Market Notes
June 9, 2016
OFFSHORE & MORE
Asparagus are available depending on size. For small, standard and large we have all you need at great prices. Price is up on extra-large grass and there are few to none if you’re talking jumbo. Quality on all is excellent. French beans are not, at the moment, affected by rains and product is clean with good color and cheap. When it comes to peas, snaps are less expensive than snow peas and they are looking a little better as well. Snow peas are very affordable, just not as shiny and museum quality as the snaps. Baby squash is available but quality is hit and miss. This time of year these babies are not the strongest and we have to sort out a bit, but we are shipping clean product with no complaints. In the tomato department the deal is the ten pound slicing heirlooms. The look and taste great with an awesome spread of varieties and are quite affordable. Baby heirloom and teardrop tomatoes are available but significantly more expensive. Finally, the year round rugged standard, the peeled baby carrots are at silly low prices. The above selection ships out of Miami; by air, on your truck or possibly on ours. Please contact your Culinary Rep for details.
FINGER LIME
Finger limes are on. This week we started up the retail pack that proved to be quite popular last year. This year we have picked up where we left off. The retail pack contains 12/50 gram clamshells. We have a 16 case master that ship well anywhere in the country, but we can accommodate any amount. Tell us what you need and we will quote you a delivered price. We continue moving bulk product in the beautiful burlap bags and can combine the retails packs with the bulk packaging. A quick note about our organic finger limes. We are only picking and packing mature fruit that is of the proper color and size. No brown fruit and no ¼ inch pieces. Product is harvested the day it ships. This process is a bit more expensive but it is well worth it. There are no surprises upon arrival and orders have been steady so we must be doing something right.
BERRY TIME
Specialty berry season is beginning in Central California and it looks like it is going to be a very sweet year. Unfortunately the Driscoll’s “best of season” blackberries are done the strawberries have begun. They are quite large and very sweet. But you don’t look to use for the common strawberry. You want the Black Raspberries, Marionberries, Loganberries, Yellow Raspberries, and the rock ‘n roll famous Boysenberry. This year we are being teased with fresh Goji berries as well. The fabulous berries are a tough ship and require a lot of preparation for good arrival. Two years advance notice is required. OK, we’re kidding but three to four day notice is essential to make this work. We would prefer you to pick them up but we can ship after a long discussion. The vast majority of these berries are organic but this is a community of lots of small growers so it changes from week to week. This berry deal goes through mid-August.
NEW PRODUCE QUIZ – – WHO AM I???
From the ancient land of Persia to Russia, from the Himalayas to Afghanistan I am truly the fruit of the gods. Arriving in America via Spanish sailors I was well known to Moses, Persphone (the goddess of fruit) Olearuis and Mohammad. Known as the “fruit of many seeds”, I have also been called the forbidden fruit and the fruit of fertility. My Faberge style jewel-case skin is inedible and leathery tough with a turret-like calyx. This protects my ruby colored treasures inside. I am three inches in diameter and grow on a tree that can reach 20 to 30 feet high but often pruned down to six or twelve feet. Prior to fruiting I bear large, trumpet shaped flowers. If you treat me nicely I will remain edible for up to three months after harvest, but don’t pluck me early as I don’t ripen off the tree. Most often eaten fresh (with seeds swallowed or not), my sweet/tart pulp is also used for concentrated syrups, drinks, soups and desserts. I have a high citric acid content which accounts from my tartness. I am also a good source of Potassium and Vitamin C. According to Greek Mythology, six of seed are responsible for winter.
Answer To Last Week’s Quiz…TAT-SOI…Congrats To All Winners
Call 908-789-4700 –Lisa or Richard– Fax 908-789-4702
Visit us at www.culinaryproduce.com
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Culinary Specialty Produce, Inc., 2015