Market Notes
October 20, 2016

 

COLORADO POTATOES ARE ON

The drips and drabs from Colorado are done. The flood gates are open and we are in full production. Here are a few of the highlights. Russian Banana fingerlings are all out of the ground. There were no post killing freezes or rains and as a result we have very nice quality. Size, for the second year is on the small size but easily within the 2” to 4” inch range. This does mean that there will not be huge volume on jumbo but we have enough to cover our regular customers. Along with the yellow Russian Banana, we also have French Fingerling and Ruby Crescent varieties for a nice mix. Purple fingerlings are not grown in these circles but our sister seed company in Western Colorado and a partner in Northern Colorado will cover the purples for us.. The yellow fingerlings will be available for forward distribution this week to cover our east coast customers. FOB pick up is also available at our dock in Mosca, Colorado. Fingerlings are packed in 2000 pound totes, 50 and 20 pound boxes, and numerous retail packaging. Please check with your Culinary rep for details on packaging and pricing. Fingerlings are also available organically and we have retail organic packaging as well. Organic Russets are also being packed and our early varieties are looking superb. They are also priced very well for this time of the year. Organic red and yellow potatoes are available with the tote, foodservice and retail options as well. Finally we will start running our newest variety, Harvest Moon™ next week. Formerly known as the Midnight Moon, these are round purple skinned potatoes with the brightest yellow flesh you have ever seen in a spud. The flavor is a bright color but it is a tricky sell when you see a smooth purple skin. Samples are available as we enter our second full season of promotion. Harvest Moon™ are currently certified organic and will remain available along with conventional as we harvest through our rotation of crop. Our new tag line for the Harvest Moon™ is, “THE GOLD IS ON THE INSIDE.” Samples, promotional deals and ads are available. Masquerade potatoes are two weeks away.

BABY VEGETABLES

The heat burned, the rain flooded, and the wind destroyed so the state of baby veggies are not perfectly sound. Baby cauliflower and baby fennel are abundant, affordable and available. Baby Beets are showing signs of trouble. Weather damage and shifting fields created a supply less than demand and many quality problems. Large beets are a better bet and beet tops are tough. Carrots with tops fared much better and there is no problem with the baby French (orange), but the purple, pink, yellow and white varieties are limited. Baby turnips are scarce as well. The standard 5# baby peeled carrots along with the 5# baby peeled rainbow carrots are readily available and pricing is standard. Baby lettuces remain strong but we expect the colder weather to slow down their growth and product will tighten up prior to transition. French beans, baby squash and baby tomatoes are all available with reasonable pricing. All indications are that the price in these markets is dropping. Baby kohlrabi and baby radishes are in stock and ready to go.

NEW PRODUCE QUIZ – – WHO AM I???

I am a member of the nut family. I am native to Southeast Asia and the Melanesian Islands in the Pacific Ocean. I am the year-round king of tropical and subtropical regions. I have a thick, hard skin whose color ranges from green to brown depending on my level of maturity. At any stage my tough brown fibers tousled around my shell give me a constant 5:00 shadow. In Sanskrit I am referred to as kapla vriksha I which means, “tree which gives all that is necessary for living”. They were correct, as even today I am totally useful. Carpenters use the wood of my palm while my strong fibrous leaves are used to make rope, baskets and fabric. Crack me open to reveal my crisp white meat and belly full of liquid. My meat is rich popular tasting accompaniment to shell fish dishes, cookies, pies, cakes, custards, and candy. My liquid, when not drunk directly from my shell is used in sauces, curries, puddings and other desserts. I am also famous for my “milk” which is created by pouring boiling water over my grated meat, leaving it to cool and then straining. As you read this I probably surround you if not actually on you directly through the use of your soap or fragrance. I contain a considerable amount of saturated fat, a moderate amount of fiber, and scarce amounts of protein, calcium, sodium, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, iron and copper. Finally though mostly thought of as a nut, I am actually a drupe, meaning a fruit with a hard stone. Well, sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes, you drupe!

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Answer To Last Week’s Quiz…PEAS…Congrats To All Winners

Call 908-789-4700 –Lisa or Richard– Fax 908-789-4702
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Culinary Specialty Produce, Inc., 2015