Market Notes June 6th, 2021
PAW PAW PREPERATION
The pawpaw season will begin in a few weeks and it is a brief season before the fruit gets too ripe. This is an east coast and mid-west program. Virginia, Maryland, Ohio, and Michigan are among the largest current producers but many California groves are looking forward to their own harvests in a few years. We have found a few grower/packer operations that really do this right, from picking to packing and shipping, making good arrivals across the country. Fruit is not cheap and shipping must be overnight but single layer show stopping fruit is available for retail and bulk fruit is available for processing. At seasons end in mid- September, frozen pulp is available. Please reach out to your Culinary rep to determine you Paw Paw possibilities.ON THE WILD SIDE
Okay, so the morel mushrooms did not go down as fast as expected, but it was a holiday week. Maybe the price will drop slowly up until July 4th, but then the deals will come. Along with the mighty morel, there are domestic porcini’s and chanterelles popping up every day. Fiddlehead ferns are available on the east coast and in Canada. Ramp bulbs are still available fresh for another three weeks. Garlic scapes are now available in 3 pound bags. Black summer truffles reached maturity and as the dig increases, prices are dropping. Black Chilean winter truffles are on the horizon.BYE-BYE MOSCA BYE-BYE
We just booked out last truck for the southern Colorado season. It was a weird one but we got all the potatoes sold, so we did our job. While our friends in the valley clean, repair, plant and plan, we move our forward distribution program to Bakersfield, where the truck rates compete with the temperature to see who can get higher. Fortunately we have ample supplies already dug and suberizing as we speak. The last truck will pull out of Mosca next Thursday, so any FOB orders will have to be out west. From Bakersfield we do have the ability to drop ship into consolidators in both the Los Angeles and San Francisco area. Hope to see you there.NEW PRODUCE QUIZ – WHO AM I ???
I am NOT a papaya! I am a member of the Annona family (the only temperate member). I am NOT tropical. In fact, I am the largest edible fruit that is native to the United States. Boone and Twain were fans of me. McCoy’s were tied to my bark and executed. I saved Lewis & Clark from starvation. I even have my own festival and foundation. I am native to 25 United States ranging from Northern Florida to Southern Ontario (Canada) and as far west as Eastern Nebraska. I have an oblong shape, like a small potato with a green skin. On the branch I grow as a single fruit or in clusters of up to nine, resembling a tropical banana plant. This, along with my very sweet taste combining banana, mango, and pineapple, have led to the nicknames “Kentucky Banana”, or “poor man’s banana”. Historically I have been used for making brandy, but I am best purees, ice creams, custards, cookies, yogurts, and of course out of hand. I am a good source of vitamin C, Potassium, Niacin, Copper, and Manganese. I am High in protein and fat, and contain all essential amino acids. I also produce natural defense compounds (annonaceous acteogenins) in my leaf, bark, and twig tissues that are being researched for anti-cancer drugs and natural pesticides.The answer to last weeks quiz was..SEA KALE..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