California White Apricot Flavor profile: Sweetest (lowest acidity) Smooth nectarous and floral, with a mellower tang Texture: Less chewy and fairly delicate (sliced) Mediterranean Flavor profile: Sweet, tropical and peachy Texture: Thick, chewy and succulent (dried whole)  Organic Mediterranean Flavor profile: Sweet, tropical and peachy but also slightly earthy Texture: Robust (no preservatives) California Blenheim Flavor profile: Lusciously tangy and delectably sweet Texture: Less chewy and somewhat hardy (sliced) Whole California Blenheim Flavor profile: Mellow tang and delectably sweet Texture: Chewiest (dried whole) Slab Apricot Flavor profile: Lushly fruity and tangy Texture: Usually thin and chewy California Natural Flavor profile: Earthy with a slight

Stone Fruits & Thinning: At Bella Viva we have the best stone fruit around! This doesn’t happen by accident. Our team diligently cares for the trees all year, from soil and leaf testing to fertilizing and amending and finally pruning and thinning. Currently we are hard at work thinning the trees that will soon bare delicious stone fruit. This process ensures the maximum flavor, sweetness and size of each and every fruit left on the tree. Our passion for quality also means waiting for our apricots, plums, peaches and nectarines to reach their peak, prior to harvest. Last but certainly not least, proprietary drying

Beautiful California Oranges: March is the most beautiful time of year in the Bella Viva Orchards. Almonds, cherries, apricots, plums and many other fruit trees are in full bloom. But, right now the new orange crop is in and it is as sweet as ever! Throughout the grove branches are weighed down by these juicy glowing gems. Recently, the air around the dehydrators has been thick with the fragrance of ripe oranges. Our proprietary drying method preserves that fresh flavor and aroma perfectly so you can enjoy these dried oranges year round. Come on down to the store or order online and enjoy the

Soil Analysis & Tree Health: At Bella Viva the work never stops, even when there is not any fruit on the trees. The labor put into the off-season is an important determining factor of fruit quality. Two of the most important issues are soil and tree health. Recently our orchards have needed special care because of the damage garnered by the drought. However, our advanced soil and leaf testing contribute to higher nutritional densities in the resulting crop. This dedication makes Bella Viva Orchards a production leader in the industry. We are also proud to maintain sustainable farming practices that preserve the environment for the

Water Outlook for California 2016: We hope you all enjoyed the holidays, at Bella Viva we are already preparing for our next growing season. The drought made last year extremely challenging for us. It led to the loss of trees and lower crop yields for the ones that survived. We would like to thank our customers for their continued support and for the encouraging emails that we received throughout the year. Despite the hardships felt by farmers in recent years, we are hopeful for an improvement in the drought situation thanks to early snow storms in the Sierra Nevada and the El Niño weather

Pecan Stuffing: This recipe comes to us from my family to yours just in time for Thanksgiving, thank you grandma Joan for sharing. The recipe can be easily doubled or tripled for larger gatherings, just keep the ratios the same. I prefer to leave out the butter because Bella Viva Pecans are so rich and buttery. The box of Mrs. Cubbinson’s can also be substituted for fresh cubed bread but be sure to toast it and add additional seasoning. For drier stuffing use 2 cups of broth and for wetter stuffing use 3-4 cups. Ingredients: ½ tube Jimmy Dean sage sausage ½ tube Jimmy

Congratulations to Nerine A. from Texas for winning first prize in the 2015 Bella Viva Recipe Contest! Her Blueberry Yogurt Muffins are to die for. We enjoyed their scrumptious combination of textures and flavors. The crumbly outside is complimented by the moist inside; which is made possible by a generous wallop of yogurt. To top it all off, the dried blueberries and yogurt come together to create a delicious gummy texture and a wonderful blend of tart and sweet flavors. Ingredients: 1/2 cup (one stick) salted butter, room temperature 1 cup sugar 1 cup non-fat Greek yogurt, room temperature 2 eggs, room temperature 2

Congratulations to Debra D. for winning second prize in the 2015 Bella Viva Recipe Contest! Her sweet and salty fig bars were delicious. We enjoyed the unique blend of flavors and the buttery rich taste. The beauty of this recipe is you can mix and match any dried fruit and nuts, such as: raisins, dates, prunes, apricots or cherries. Ingredients: ¾ cup dried figs ¾ cup water ½ cup butter (coconut oil might work, haven’t tested yet) 3 tablespoons coconut sugar 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1¼ cup blanched almond flour ⅛ teaspoon baking soda ¾ cup chopped walnuts (or more) sea salt or Himalayan salt

Congratulations to Janeen T. of Illinois for winning third prize in the 2015 Bella Viva Recipe Contest! This apple pie is loaded with fruit. We love the sweet fruity taste and the occasional crunch from the walnuts. Ingredients: Crust: 1 heaping cup flour 1 tablespoon sugar 1 teaspoon salt 2 rounded Tablespoons Crisco shortening Ice water Filling: 1/4 cup Golden Thompson Seedless Raisins 1/4 cup dried cranberries Soak 30 minutes in water then drain off water 1/4 chopped walnuts Assortment of Granny Smith, Macintosh, and Jonathan Apples 3-4 of each depending on size of apples–chop finely 2/3 cup sugar 4 tablespoons flour 2/3 teaspoon

Congratulations to Gail H. from Tennessee for winning third prize in the 2015 Bella Viva Recipe Contest! This was by far the most unique recipe we received for the contest. Who would have thought to combine our dried apricots with peppers and vinegar? We loved spreading this jam over bagels with cream cheese. Ingredients: 1 ½ cups Bella Viva Dried Apricots 1 large orange or yellow bell pepper (1 to 1 ¼ cup) 4-5 habañero peppers (adjust as needed for your taste) 2 cups white vinegar 6 cups granulated sugar 3 ounces and 1 tablespoon Certo liquid pectin Instructions In dishwasher, sterilize 4 pint