Market Notes
November 9, 2017
VETERANS DAY
This year Veterans Day is being celebrated on Friday, November 10th even though the holiday is actually November 11th. In America, in order to truly celebrate a holiday there has to be a weekday business closure to verify the actual holiday exists. To make matters even stranger, while the LA market is closed on Friday in celebration of the holiday that is the next day, it is not closed on Saturday, the day of the actual holiday. So no last minute orders to the airport tomorrow but we can probably do it on Saturday. No matter what, this is an important holiday both in celebration and remembrance. We are thankful to those who served to help maintain the freedoms we still enjoy. While the date is less important the meaning behind it is. Culinary will be open normal hours on Friday and will do our best to cover your needs with the limited openings.
HOLIDAY TATERS
Perhaps we have not been able to say this for quite some time but when it comes to potatoes, we are ready for the season, or at least for Thanksgiving. Our eastern forward distribution facility is well stocked and is getting refreshed every week. Our Colorado facility is rocking on organic red, yellow and russets. Our California facilities are stocked with fingerlings, creamers, marbles and jumbos. Pee-wee’s (mini fingerlings) are a bit tight but should be available in two weeks. On the super specialty side we have good stock of jumbo French Fingerlings that can be packed for food-service or retail and the glowing Harvest Moon potato, purple but not really. After about 10 months of difficult potato markets, we are finally settling into a good season with lots of variety and plenty of supply. Quickly now, go know on wood
GREEN SCENE ALMOST PERFECTLY CLEAN
This is it! The weekend everyone has been waiting for. Salinas is done and hello Yuma. While there is no getting past the holdups of day one at the pack house, the product is both abundant and beautiful and that will save time. We do, unfortunately have one flaw and that is our baby lettuce. It is running one week behind. We will not have any baby heads to load in Yuma until Monday, November 20, 2017 but they will be the heavy four pound plus boxes that represent the best value on the market. We do have a secondary supply that loads out of LA and we have limited supply still available in Salinas.
NEW PRODUCE QUIZ – – WHAT AM I??
Considered an ornamental plant, I am native to South America, and though I am quite pretty, I am useful as well. Let’s start from the top and work our way down. I am a flower, and edible flower when grown for culinary uses, delicate and beautiful in shades of bright yellow, orange, or red. I am always used fresh and add a spicy peppery zing to fresh salads. I am so versatile I can be used as a drink garnish or stuffed and deep fried. Moving down, my buds can be pickled in Tarragon vinegar and used in place of capers. My leaves can be used fresh or sautéed in olive oil with shallots as served as warmed greens. But wait, there’s more! In several of my varieties I produce an odd shaped tuber called Anu, a mild non-acid potato like starch which can be consumed after ten minutes of boiling. Finally I have great medicinal properties. I have been used as a stimulant, expectorant, antiscorbutic, and a diuretic as well as a topical remedy. I have recently become part of a lotion used to prevent hair loss. Even my seeds can be used as a purgative. In botanical Latin I mean watercress, but that’s definitely not what I am all about.
Answer To Last Week’s Quiz…PEACH…Congrats To All Winners
Call 908-789-4700 –Lisa or Richard– Fax 908-789-4702
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Culinary Specialty Produce, Inc., 2015