup red onion, thinly sliced
Prepared poppy seed dressing

Combine spinach, grapefruit, avocados and onions in a large 
bowl. Toss with dressing.

Recipe Variations:
- If you aren't a big fan of spinach, replace it with your 
favorite lettuce

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Avocado Pie
**************
Avocados for dessert? Well, it is a fruit, and this easy-to-make, 
creamy-textured delicious variation of the lime pie will make 
you change your mind. 

1 9-inch prepared graham cracker crust
2 avocados - peeled, pitted and pureed
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 5-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
Whipped cream

In a medium mixing bowl, combine avocado, lemon juice, and 
condensed milk. Blend well and pour into graham cracker 
crust. Cover and chill overnight. Garnish with whipped cream.

Recipe Variations:
- To make a key-lime avocado pie, replace half the lemon juice 
with key lime juice.

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G.  Some Interesting Avocado Sites
**************************************

http://ucavo.ucr.edu/ 

Don't believe there are almost 1000 varieties of avocados? 
Visit this site to see all of them and to learn more than you ever 
wanted to know about avocados.

http://www.avofest.com/ 
Worried you might have missed California's annual Avocado 
Festival? Well, your worries are over. Visit this site to find 
information on the festival, fun recipes, avocado posters and 
more.

http://www.avocado.org/ 
It's the official page for California Avocados. It's where I got a 
lot of my information, but there's so much more fun to be 
had. Check it out.

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H.  A Stress-Relieving Avocado Activity
*******************************************

So, you picked out your perfect avocado and made a delicious 
avocado dip. Time to throw away the pit and move on...right? 
Well, why not take advantage of all the avocado has to offer, 
and try this fun activity either for yourself or with your 
children for a little fun lesson in biology.

1.Wash an avocado seed. Suspend it (broad end down) over 
a water-filled glass using three toothpicks. The water 
should cover about an inch of the seed.

2.Place the glass in a warm location, out of direct sunlight. 
A mature seed will crack as roots and stem sprout in 
about two to six weeks. 
3.When a stem grows to six or seven inches, cut it back to 
about three inches. 
4.When the roots are thick and the stem has leafed out 
again, plant it in a rich humus soil, leaving the seed half 
exposed. Use a terra cotta pot with a 10-1/2" diameter. 

5.Water your avocado house plant generously, but let it dry 
out somewhat between waterings.
For tips on keeping your new avocado plant happy and 
healthy, 

see "Proper Care and Feeding" tips at 
http://www.avocado.org/kids/house-plant.php

And remember, gardening (in any form) is a great way to 
relieve stress, so let the avocado help you, body and soul. 
Enjoy.

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I.  People Pleasing Soups.
****************************

"I wanted to tell you I just tried your soups for the first time.
I am totally impressed with the taste, convenience, and 
preperation ease and time. I am telling everyone I know about 
your soups, they are absolutly delicious, I can't wait to try 
them all. I am enjoying myself as I work thru the box of soup 
mixes I ordered with my free sample. Thanks 
Jeannine Termine

"This is great soup for the money. I love it and so does my 
husband. You can be assured when we start to run low I will be 
ordering again. I can't believe a packaged soup can taste this 
good and believe me, I'm very picky when it comes to soups. I 
was very pleased. Thank you.
     Fannie Boolman, IL

"Tasted great ... even my picky daughter loved it! I also tried
 the individual servings of tomato soup which I loved - the 
convenience was great!"
     Jacquie Slater, ON

"This soup is awesome... I would recommend this to everyone.
There is no soup in the grocery store that can compare to this.
The best I've tasted...better than my mom's homemade 
chicken noodle. Thank you for such a generous sample and I'll 
definitely be buying all my soups from your company. 5 star rating"
     Lisa Marko, ON

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J.  Customer's recipes corner
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Share your recipe with us - just go to 

http://www.ed-foods.com/feedback.html

"I made the creamy garlic sauce, and it was wonderful! I 
sauteed some chicken breast pieces in butter and fresh 
oregano and garlic to add over the pasta and it was just yummy.
Hard to believe that it was from a powder. And the leftovers were 
great, too. Thanks!"
     Laura Bayless, VA

" We just finished the sampler pack, and I especially enjoyed 
the chicken noodle and the potato soup. I threw some leftover 
cooked mushrooms and asparagus into the potato soup and 
then served with bacon crumbles on top---FANTASTIC. I will 
definitely purchase more of your products. Thanks for the 
chance to try them."
     Martha Sassin TX

"Used the 3 mushroom soup as a base for beef stroganoff and 
it was great"
     Jan Whitcomb, FL

"This week, I needed a base for macaroni and cheese! I used 
one of your Cheese Soups, which I made double strength, and 
just added a cup of grated sharp cheddar. I used 450gms of 
macaroni, which I obviously cooked first! This made a very 
delicious macaroni and cheese, that disappeared, almost by 
magic! (Consumed with gusto)"
     Hal Watt, ON

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K.   Short and to the point. 
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"Tastes Great. This is the best soup/chili I ever had"
     Amy Vettese, FL

"yumma. yumma. yum. yum. yum."
     Jennifer Jackson, PA

"I am never dissappointed in your products"
     Mary Peterson, MN

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L.   Quote of the Month
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"Your chicken noodle soup is so good that I'm going to have to 
keep buying it from you until I figure out your recipe !! 
(Hehehe). The Belgium chocolates can't be from this planet. 
That's why I increased my order of both to help get them off the market so 
others don't have to go thru the agony of withdrawal when 
they run out. "
     Byron Beard, PA

M.======== The Last Word =======
=======If a Dog was the Teacher...=====

If a dog was the teacher you would learn stuff like:

When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.

Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.

Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to 
be pure ecstasy.

When it's in your best interest, practice obedience

Let others know when they've invaded your territory.

Take naps.

Stretch before rising.

Run, romp, and play daily.

Thrive on attention and let people touch you.

Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.

On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass.

On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.

When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.

Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.

Eat with gusto and enthusiasm. 

Stop when you have had enough.

Be Loyal. 

Never pretend to be something you're not.

If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.

When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and 

nuzzle them gently.

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========================================

If you enjoyed this newsletter - or ever just parts of the
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Thanks again.

Keep good things happening in your life, and we'll try to keep

good things happening on our site.

************************************************************

          Leslie, Barbara, Kelly, Denis
    (and all the other Folks at E.D. Foods)

                1-800-267-3333
              6200 Trans Canada
       Pte-Claire, QC H9R 1B9 Canada
         http://www.ed-foods.com
             mailto:edinfo@ed.ca