Market Notes
October 12, 2017
APPLES
Tis the season to look at colorful leaves, do all things pumpkin spice and go to the local orchard to pick apples. No ho-ho-ho’s but a lovely time of the year none the less. Aside from the traditional favorites, the necessary heirloom standards and the big boys new “best apple ever” appear yearly. Culinary offers two varieties in the standard weird category. Our focus here is interior color. More on the Granny Smith side of apples the Hidden Rose and Mountain Rose apple varieties both have red flesh. The Mountain Rose has a slightly darker interior than its blush colored cousin. Zesty out of hand, amazing for Tarte Tatin your customers will love the uniqueness of these short season pips. This is a three to four week season and often pre-orders are required. First shipments are expected next week. Both the Hidden Rose and Mountain Rose are packed in single layer boxes in various sizes. Delivered to the dock of your choice in LA, please contact your Culinary Rep for details.
GREEN SCENE REMAINS MEAN
It is not a pretty picture in the Salinas Valley and surrounding areas. Areas of the final plantings are now being harvested while all new seeding continues down south. Spinach remains scare and expensive. Arugula has a rejection rate of 30% and allocations are up to 7%. Organic kale availability is down 50% and price is way up. Spring mix and baby heads are available but will most likely be pro-rated in the weeks before transition. As we mentioned last week, relocation to Yuma and points south are expected to be 2-3 weeks earlier this year so we will be out of this mess a little but sooner than traditionally expected.
YELLOW TOMATOES
We have been scarred to inquire about the condition of our Florida fields where we get our yellow tomatoes. We were so very pleased with the survival of those we know and love in the area we did not have the heart to ask about the crop. But that time has now come and here is the report. Lots of damage! In our northern (early) fields the tops of all the crops were destroyed by the excessive rain. Fortunately there is some smaller lower fruit that may or may not size up. Inspection begins next week. At most there will be two rounds of harvest and that will be it for that crop. Central Florida product was completely destroyed along with the planting shed. Seed has been sent to Georgia to regenerate starts and they are going in the ground now. This means the program from Central Florida will not begin until after the first of the year. Two month gap, November and December. We are scouring the planet for additional sources.
NEW PRODUCE QUIZ – – WHAT AM I??
I have over fifty varieties. In the Inca language (Quechua) still spoken by the Indian peoples of Peru and Bolivia, my name means “cold seed.” I am native to the Andes and can be found growing in tropical and subtropical regions, cold seed indeed! Today I am cultivated in the USA, Chili, Mexico, Peru, Ecuador, Spain, Israel, Guatemala, and Australia. The thorny tree that bares my fruit can grow as high as twenty-four feet. The scent of my flowers is so strong insects stay away so I have to be pollinated manually in order to fruit. I am heart or oval shapes with a scaly skin color ranging from bronze to green. When ripe I turn yellow then black. When over ripe I tend to have a sickly sweet odor. My fragrant whitish pulp is sweet and juicy with a custard-like texture. I have large black inedible (friendly) seeds throughout my flesh. I am best eaten out of hand and often doused with orange juice to prevent oxidation. I am also used in fruit salads, sorbet’s, ice creams, yogurt, pastries and cookies. I can also be used to make jellies, jams juice or compote. I am high in carbohydrates and a good source of vitamin C and niacin. If you attached a Monstera to my mid section I would l9ok like a prehistoric reptile.
Answer To Last Week’s Quiz…ANGELICA…Congrats To All Winners
Call 908-789-4700 –Lisa or Richard– Fax 908-789-4702
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Culinary Specialty Produce, Inc., 2015