Market Notes September 29th, 2022

 

A NEW SEASON

    As we say good-bye to a summer with record breaking heat waves, fires, and droughts, we say hello to a new hurricane season in the East, flooding in the Midwest, and electrical outages up and down the West coast. These are patterns that we experience every year, but each year it gets progressively stronger and more damaging every year. While it is most important to protect us and ours, we also need to be concerned  about our food supply. Today our concerns are with the residents and growers in Florida as Ian barrels through the State. We are giving our growers and shippers a break this week and won’t attempt agribusiness until things settle down. While the Sate of Florida does seem prepared, there is only so much you can do. The damage assessment should begin no later than Monday when Ian hopefully moves north. Then we’ll see what Ian does, moving up the coast inland or further into the Atlantic. Traveling the eastern seaboard could be very tricky.   Across the country a lot of damage has already been done. Row crops, root vegetables, baby lettuce, fresh herbs have all been affected. Product damage and inability to get into the fields, slows the process down and quality is often challenged.  We will continue update you in this newsletter and reach out to our customers to address their specific needs. To all our readers we wish you safety and look forward to supporting you throughout these challenging times.  Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or needs for support.  

TATERS TATERS TATERS

    Finally,  we have some good news about potatoes. Fortunately, most of our product throughout the country has either been dug, or not effected by the recent weather. While in some cases we are held up as spuds go through “the sweats” we are currently shipping from California, Oregon, Arizona, and of course Colorado, our base. Colorado provides us with all the basics.  From organic to conventional, totes to cases, fifty pound to twenty pound, and retail we’ve got you covered. Fingerlings, rounds and specialty varieties can all load at one stop. We even have organic russets (on the smaller side).  We still load in California for additional organics and all the marble and pee-wee sizes. Oregon growers have given us great support and are currently packing  superior product that rolls up and down the West Coast and over the road as well. FOB loading, cross docking, and forward distribution is now available on both coasts. Please reach out to us with all your potato needs and allow us to exceed your expectations.  

NEW PRODUCE QUIZ – WHO AM I ???

     The first time I was consumed was approximately 800 BC, on archaeological sites in Peru.  I have over 150 varieties and I am native to tropical America.  As a member of the myrtle family my tree can grow thirty feet high and I have incredibly aromatic flowers.  Europeans loved me when I arrived in Haiti and later became established in India and Southeast Asia and have remained popular there ever since.  Today I am also grown in Hawaii, Southern Florida, and Southern California.  I can vary in size and color but usually I range from apple to plum in diameter.  Some of my varieties are strawberry and pineapple.  My taste is sweet and tart (but I’m not a candy) made possible by my essential oil eugenol which is also found in cloves. I have a musky odor and many gritty seeds.  Many folks will just devour me out of hand, but I am really wonderful when cooked. I am stewed or preserves in jams, jellies or made into a paste.  I can be used in sweet or savory dishes.  In Mexico, I am a favorite combined with sweet potato. I am used in fruit salads, pies, puddings, tapioca, ice-cream, yogurt, and beverages. Known for my astringent and laxative properties, I’m and excellent source of Vitamin C and Potassium.  

Answer to last quiz….CLOVES…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