Market Notes February 3rd, 2022
CLIMATE CATASTROPHES – ANOTHER NEW NORMAL
Whether you believe in global warming or not, there is little doubt that seasonal extremes are becoming just that, more extreme. Summer fires burn longer, more frequently, and cause more destruction. Floods take out electrical grids, last longer, have more power. Winter storms are more frequent and much more powerful. From last weeks bomb cyclone to this weeks middle America attack moving east. At this writing at least 12 states have some power outages from Texas to Minnesota. Tornado warnings abound, freezing rain, snow, sleet, and hale all threaten to bring transportation and communication to a halt. The possibilities of perishable movement interruption include everything from planes to trains and trucks. Overnight delivery is a joke as middle America is shut down, and hundreds of flights been cancelled along with many road closures. Then this entire system moves east just one day short of last weeks storm. Loads in Colorado and Florida are now questionable and let’s not get started on truck availability and cost. We hope everybody remains safe and is able to literally weather the storm. We will continue, no matter what to worry about and follow your orders, wherever they may lead.VALENTINE’S DAY
With all the yucky-yucky going on both nationally and globally, we could all use a holiday. Who cares if it reminds us of a massacre, it’s still all about red. Once you forget about the “blood, guts and veins in your teeth” you are still left with red so think, potatoes, carrots, and beets (oh my). There are many other red vegetables but these three root veggies lend themselves to carving. Other than the long stem mini roses these heart shaped veggies are the holiday best sellers. But this year labor is at a shortage and having them in time will be a challenge. So, let’s get those orders in now. For details, please contact your culinary rep. Wednesday, February 9th is the last day to order in time for the Monday celebration.MIND THE GAP
So, it is looking like the rains in Bakersfield, California and surrounding areas have caused some surface damage to the fingerling potato crop. Fortunately, other fields, harvested later did not have the rain damage so we still have top quality product to supply. Unfortunately, as we work through the troubled potatoes, the culls maybe so great that there will be a gap at the other end. Crop that was supposed to take us into May, could be gone in mid-April. Being aware of this in advance allows us two opportunities; First to find product elsewhere to cover the shortage or second, to let our customers know way in advance that there will be a gap for a few weeks. Stay tuned.NEW PRODUCE QUIZ – WHO AM I ???
I am tired of being the bowl. Cut off my head, scoop out my seeds, and fill me up with soup. This is often the story of my life. Named after squirrel food due to my shape my skin can be green, gold, white or variegated in green, yellow and orange. I am a shrubby, creeping plant and my shape is conical with a pointed apex and longitudinally grooved. Compared to my summer cousins I take a long time to grow, averaging about 80 to 100 days. I am in the same family as the melon and cucumber and I am believed to have wild origins in Central America, between Mexico and Guatemala dating back over ten thousand years. Christopher Columbus is credited with introducing my ancestors to Europe. My thin skin is very hard to peel so it is usually left intact. My flesh will reveal a peppery hazelnut flavor that is universally admired. In fact, when not being used as a bowl, you can just cut me in half, drizzle some butter (tanning oil to me) on my flesh, then top with honey, cinnamon, brown sugar, and/or nutmeg. Roast me for just under an hour and I’ll prove to you that bowls are better in plastic, paper, or porcelain. Don’t forget to cover me in the oven or my top layer will burn, and I never got along well with aloe. While I am an excellent source of potassium and vitamin A, I also contain vitamin C, folic acid, and copper.Answer to last quiz….MONSTERA…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