I was provided a travel stipend to visit Bailey Farms during a Blogger Event to learn about BellaFina Peppers. Opinions expressed are that of my own.
Wanting to add more color to your meals and more vegetables to your diet? I recently visited a farm here in Florida that grows a product that will do exactly that.
Bailey Farms, which operates here in South Florida and in North Carolina, is a company that grows a variety of crops that mostly consists of peppers. One unique item that is grown at this facility is a variety of sweet colorful peppers called BellaFina.
BellaFina peppers are used in a variety of dishes including salads, stews, and are often stuffed with a variety of meats, cheeses, and grains. They are a food that is low calorie, fat free, sodium free, and high in Vitamin C.
On a recent Blogger trip to the the Ft. Myers Florida area, myself and other Bloggers got to see first hand where these Baby Bell Peppers (BellaFinas) are grown, nurtured, and packed to be sold.
Randy Bailey the owner the farm, explained to us the method with which they use for growing these special peppers. Then the scientist behind the development of these peppers, Bill McCarthy, gave us a background on how this hybrid came to be a reality.
Randy then showed us other items that they grow on the farm. There were Chilis, Poblanos, Jalapenos, and other peppers, and he even showed us a Tomatillo that they grow.
After our education on peppers, Randy invited us all to go out and hand-pick our own peppers to take home. The field was packed with so many colorful plants lined with vibrant colors of red, orange, and yellow.
I just took a bag and went to picking my veggies right off the plants. I had plenty.
I was really excited about this because my kids asked if I would be bringing home some peppers. I also looked forward to sampling them.
After tasting these, in my opinion BellaFina taste like no other pepper. They are mild, sweet, and remind of a fruit versus a typical strong-tasting Bell Pepper.
After our farm tour, we went to their packing area to see how the peppers are sorted and prepared to head to the store.
Seeing all the colors together just reminded me again how pretty these peppers really are.
After the packing tour, we headed over to lunch. Now we were getting to see these peppers in action, and put them to the cooking taste test.
There was a gourmet lunch prepared by Local Chefs John and Susan Maranda. They created dishes where the BellaFina Pepper was either highlighted or used as the main ingredient.
It all tasted amazing, and I especially liked the Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing and the Stuffed BellaFina Peppers with Anchovies and Capers. I know now that I want to try other recipes with these peppers stuffed.
For other BellaFina recipes visit baileyfarmsinc.com/#recipes.
I have to admit that one of the things that stuck out to me at the meal, was our edible centerpiece. It was beautiful, and it gave me a great idea for summertime table decor.
This will probably be showing up on of my tables as a decoration.
Of course when I got home I had to display my peppers in a bowl but they did stay there very long. The kids and I were gobbling them up and my toddler was even eating them.
Have you ever tried a BellaFina Peppers before? If so, have you tried them in a dish, or plain?
To learn more about Bailey Farms and Bellafina Peppers visit the website at baileyfarmsinc.com, You can also follow them on social media on Facebook at facebook.com/Bailey-Farms-Inc and Twitter at twitter.com/baileyfarms.
Look for BellaFina Peppers in supermarkets such as Walmart, Publix and other national chains. They will also be coming out in a plant form to grow at home as well.
FFM
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