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( 2.9 / 143 )So, we were off by a week or so, but the tomato market has begun its vertical rise. Starting with slicers and romas, the market is up about $10 from last week. Tighten your seat belts.
Broccoli and Cauliflower--both products are inexpensive and high quality.
Asparagus--prices are inching upwards, but only by a little. 28 pound cases are still the way to go.
Lettuce--the market has been stable for awhile now and continues to do so.
Potatoes--new potatoes from Florida have begun, beginning with red A and B sizes. New white potatoes will follow shortly. For me this is one of the first signs of spring in the south, with the digging of these fresh new potatoes.
Red Peppers--this market is on fire with prices approaching $25 for an 11 pound case. Quality has been good.
Berries --strawberries continue to come from Florida and California. California product is much healthier. Prices are stable. Raspberries are mostly from Mexico with prices tending to be a bit lower. Blueberries from Chili are winding down as prices creep higher.
Kiwi--supplies from Italy, Greece, and the U.S. are diminishing as we wait for the South American crop to mature. Prices are higher.
Mangoes--good news here as the first champagne or ataulfo mangoes are crossing the border from Mexico. Once these get the kinks out of the first few shipments, the wonderful Mexican mango season will be upon us. One of the best fruits out there!
Pineapples--from Costa Rica remain a terrific bargain.
Lemons--supplies are much lower than demand as the lemon market escalates. Arizona and off shore product is low and California can't pick up all the slack. Smaller sizes are more expensive than larger sizes.
Pears--d'anjou pears from the northwest are still plentiful as are bosc pears. Bartlett pears from Argentina have just begun if you prefer bartletts. Quality is usually terrific for these pears. The first shipment was a bit green though the next boat should be better.
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The Produce industry still remains quite stable for most products. The major hiccup is the scarcity of a few herbs, namely tarragon, chives and basil. We apologize to any of you who may have been shorted on any herbs last weekend. We think we'll have plenty of product to go around this weekend, though some prices may rise.
Here's a look at some other produce items.
Fennel--has been quite inexpensive all winter. Less than $1/pound, fennel is quite versatile and chic. Quality has been very good. By the way, what is the difference between anise and fennel?
Here's some information I found on the net.
click here to visit this blogl
Corn--from Florida is in a supply exceeds demand situation, and prices have fallen. A case contains about 45 ears and the cost is about $15 or about 35 cents per ear.
Cucumbers--slicers and seedless cukes are inexpensive. Only pickling cukes command a high price.
Eggplant--prices once again are very reasonable for shiny, healthy Mexican product.
Ginger --as you may have noticed, this list is becoming alphabetical in nature. Torrential rains in Hawaii have hampered the ginger crop. We've purchased about 2 weeks worth of this high quality ginger, then we'll be forced to fend for product from another country. Hawaii has got the ginger thing down, so we're in no hurry to look for a replacement. The rain is also affecting the basil crop.
Onions--have been in a major oversupply condition all winter. Prices for Spanish Onions are probably near the cost of production as they are about 20 cents per pound. Red Onions are also quite reasonable. The green onion market, which had been high, has finally come down a bit.
Peppers--the pepper market has strengthened some after weeks of being quite soft. The colored pepper market has been especially soft and is gaining some strength. We've shifted to 11 pound hot house red peppers as opposed to the 15 pound outdoor product for quality reasons.
Sugar Snap Peas--are another bargain. Less than $2/pound, sugar snaps are a hit on many menus.
Tomatoes--well the doomsday date has come and gone and the tomato market is still quite soft. I think it probably will get ugly eventually, due to lack of Florida product, but there has been little movement so far.
Lemons--prices are significantly higher, especially for smaller sizes.
Oranges--still many varieties to choose from. Navels, cara caras, California minneolas, honey tangerines, blood oranges, Florida temples and juice oranges from Florida are all of excellent quality.
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( 2.9 / 129 )This is one big week for restaurants, as Valentine's Day is one of the biggest holidays for the fine dining industry. Well you're in luck, since the strawberry market is beginning to show signs of weakness. I'd be happy living the life of a young strawberry right now as the temperature is approaching 70 degrees during the day in California strawberry growing areas. My cousins in Southern California are relishing this beautiful moderate climate as we in Michigan are freezing our tails off in single digit weather. Actually there is a two tiered strawberry market this week. The Florida berry crop is making a rebound from its early January freeze and Florida berries are about $20 per case. California berries which are being held back a bit by cool nights are reaping the demand created by Valentines Day, and are in the mid $30's. The market should fall apart next week. Stem berries are available, but give us some notice if you want some for the V Day.
Raspberries--the other red fruit, is not budging much from high prices. Driscoll is still about the only game in town, and they know how to capitalize.
Florida Rebound--many produce items are beginning to make a comeback from Florida putting downward pressure on several markets. Green beans are finally showing some movement and in a few weeks will probably be a vegetable to put back on your menu. Zucchini and yellow squash are following suit as Florida product pressures the Mexican market. The one nice thing about zucchini and yellow squash is that they grow so quickly, prices never seem to stay high for very long. Winter corn from the Sunshine state, is also significantly lower this week. While corn from Florida this time of year looks good and is ok to cook with, it doesn't compare with spring corn from Florida which is truly worth serving.
Oso Sweet Onions--are grown in the fertile volcanic soil located at the foothills of the Andes Mountains, in Chili. This is one sweet onion in my opinion that is worth the hype. Actually, many renown chefs feel the Oso Sweets are the best of all the sweet onions. They are imported by the Saven Corporation which is located in our state of Michigan. Developed in 1989, a proprietary seed was developed for the growing conditions which exist in the soils where these onions are always planted. Warm days, cool nights, clean water and the rich soil help make this onion flavorful yet sweet. They should be around into March.
Tomatoes--the market remains very soft for all varieties. My days as a prognosticator may be in jeopardy. Anyone for three card monte?
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( 2.9 / 112 )Ok, so I took some time off. That's what happens after 35 years of working in the Produce industry. I need to travel just to get some more pictures for this blog. Hey, someone has to do it!
It seems like life seems to be relatively stable in the world of produce. Here's what I've gleamed since I've come back.
Asparagus--there's a good price break if you use a 28# case instead of 11# of asparagus. The larger case is only about $1.75/lb versus about $2.20/lb for the smaller case. All product is new crop Mexican, so it is fresh!!
Green Beans--are flat out ugly and expensive. Clipped bean prices have risen due to Act of God clauses in bean contracts.
Cucumbers--prices are lower for slicing cukes and seedless cukes.
Availability for mini cukes seems to be improving. If you're not familiar with the product ask for them when you call in your order. They're great!
Grapes--the season is fully underway and back to where it should be. Quality is very good and prices are way down.
Berries--are a problem. Strawberries are very expensive, though quality and supplies are looking better. Raspberries are very expensive, though blueberries remain a bargain.
Meyer Lemons--are in the middle of their season. Relatively small in size, these lemons are very juicy and a bit sweet like in taste. A possible alternative to the other lemons.
Other Citrus--navels, whether regular Washington variety or red cara cara's are in mid season form, as are grapefruit from Florida. Honeybelle tangelos are still available though supplies are decreasing. Honey tangerines which used to be called murcots, are just getting going. They are very deep orange in color and very sweet, though not easy to peel. Temple oranges have also begun. Clementines are virtually finished for the season. Blood oranges and kumquats are in mid season form and we can special order limequats, mandarin quats and heirloom navel oranges if you're interested.
Zucchini--has taken a turn back toward higher prices They're about a buck a pound this weekend.
Tomatoes--all is very quiet on the tomato front. Quality is quite good for romas and slicing tomatoes, and prices are lower. We're still waiting for doomsday around Valentines Day. Hey, I did dream that the Giants beat the Patriots 16 to 13, so be careful!!
Pineapples--the market is quite reasonable here in spite of the berry and melon market being so high. A fruit salad with pineapples, blueberries, kiwi and mangoes would be nice.
Mangoes--kent mangoes from Peru are the choice of the day and it's not a bad option. These mangoes are a bit green in color but the variety is virtually stringless by nature. Not quite as tasty as Mexican mangoes but a better option than the Brazilian mangoes we've seen the past few months.
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