Market Notes
Feb 27, 2020
FROM RED TO GREEN – THE HOLIDAY SCENE
Next up, St. Patrick’s Day, which is on Tuesday, March 17th. One of the more popular items from last year was the green orchids. These are not grown as green orchids; they are white orchids that are dyed green for the holiday. This is a very delicate and time consuming process and advance notice is required. If you are interested we need to have orders for the green orchids no later than Tuesday, March 4th so you can receive them with plenty of time prior to the holiday. We also offered green potatoes with advance notice. We would simply expose your pre-order to fluorescent light for a week or so to make sure the skins turned green. That program did not do as well. Numerous other unique greens include nettles, spring onions, fiddlehead ferns and a wide array of micros and edible flowers. So get green with Culinary, give us a call to review our full menu.
RAMPAGE AND MORE
From what we know, fresh ramps are still not available. There is a rumor that Mexican ramps are available in the Los Angeles Market but consensus is that they are spring onions which are available. We expect product from West Virginia to begin in the next few weeks. With such high national employment pickers will be more limited and the whole process may be slower. We are hoping to have ramps for St. Patrick’s Day but at this point will not commit to it. We do have nettles in stock and as of today we can offer west coast fiddlehead ferns, the first of the season. These ferns are a bit duller than the ostrich ferns from the east coast but are essentially taste the same. Both nettles and fiddlehead ferns are available from foragers direct or (for small amounts) through consolidation in LA.
PRODUCE QUIZ — WHO AM I???
Of our 600 varieties, we are mostly seeds that grow in pods, but we can also be a tuber or a sprout. We can be used fresh or dried. Usually our pods are not edible but in some instances they are. We are a potent nutrient source though not complete. When combined with a grain we become a first-class protein and an excellent selection for vegetarian cookery. In this form we provide all the essential amino acids essential to a complete balanced protein. We are also a good source of complex carbohydrates, dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals. We combine well with other ingredients and flavorings because we do not have a very strong taste of our own. You will often find me mingling with garlic, tomatoes, oil, and other flavorings to keep me in good taste. Many of our heirloom varieties are enjoying a comeback in fine dining. As an agricultural crop, we can restore depleted soil through bacteria living symbiotically in our roots. We absorb nitrogen from the air, and the bacteria fix it in the soil. Best with rice, in stir-fries or soups.
Answer to last week’s quiz ….. MUSTARD…..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., 2015