Food Network to feature Graceland Fruit

Graceland Fruit Inc. and its signature line of infused dried cherries will be featured in the new television series, How'd That Get On My Plate? scheduled to air August 25 at 8:30 ET on the Food Network.

Film crews recently followed the production of tart cherries from harvest through drying and packing at Graceland's northwest Michigan plant and surrounding orchards and processing facilities.

"Tart cherries are still Graceland's top product and cherries are northern Michigan's largest crop, so we are happy to represent our state as well as the cherry industry on this nationally televised program," Don Nugent, company founder and president, said. "Over the years we have expanded our product lines to offer a wide range of infused dried fruits and vegetables and appreciate the recognition of the Food Network."

The television program follows raw foods, such as Graceland's infused dried cherries, from the farm to production and through packing to see how ingredients are used in things like muffins, cereal, ice cream and trail mix. The focus of the show is on technology and how it is used to plant, nurture, harvest, transport, heat, cool, slice, dice, mix, package and otherwise process raw ingredients into the foods we eat.

"Drying cherries isn't like drying grapes to make raisins. Tart cherries have a low sugar content, so to keep them from becoming tough and hard, you have to replace the water in the cells of the fruit with sugar solids," Nugent said. "It took us 10 years to perfect the infusion process that produces a soft, moist dried cherry with its natural flavor and one year shelf-life."

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