“All Natural” and  “ with absorbable  minerals”  the cute  little purple  tube of antacids boasts. 

Brainard's Remedies Blueberry Antacid is a new favorite!

 Made in the USA and with a patent pending , Brainards debuts this product just in time for me  on  a recent  the cruise.  With so much  wine and food consumed at our “IFWTWA 2011 Conference at Sea ” on board Holland America’s  Westerdam , these little purple  tablets coud not have been better timed.  Lucky to have found them on one of the first nights of the cruise. They work!   From the website : ”  According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), 15 million people suffer from heartburn. Brainard’s Natural Remedies blueberry antacid tablets neutralizes excess stomach acid and helps relieve occasional indigestion, while maintaining healthy stomach acids that the body needs for digestion. ”

  I also  want to share a comment by  our 2011 IFWTWA Scholarship winner  Heather  Carreiro, ” I wish I had these when  I was pregnant! Such bad heartburn and I I was always looking  for natural   relief. I’ll recommend this product to my friends and family”~ Heather        

Our group of 38 International Food and Wine Travel Writers Association participants received the sweetest little package from old friend and master chocolatier, Judith Galindo of Homemade Confections in Medford, Oregon.

I am not sure everyone knows what a variety of taste temptations we have on the Holland American Line Cruises. We do have a little will power, but their food is difficult to resist. There is even a Holland American gold wrapped chocolate on our pillow each night. I nearly saved the lovely little package I found while leaving Grand Turk, until I saw who it was from, Judith of Homemade Confections. Who could resist? Certainly not us. We have tasted her delectable confections.

Maralyn, Norm and I first met Judith and her husband at the Oregon Chocolate Festival nearly a year ago. Since Maralyn and I were wearing our Tandem Tasters aprons, as food judges, we simply had to try everything. I remember pulling Maralyn away from a booth to say – “You must try these chocolates right now.” She did, and became hooked.

Judith’s business was so new that she did not have a website. Despite that, she was a winner. We were not the only judges who tasted something delightfully decadent. Norm, the true chocoholic on our team, was an unofficial judge, and he knows his chocolate. Plus, two other judges from Oregon agreed with us.

Since Maralyn and I had recently returned from tasting and learning about the finest chocolates in the world at Bocuse d’Or in Lyon France, we could have been spoiled. However, our taste buds burst back to life discovering the excellent artisan chocolate makers at the Oregon Chocolate Festival.

So, Thank you Judith, for your vision, perseverance, and marketing skills. Most of all, we all appreciate your sharing your delicious products with the International Food and Wine Travel Writer’s Association food loving members. I am privileged to have participated in the 2010 IFWTWA Conference at Sea.

Brenda C. Hill
International Food Wine & Travel Writers Association
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What a wonderful gift our group from International Food and Wine Travel Writers Association received from POM Wonderful. It is a large pomegranate shaped cutting matte (dishwasher safe) visual called: How to Open A Pomegranate.

This was the perfect pillow present to give a group of foodies who were on a sea cruise to the Caribbean.

First of all, the simple instructions are easy to read and to follow. Secondly, it was light and flexible for easy packing. I thought I knew how to open a pomegranate, one of my favorite foods in the world. However, now I have the proper techniques right in front of me.

We have already written about the many ways of enjoying pomegranates in our articles and recipes published in Where and What in the World, and in The Big Blend Magazine. Three of our favorite cocktails are the POM martini, POM in sparking wine and those Caribbean rum drinks turned into the color of a sunset with healthy pomegranate juice.

There is no end to the uses of this delectable ruby red gem in drink making and food preparation. We also find the Pomegranate arils to be a colorful and tasty garnish.

Thank you POM Wonderful, for a wonderful surprise.

Brenda C. Hill
International Food Wine & Travel Writers Association
Books By Hills Success Log Global Log