Market Notes April 21st, 2022
RAMPS & FRIENDS
The ramp fields are moving north, to larger fields and better yields. Ramps have a great backup band this year including Miners Lettuce, Wild Watercress, and Nettles. Fresh Morel, Chanterelle and Porcini mushrooms fill out the group. In a few weeks the band will be joined by the famous Eastern Fiddleheads and our season will be complete. Overnight delivery available for all orders. Commercial airline cargo delivery available as well.
FINGERLING FIASCO
All indications are we are going to run out of all fingerlings within two weeks. All indications are that we are also going to begin new crop harvest the middle or end of next week. Sounds great, right? Not exactly. Considering that new crop has to be cooled down before it can be packed and run and then there is travel time. Add it all up and you get a possibility of a reset/gap of a week is plausible. Of course, we will do all possible to avoid that, but fingerling supply of all shapes and colors is somewhere between non-existent and extinct. By the middle to the end of May, at least three growers will be harvesting new crop and all of this will go away. We should also take a moment to sincerely thank all our customers who stuck with us and continue to do so in this predicted yo-yo ride. Old normal, though maybe a bit costlier, will be back.
ANDY’S AGGRIVATION
A quick update from our favorite tree fruit grower. Heavy rains and hail in Morgan Hill have severely damaged the cherry crop. The mid-June harvest will be very limited and a vast majority of these intensely flavorful cherries will go to processing. Good for Knotts Berry Farm, bad for us. But the “cots” start late June, followed by peaches, plums and nectarines and all the luscious in-betweens.
NEW PRODUCE QUIZ – WHO AM I ???
Finally, the culinary world is recognizing me again. My name comes from the Latin ‘to wash’ and for a long time I was washed up in kitchens. I’ve had a most glorious history. In the Middle Ages I was considered the herb of love, to the perfume industry I’ve always been a major component. From smelling salts to soothing the mind and soul, I have several medicinal uses. My English variety is most popular for perfumed products and my smaller flowers produce more valuable esters than the older plant’s darker oils. Often found in vinegars, jellies and sometimes as a salad condiment, my small purple flowers and long stems stand out as an excellent garnish. I am a member of the mint family and today my culinary uses are being realized in both sweet and savory dishes. Combining perfectly with lamb, salmon, black pepper, honey, chocolate, cumin, oranges, and many smoked foods, the creative chef will find endless uses for me. I am available fresh or dried and I bloom and flower in June and July. When you have finished using me in the kitchen, and if you are lucky enough to have some of me leftover, here are some other possible uses for me: soaps, pillow stuffing, potpourris, shaving cream, or just add it to your bath water. And let us not forget that Donovan sang about understanding me, so if you have any more questions ask him, he made me a big part of the whole 60’s love thing.
Answer to last quiz….CARAWAY SEED…Congrats to all winners!
Call 908-789-4700 –Lisa or Richard– Fax 908-789-4702 Visit us at www.culinaryproduce.com “like” us @ Culinary Specialty Produce on Facebook© Culinary Specialty Produce, Inc., 2020