Market Notes
October 15, 2015
BABY VEG SHORTAGE NO MORE
Things are finally easing up and we even have some dates on availability. But first let’s talk about the tough stuff. Stone fruit is gapping as California has finished and South America has not yet begun. Chives and Chervil remain very tight. Figs are just about done. Now for the good news. Next week begins new crop on domestic baby beets and the week after domestic baby carrots begin. This will ease the market tremendously. French beans and baby squash are arriving in larger numbers with better quality and the whole specialty bean scene is in full bloom. No intense heat predicted and there is even slight rain in the forecast, so things are looking good for the babies this fall.
FINGER LIME NEW PACKAGING SUBLIME
We are really proud of our new Finger Lime program. The fruit is larger, the pack is sleeker, the color is brighter and it is overall a more user friendly package. Also, we are done with trying to convince you that brown fruit is fine. One of the finer points of this new pack is its breathability. This sleek 50 gram pack is slightly vented so it will adjust to different temperatures as well as retarding mold and increasing shelf-life. This is a huge benefit for the market as you can now cross merchandise the Finger Lime in the produce case, herb display, meat department, seafood case, cold beer case, bakery, and prepared foods display. The versatility of the product is now combined with the versatility of this new package. We are thrilled to offer this great garnish in its best light. Please call for samples or delivery information and you too can have 12/50grams packs at your doorstep next week. These will also be on display at our booth (319) at the NYC produce show in December.
MIDNIGHT MOON AND MASQUERADE ARRIVE
The cure is complete; the pallets are packed the truck loads this weekend. By Tuesday we will have supply in Mid-Atlantic and North East for distribution from Virginia to Maine and west to Chicago. The Masquerades are already a big hit at football parties throughout the week. Stuffed with veggies, cheese and just about anything else you can think of, the classic russet flavor and the best dressed skin you have ever seen makes the Masquerade a crowd pleaser that will not quit. The mysterious Midnight Moon is a little tricky hiding its intense yellow color behind a smooth clean purple skin. This one is all about taste and we bet you’ve not tasted better or seen brighter. Purple Is The New Yellow and you will have to taste it to believe it. We’ll have to pound the pavement a bit with these, because their glow is not obvious, but once you see the shine, they will dominate. Like the Finger Limes mentioned above both the Masquerade and the Midnight Moon will be on display for sampling at the Javitz Center in NYC on December 2nd booth 319.
NEW PRODUCE QUIZ – – WHO AM I
When my coiled frond pokes through the soil it is a sure sign that spring has arrived. I am only available to harvest for about two weeks in any area I am discovered before I unfurl into graceful yet inedible plumes. My harvest spreads across the country, beginning in the Pacific Northwest and migrating east where our most popular specimens are found on our prime terrain. Respectively, my centers begin gray and turn a lush green as the harvest moves east. My taste is a cross between asparagus, green beans, and artichokes. I provide all these wonderful flavors along with a very appealing chewy texture. I can be steamed, simmered, braised, sautéed, or boiled. You will find me roaming around in salads, standing tall and proud in vegetable medleys, or drenched in hollandaise, maltaise, or butter sauce. Recently I have appeared in many a fine meal drizzled with some kind of ancient black vinegar from Italy that’s over 100 years old. I am an excellent source of vitamin A and a reasonably good source of vitamin C and fiber. For a while we thought Townsend had made us immortal in his music, but we’ve learned that Uncle Ernie was not referring to us at all.
Answer To Last Quiz….STAR ANISE……Congrats To All Winners
Call 908-789-4700 –Lisa, Mark or Richard– Fax 908-789-4702
Visit us at www.culinaryproduce.com
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Culinary Specialty Produce, Inc., 2015