BAY CITIES

California fruit is here – it must be May! Colder than usual weather has slowed things a bit, but we hear the blossom set was good and hopes are high for a good Stone Fruit season. We haven’t seen the price breaks on Artichokes and Asparagus normally seen this time of year mainly because of the chilly nights - but the quality and flavor have never been better. May is still early to talk about fruit but it is a start. Slow, small and pricey at first but whatever it is will be better than the offshore “wannabe” fruit. Most of the South American fruit is beautiful but the flavor makes us long for our California crop. It’s hard to be patient - but patient we must be as each month will get better and full of wonderful choices. I had a request for our heirloom salsa the other day, now that’s really pushing it! My guess is that it will be the end of July before we have any kind of great tasting tomatoes.

We seem to have come full circle in our local season with flavor making a big come-back in fruit as well as Tomatoes. Keep in mind that heirlooms are recent Tomato varieties and for the most part are bred for taste. This also holds true for recent Pluot, Nectarine and Peach varieties. Flavor had been bred out in favor of shelf life due to the demand for fruit which wouldn’t rot. You cannot have both as high sugar fruit and highacidity tomatoes = short shelf life. These items are largely picked ready to use, not to store. The best tasting fruit is often more expensive due to the handling and loss the farmer takes. Providing such volatile fruit to market is risky. We support your passion for good fruits and we are doing our part to support local growers who provide them.

You – the consumer – started this revolution and we followed your lead as did the growers. For some of us who have been around produce a while it’s almost a curse to remember the flavors of yesterday! Maybe with some luck our grandkids will know what a good Tomato tastes like.

Steve Del Masso – Vice President

Happy Cinco De Mayo!!!

Mike’s EYE On The

MARKET

The transition into the Salinas Valley is off to a rocky start. Cool weather is delaying the start and affecting quality.

Romaine & Iceberg - will show smaller head size and some blistering. Depending on weather, it could two to three weeks before quality improves.

Butter, Red & Green Lettuce – for the first part of the month we will see smaller head size and some tip burn due to the past cold spell.

Green & Red Cabbage – Green Cabbage is chugging along with no worries but Red Cabbage is a whole different story. For the last couple of weeks it has been a nightmare finding anything of good quality. To make matters worse pricing has been through the roof! The situation is just now showing the first signs of getting better.

Broccoli & Cauliflower – prices have settled down after the big push during the Easter holiday. Salinas and Santa Maria growing areas are just beginning to come on with some strength. As soon and we experience a consistent couple of weeks with some decent heat, the new growing areas will catch up and the market prices will drop off even further.

Celery – is experiencing some bolting (the inside grows too fast causing a stick on the interior of the head). We are getting the best product available. For the most part it is coming to us from Santa Maria although it is growing in several regions.

Carrots – I am able to source great looking Carrots. All sizes….all from Bakersfield… all day long.

Root Vegetables – There is less of a selection of most Root Vegetables during my recent early morning visits to the Produce Markets. With the Northwest season finished the responsibility has been handed off to the SoCal regions but they are still a little bit behind in their growing cycle.

Green Onions – I sure like crowing about the early start of the California Green Onion growing season. They are fresh, green, crisp and grown not too far away.

Artichokes –After the recent blast of cold weather the majority of chokes are showing a kiss of frost. Supposedly this special kiss makes them a little bit sweeter; just like you and me.

White & Yellow Corn – Southern California grown Corn is now available. It’s looking much nicer than what was coming from Mexico and fresher too! With less eating Corn on the market prices are at a higher minimum base line than previous years. I don’t know yet how strong prices will be throughout the summer. It will be a wait and see situation.

Yellow, Red & White Onions – storage onions are done for the most part. We will be into fresh Texas crop, which will then continue north as new growing areas come on.

Sweet Onions – the new 2008 crop of Sweet Vidalia Onions has successfully pushed aside all other sweet varieties. They represent the best bang for your buck.

Russet Potatoes – I have seen a slight bump up in prices for all sizes of Russets due mainly to the increase of fuel costs.

Yams & Sweet Potatoes – I am still able to fill everyone’s Yams and Sweet Potatoes needs without a hitch. From what I have been hearing there will assuredly be a gap before the next crop is unearthed.

Potatoes of Color – The new Red Potato crop from SoCal can be more accurately described as Pinkish Salmon color than Red. I am out looking for the reddest hue I can find but they are proving to be quite elusive. Yukons are plentiful but the Potato size is small. There are very few of the medium or large sizes out there.

Fingerling Potatoes – We are still a few weeks shy of seeing any of the unusual varieties of Fingerling Potatoes. For the moment the Russian Banana and two red varieties - Red Thumb and Red French – are available. Unfortunately, all three are arriving with mixed sizes in the box.

Apples – This summer is shaping up to be one of the most expensive Apple seasons in many years. We will probably reach a tipping point and need to import Apples from Argentina, Chile and South America to supply you with high quality fruit.

Pears – Domestic Red and D’Anjou Pears remain in atmospherically controlled storage environments. A Bartlett/Packham variety and Boscs are still available from South America and look really good.

Stone Fruit – the 2008 California Stone Fruit season has officially started. The first item to market is a SoCal Peach. Small fruit is the only thing available – we’ll need to see some warm weather for the sizing to come up. Surprisingly Cherries have arrived. They are a little on the small side and carry elevated pricing for the first shipments. The quality is good. By Mother’s Day larger fruit should be available.

Bananas – prices remain firm at their higher levels. Supply is definitely increasing but demand seems to be keeping pace with increased production levels.

Gold Pineapple – Supply is anticipated to be tight for a short while. I am finding only smaller size fruit. It will take another couple of weeks before we are able to cycle through the smaller sizes. But all in all things are looking good.

Mangos & Papayas – The Mango season is in full swing and the massive quantities of fruit on the market are keeping prices low. Papayas are readily available from both Hawaii and Mexico.

Strawberries & STEMberries – We are in great shape for Mothers Day on all Strawberries. Barring weather related problems, all areas are in good shape and the Berries being shipped look fantastic! Even with all that good news please help me out and place your pre-orders as early as possible for Mothers Day.

Blueberries & Blackberries – The Blackberries that I am getting from Mexico are looking good. Prices are quite reasonable for this time of year. California Blueberries are just starting and prices for Blues and Blacks will only decrease over the coming weeks.

Raspberries – Domestic supply is improving with prices coming down. We should have good supplies for Mother’s Day.

Happy Mother’s Day!

_NMIKE

James’

Produce Chat

Asparagus Delta Grass was stymied by a few weeks of unusually cool weather. I expect to see the recent spike in temperatures give a jump-start to the local season before we have to move elsewhere. The first week of this month will tell the story. With that said, I don’t believe there will be any supply problems for Mother’s Day. Misc. tidbits: 95% of the 200 million pounds of fresh Asparagus gown in the United States comes from California. Grass being cultivated in the Delta goes back to 1852.

Green Beans Mother’s Day is a huge demand day for Green Beans. The quick snap shot is pointing to ample amounts of good quality Beans available.

Red & Green Bell Peppers - We are stuck between the end of one growing area and the start of the next one. Mexico is finishing up and quality is on the very low end. Coachella farmers are trying their best to coax their plants to present their bounties but it’s a slow grind. Supply is short from everywhere but it will quickly improve as the weather warms up.

Snaps Snow/Sugar English

Snap, Snow & English Peas - For the 3^rd month in a row Snap, Snow and English Peas are exceeding expectations. Prices are just about right and quality is toward the top. For those of you who desire a fresh pea salad now is the time to purchase a case of English Peas. The freshness is worth the extra effort to shuck them.

Cucumbers – Prices remain steady for both loose field pack and English Cukes. All are good buys.

EGGPLANT – For a short while we will continue to get all varieties of our Eggplants from Mexico. As soon as Coachella ripens up we will switch allegiances and pull from that area for about 4-6 weeks. From there we will head into Fresno.

HARD SHELL SQUASH – All types and sizes of Hard Shell Squash are in tight supply and are not projected to get any better until the desert growing areas mature. That won’t be for at least 4 weeks if not longer! I have a feeling that Hard Shell Prices will reach dizzying heights.

SQUASH – I feel like I am in the catbird seat while traipsing through the market looking for Squash. Mexico is sending only primo stuff in order to compete with the new crop out of the California desert. I like competition - it keeps prices reasonable and my job is much easier! At this moment I am able to source really nice Summer, Sunburst and Gold Bar to compliment Italian Green Zucchini.

BABY SQUASH – I continue to be surprised

by how strong the market is for all Baby Squash. Prices are holding firm and demand is keeping pace with what is being grown.

MELONS – We are just around the corner from “home grown” Melons from the desert. Look for them toward the end of May. Until then, Costa Rica and Guatemala will be our sole sources. Honeydews are maintaining their price advantage over Cantaloupes.

Citrus Brief – Oranges in general are plentiful. There is still a sizeable quantity of California Navel Oranges left in storage. The California Valencia Orange crop has started and it’s shaping up to be a good year. The last of the smaller Orange varieties are around but will be disappearing soon. Minneolas are the main player at the moment but this changes week by week.

Lemon quality is nice and will remain so for at least the next 2-3 months. With the influence that Sunkist yields over the market, it appears that a new and much higher price base line has now been set for California Lemons.

Lime quality problems have virtually vanished and everything is looking up and green.

GRAPES – we will be pulling Grapes from Chile for perhaps another 2 weeks, and then we make a quick stop into Mexico for about 3 weeks before we are fully into California. If we are super lucky, the first domestic offerings may be here by the end of the month. As of right now the Green Grapes from Chile are exceptional but they come with a price tag to match.

TOMATOES – Roma and Rounds are plentiful and we are in great shape for Mother’s Day. Grape Tomatoes have arrived early and in huge numbers. Prices have tanked but I am uncertain as to how long they will remain a bargain.

Cherry Tomatoes are the big issue right now. They are gapping and will be so through Mothers Day. We may have to fill in orders for Round Cherry Tomatoes with the Grape Variety if supply and quality dictate.

AVOCADOS – Be prepared for a short term jump in prices in anticipation of the 5^th of May Holiday (Cinco de Mayo) and then everything will quickly settle back down.

HOT HOUSE MUSHROOMS – the recent run of cool nights has slowed down the normal growing cycle of Hot House Mushrooms. The larger sizes are not quite as plentiful. With the boost of warmer weather we should be okay by Mother’s Day.

Wild Mushrooms – a handful of Hen of the Woods, a few flats of Morels and minor poundage of Black Chanterelles are about it for this month from the wild side.

Father of a GREAT fisherman…

Mine Hers

By Vince

I like this time of year when all Spring Mixes, Baby Lettuces and specialty salad items are grown locally. I enjoy the increased quality, freshness, the vibrant color and longer shelf life.

Hot House Herb growers are once again happy. With the long, dark nights behind them, their under-glass crops have sprung back to life and are growing well. Basil, an important mainstay for the growers I deal with, is looking good and amazingly pungent. We are still sourcing product from Mexico for the time being until hot-house supplies meet our quantity demands.

I am patiently waiting for more domestically grown Organic Produce to reach the market. It will not be long before local farms flood the markets with fresh organic product. By the middle of the month we should see an influx in quality and supply. At the moment, the offerings are somewhat limited and prices are firm.

Don’t forget Mother’s Day Weekend. We generally term this as the busiest day of the year. It can also be considered your time to shine. Let us know if you have any special product desires for this day.

JEFF’S TRIVIA QUEST

For this month’s trivia we will step into the Twilight Zone. Of all familiar vegetables, few have histories less well documented than this item. Its place of origin is unknown. Do I hear Rod Serling talking and music? We notice its presence in France in the seventeenth century, but don’t know how long it had been there. It is said to have been introduced into England a century earlier, but from where? Music again please. Widely naturalized in the United States it must have been brought there by someone, no doubt deliberately for it seems to be agreed that it is a plant of the Old World, Not the New. Clue: This veggie can be purple, green or white. It can be stir-fried with chicken, shrimp, or beef and also wrapped in bacon. It can be boiled or steamed and served with Parmesan Cheese, Melted Butter or Olive Oil. Now you have entered the Twilight Zone. Good luck to all.

TRIVIA WINNERS

The answer to last month’s trivia was Rhubarb. In the 1989 film Batman, The Joker (Jack Nicholson) tells Bruce Wayne (Michael Keaton) to “Never rub another man’s Rhubarb”. In baseball a bench-clearing brawl is know as a “Rhubarb”. How about a Rhubarb-Strawberry pie from Fat Apple. Congratulations to our winners: Brandon @ 1^st Presbyterian Church, Ann @ Rick & Ann’s, and Joanne @ Spike’s Produce.

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