December 3 – 8, 2012
Market Report
Lettuce:
Market has softened just a little with supplies improving. Quality has been good.
Leaf:
Romaine and leaf markets are softening as well. Overall quality has been very good.
Broccoli:
Market is steady to down. Quality has been very good.
Cauliflower:
Market has remained strong with very limited supplies. Overall quality has been good.
Carrots:
Market has remained steady out of Canada with good quality
Celery:
Celery market has remained steady. Quality has been very good.
Strawberries:
We are in a demand far exceeds supply situation due to poor harvests in California due to rain and cooler weather. We are only getting a portion of the berries we need to to satisfy demand. Pro-rates are likely for next week.
Potatoes:
Idaho market has continued on the upward side along with freight cost. Smaller counts are much harder to come by then larger counts. This will be a problem through the season.
Onions:
Idaho market continues to jump with price changing every two days.
Citrus:
Market has come off on new crop navels and quality is improving. Lemon market is little changed with good arrivals from Mexico.
Cucumbers:
Market has remained steady and quality is improving every week.
Peppers:
Market has remained steady with very good quality.
Tomatoes:
Tomato market is steady but with very light supplies on rounds. Cherries, Grapes and Romas are steady with better supplies. Quality has been good.
Pick Of The Week
Simply Elegant. The banquet season is upon us. Let us reintroduce the baby peeled carrot with 2 inch tops! A common root vegetable, carved into a delicately proportioned shape, with an elegant top extending 2 inches from the vegetable.
They are packed in an air tight, cryovac-sealed, 5 pound bag.
Carrots are perhaps best known for their beta-carotene content. (The nutrient beta-carotene was actually named after the carrot!) Carrots are also a very good source of immune-supportive vitamin C; bone-building vitamin K; and heart-healthy dietary fiber and potassium. Additionally, they are a good source of heart-healthy vitamin B6, niacin, folate, and vitamin E.
Carrots are delicious, eaten raw or cooked. While heating can often damage some of the delicate phytonutrients in vegetables, beta-carotene has been shown to be surprisingly heat-stable. In fact, the beta-carotene in carrots may become more bio-available through well-timed steaming. Still, be careful not to overcook if you want to your carrots to retain their maximum flavor and overall nutritional value.
Recipe of the Week
Honey Glazed Carrots
Servings: 4
Ingredients :
1 lb. Baby carrots with tops
2 Tbsp Butter
2 Tbsp Honey
1–1/2 tsp Apple cider vinegar
Sea salt to taste
Ground pepper to taste
Parsley for garnish
Directions:
Steam the carrots over an inch or two of boiling water until just tender, 7 to 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt butter in a large skillet and stir in honey and vinegar. Add steamed carrots to the skillet and sauté over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until carrots are well glazed, 2 to 4 minutes. Season the carrots with salt and pepper.
Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with parsley. Serve immediately.
Fun Facts of the Week
Carrots belong to the parsley family. They originated in Afghanistan, cultivated originally for medicinal purposes utilizing the seeds which are produced in the second year of this biennial plant. (Marketable roots grow in a single season.)
Their use spread westward, introduced intoEngland fromHolland in the 15th Century. At that point, carrots were coveted for their tops, and no well-dressed English gentlewoman would be seen without lacy carrot leaves decorating her hair.