Market Notes
Aug 1st, 2024
POTATO NOTES FROM ALL OVER
This seems to be a bit of a transition week with some things ending, others beginning, while others going in for repair and others taking a break. All this will settle down in a week. Here’s the little we know. Purple, red, white, and yellow rounds have started out of Stockton, so purple A’s are available once again. FOB Stockton or LA consolidation is the way to get these. Our fingerling program that is organic but not sold that way has sprouted, both in volume and literally. We are cleaning up the mess, running them through a conventional line where they will be sprout nipped (not clove oil), and packed in non-organic boxes by the end of next week, problem solved. Our backup grown in Washington packed in Oregon deal is on vacation for two weeks so that product is a bit limited. The once organic now conventional product from Central California will cover everything but there might be a gap for two days. Speaking of Washington, organic red and yellow rounds have started and while a few regions are still waiting on skin set, others are ready to rock. Speaking of rock, White Rock in central southern Colorado is closed for the next two weeks for equipment repair and replacement. Speaking of Colorado our northern Colorado grower who is usually getting ready to harvest fingerlings out of New Mexico was let down by heavy rains and questionable harvest. But they actually have excellent storage product, which is not much more than decent, but it sure beats sprouts! Idaho specialty growers have wound up for a season, but that gap is expected to be less than two weeks. The new season there is expected to begin by mid-August. Looking further ahead growers went just a bit heavy this year on fingerlings so while there might be some slight trim for the fall harvests, but it won’t be much. Specialty potatoes are close to finding their level.
YELLOW NOMATOES
Remember yellow tomatoes? See through, tasteless, low acid, looks good on a sandwich, yellow tomatoes. We barely do as they seem to be totally unavailable in any volume. We know there is no reasonable explanation for the timing, but they seemed to disappear as the manifest destiny of Covid grew. Not an essential ingredient, we suppose, so let them eat red. Unfortunately, we had a few clients who depended on them and they really seem to be non-existent. Some heirloom varieties but we are looking for multi-pallet and that is nowhere to be found. First the Paw-Paws now the yellow tomatoes. Look out upland cress, you might be next.
NEW PRODUCE QUIZ – WHO AM I ???
I’m often called a homely tuber, and being thin-skinned doesn’t help. Some people consider me a cross between a potato and an apple. My roots can be traced back to the days of the Aztecs and Incas, and I have always been very popular throughout Central and South America. Today I am also grown in Asia. Although I am a legume, I am grown mainly for my tuberous roots. I have a nubby, pointed end, white juicy flesh, and a thin fibrous dusty brown skin. When full grown I can be as large as one foot in diameter, and weigh as much as 22 pounds, but I am usually dug up when I am about 5 inches in diameter and about 3–5 pounds. Cold kills, so you won’t find us in regions that have frost. Don’t even think about growing us anywhere north of the Texas Oklahoma border. I have two varieties: pachyrhizus tuberosus & pachyrhizus erosus (the second is the one you usually see). I have a sweet nutty flavor. While I’m watery when young my older, dried up relatives are usually ground into flour. I maintain my crispness when cooked. I get a beautiful tan and taste very sweet when deep fried. I can also be simmered in soup or sliced raw into salads, baked, steamed, boiled, or mashed.
The answer to last weeks quiz is…PEAS….Congrats to all winners
Call 908-789-4700 –Lisa, Matty, or Richard– Fax 908-789-4702
Visit us at www.culinaryproduce.com “like” us @ Culinary Specialty Produce on Facebook
© Culinary Specialty Produce, Inc., 2023