Market Notes
May 23, 2019
PAST PEAK TO THE LAST WEEK
The wonderful onion garlicky wild Ramps are all but done. We received one of our last significant shots today and while we had hoped to continue for a few weeks, looks like next week will be our last full week if we get that far. The Ramps had a great run this year but all good things must come to an end. We will have them through the holiday weekend then they dwindle until done. For the diehards and the hoarders, we do offer fresh Ramp bulbs. These are an excellent allium as you know and they can be frozen and saved for recipes until the 2020 season begins. Check with your Culinary rep for shipping details. In most other areas the wild forages on. We are even seeing a few porcini mushrooms whose volume should only increase. When one door closes…
THE PERPLEXING PURPLE POTATO PROBLEM
Let’s face it, purple potatoes just don’t taste great. Eye appeal is a strong factor and can even affect an opinion on taste. They look good in a mix and great on a plate (unless mashed with a slice of butter which just ain’t right), but do a blind taste test and compare purple to any other variety and you will be enlightened. So, in a world where food is art what are culinarians to do? There is an answer and it’s yellow. Yes yellow! Over the past few years the purple skin yellow flesh potato has made its debut in the specialty market. The taste is phenomenal. Culinary sells these under the Harvest Moon brand and we would love you to buy ours but many other shippers have similar varieties. A nightmare or a challenge for retail because the potato itself is false advertising and tough to promote without pictures or promos so we are looking to foodservice to establish this great tasting spud. So we will keep bugging you to check these yellpule or purplow potatoes. Distributors tell your buyers, buyers tell your chefs, chefs taste these.
MEMORIAL DAY
Culinary Specialty Produce will close its main office on Monday 5-27-2019 so our staff can celebrate Memorial Day. Most major markets will be closed and several shippers will have abbreviated hours. Consolidations will need to occur on Saturday or Tuesday. No market airport runs or overnight deliveries out on Monday. Our global service desk will remain open as always and that can be reached at the numbers below. From us and ours to you and yours we wish you a happy healthy and safe holiday weekend.
NEW PRODUCE QUIZ – – WHAT AM I??
Held sacred by some, I originally owe my life and subsequent growth to a wasp. While you will consume as a single fruit, I am actually a collection of over 1500 seeds attached to the inside of a vase shaped structure know as a syconium or more commonly known as my skin. I was a staple of ancient Mediterranean civilizations. I was originally cultivated in Egypt around 4000 BC. In 1776 the Spanish Franciscan Missionaries who settled in Southern California introduced me to America. I have over 600 relatives and we are often used as a symbol of peace or prosperity. We are the sweetest of the sweet as we have the highest sugar content of any non-fermented fruit. We cross every racial barrier, as our skin can be any shade of brown, black, green, purple, or red. I have a soft juicy texture and a sweet nut-like flavor. Best consumer fresh I am also found in cookies, pudding, canned, concentrated, or pureed. For the fancy folk I can often be seem hamming it up. I am a good source of iron, calcium, and phosphorus.
Answer to last weeks quiz..JACKFRUIT…Congratulations to all winners!
Call 908-789-4700 –Lisa or Richard– Fax 908-789-4702
Visit us athref=”http://www.culinaryproduce.com/”>www.culinaryproduce.com
“like” us @ Culinary Specialty Produce on Facebook©
Culinary Specialty Produce, Inc., 2015