Market Notes DECEMBER 8th, 2022
TRANSITION SHMANSITION
All growers are up and running and all operations are humming, so you can hardly call the lean green scene due to transition. There was a little bit of catchup at the beginning for product taken to cover northern production, but it should have been recovered easily be now. Reality is such that product is almost at a standstill. Cool daytime temperatures and even light frost overnight have slowed growth and the shortages extend. Arugula appears to be the hardest hit in terms of availability and allocations. Kale comes in second. Mixes that are heavily dependent on baby lettuce are very short and while basic mesclun was opening up as of last week, this week it is getting tight once again. Most shippers are trying to cover standing order without cuts. There seems to be no room for additional product. We had suggested that prices on spinach and mesclun were going to drop as early as next week but we were wrong. The people with the crystal ball are telling us continued cold is expected with a wicked three day snap around the corner. Signs of relief suggest better weather and lower demand after the 25th.
HOLIDAY HOURS (PART ONE)
It’s always weird when a holiday falls on a weekend. For the Monday through Friday businesses this is a head scratcher. First, if a holiday falls on a day when you are not working, why do you need a day off to celebrate? Answer, it must be a paid holiday. Then, which day do you close, they day before the holiday, or the day after the holiday? In these situations, we look for the trend and for Christmas it seems that for the businesses that do close, the day will be Monday. We are surveying amongst our clients and vendors to determine the what who how’s, but we do know that the Hunts Point and LA markets will be closed as will Fed-Ex and UPS. If all possibilities of doing anything are unavailable, indeed will be close. If there is any produce commerce to be had, we will be there for that. We will update next week and hopefully include our New Year’s schedule as well. For that one, an extra day of recovery might make sense.
NEW PRODUCE QUIZ – WHO AM I ???
We were used by the Romans to flavor sauces and vinegar. Over two thousand years old, we are a native to the Mediterranean region where we were also considered an aphrodisiac. We are both annual and perennial, thriving in the winter months as well as the long days of summer. Although the exact amount varies from cousin to cousin, we are all rich in carvacrol and thymol. Used in the curing of salami we are also a component of that de Provence thing, but we often have to compete for that honor. We are very popular in flavoring all sorts of legumes, (probably due to the fact that we counteract flatulence), and we have even been used as a salt substitute. We go all out with our peppery flavor, but save us for the end as overcooking renders us very bitter. We bring life to any stuffing, our leaves are used for making tea, we are signature soup, and we never met a sausage we didn’t like. Primarily culinary, we also have excellent medicinal values. We can be quite effective in improving digestion, increasing perspiration, stimulating the uterus and nervous system as well as relieving menstrual disorders and soothing sore throats. We do not get to play with expectant mothers, as time has shown we are just too much for them.
The answer to last weeks quiz is….MULBERRY….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