Robin Paisner, a member of Winnipeg's Jewish community, arrived at my door the other day with what was a beautiful bouqet of flowers--not just any flowers, but flowers I could eat!
Paisner just opened Blossoms Winnipeg, located at 577 Academy Road in Winnipeg, where the concept is transform fresh hand cut fruit and vegetables into uniquely crafted arrangements that resemble flowers (ranging anywhere from $40-$100 dollars).
When the bell rang, I thought it might be someone to come fix my washing machine which has been temper mental lately, but instead to my delight I received Paisner's arrangement of strawberries dipped in both dark and white chocolate with flower shaped pineapple pieces, and leafy greens that quite honestly looked better than anything else in my house! It was a very impressive arrangement, and will make a great gift to send out for Passover.
In fact when my teenage son came home from school and went straight for the television set, he saw the arrangements on our living room table and didn't give it much attention because as he told me later, "I thought it was just flowers." When he realized there was chocolate, his face lit up and he began tasting in a flash. I even thought of putting a chocolate covered strawberry or two in my kids' lunches to take to Gray Academy but I didn't want the other kids to be jealous).
As Paisner explained, "These gift arrangements offer a healthy and unique alternative to traditional gift baskets or flowers. The fresh fruit used include various assortments of strawberries, grapes, honeydew melon and cantaloupe, apples, pears, oranges, grapes and pineapple. Some of the fruit can be dipped in chocolate and rolled in a variety of toppings to add some decadence. Blossoms arrangements are appropriate for any occasion, in addition to traditional holiday events. They are also popular for corporate gifting, a distinctive way to say thank you to customers or recognize employees."
In the current climate of scent free policies, food sensitivities, allergies and dietary restrictions, Fresh Fruit Arrangements are healthy, consumable, gluten-free, and scent free.
If anyone you know has sugar concerns, then Blossoms can offer sugar-free dark and milk chocolate for dipping their fruit, and in fact the arrangement I tried had sugar free chocolate. (And it was just as good as any sugar filled chocolate I have had. So good that I ate far too much of it and even though I was going to save some to share with Rhonda Prepes, a Winnipeg Jewish Review reporter, before I knew it, it was gone. I might just have to send Prepes her own arrangement for Passover instead!)
In fact, on reflection, before Robin Paisner entered my life, I don't think I ever fully appreciated just how good chocolate covered pineapple is.
Not only that, but the bouquet was so tasty and great looking that it filled my house with a sense of Spring, to the point that it took me more than 24 hours to notice that that it began snowing heavily again this week. ( And I might also mention that before receiving my Blossom's bouqet I thought that the interior of my house could use a fresh coat of paint. Then I realized that if I just left the blossoms arrangement out on my living room table, the overall design effect was such that I needn't bother painting at all.)
"Blossom can offer our customers a specific design unique to the Blossoms family, or we can customize and create any arrangement that suits the needs and occasions of our customers," Paisner said.
I also shouldn't forget to mention this little factoid for people who want to make their chocolate dreams a reality: Blossoms Winnipeg is proud to be the exclusive merchant in Winnipeg to carry Chocomize custom-made chocolate bars.
"These bars are unique in flavour combinations and use a sinfully delicious Belgian chocolate base," Paisner says.
"Each chocolate bar is hand-made to order in Chocomize’s production facility in Long Island City, NY and is shipped right to the Blossoms Winnipeg’s doorstep within a few days. Chocomize chocolate bars are made from a Belgian chocolate base and are available in dark, milk or white chocolate. The chocolate bars start at $8.25 and increase in price depending on the selected ingredients," Paisner notes.
"Chocomize bars are great for gifts, whether it’s that special someone’s birthday, chocolate favours for a wedding, or as a corporate chocolate gift or as a corporate chocolate gift. Blossoms Winnipeg is the only retail store in the city to carry these chocolate bars. Currently in the shop are such treats as: Chocolate on Chocolate, That's Nuts, Happy Birthday, S'mores Bar, and Tighty Whiteys, the Berry Bar," she adds.
Blossoms, which is not part of a franchise system, is a Canadian company and each Blossoms store owner (currently 67 of them) is a licensee and independent business owner.
Please visit the Blossoms Winnipeg website at www.blossomswinnipeg.com or visit its Facebook page, drop by the shop at 577 Academy Road, or phone Robin at (204) 487-4966. Blossoms is open Tuesday through Saturday. Please call the shop for our business hours.
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