Peddler's Son Produce Blog
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THE PRODUCE TEAM
VP Retail Sales & Citrus Buyer:
Mark Damato
602-253-3577 x108
Sales Manager: Dwight Wintringer (National Account and Chain Business) Cell 602-410-1642
Sales Executive: Matt Henning (West Valley) Cell 602-710-3031
 Sales Executive Bob Ourso (North Scottsdale) Cell 602-903-9335  Sales Executive Kelley Garvey - Central Valley (Phoenix/Scottsdale/Tempe/Ahwatukee) Cell 602-376-0505  Sales Executive: Christian Minkler (Northern Arizona) Cell 928-460-3575
 Sales Executive: Mike Henry (Tucson)
Cell 520-481-9093
Sales Executive Sheri Ferrari - East Valley
(Mesa/Gilbert/Apache Junction) Cell 602-571-3203 Operations Manager: Bill Kroener Cell 602-293-7707
John Mothershead Inventory Control & HACCP Manager 602-253-3577
 Specialty Buyer: Robert Garcia
cell 602-714-4030
Customer Service
Accounts Receivable: Jorganne Forbes
602-253-3577
Transportation: Tim Blunden &
William Walker 602-253-3577
In House Sales and Sales Support:
Sal Balistreri
602-253-3577 x101 Credit Manager: Susie Filardi
602-253-3577
Office & Accounting Manager: |
 Double Dark Chocolate Gelato Baguettes
Ingredients - 0.9 pt (500 ml) Talenti Double Dark Chocolate Gelato
- 16 store-bought sponge sponge fingers
- 4.5 fl oz (120 ml)Nutella
- 10 strawberries, hulled and thinly sliced
- 32 fresh mint leaves
Method How to make Double Dark Chocolate Gelato Baguettes
Using a melon baller, scoop the gelato into 48 (2-cm) balls. Transfer the balls of gelato to a small tray and keep the gelato in the freezer until ready to serve.
When ready to serve, cut the sponge fingers in half lengthways. Spread the nutella on both sides of the split sponge fingers.
Place 3 scoops of gelato on the bottom half of the sponge finger . Top with slices of strawberry and mint leaves. Place the top sponge finger over to make a sandwich. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Serve immediately.
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New on the Market
RUSSIAN BANANA FINGERLING POTATOES The Russian Banana fingerling potato is small, slender and elongated tuber which typically measures about 2 to 3 inches long. The potato has a thin pale burlap colored skin with a creamy yellow-colored firm and waxy flesh. GREEN SHISHITO CHILE PEPPERS A bright, glossy green, Japanese chile peppers vary in size and shape. Slightly curvy and wrinkly, they offer a moderate but distinctive heat. Scoville units: 1-2 (100-1000)
DRAGON FRUIT
Dragon Fruit, also known as Pitaya, is a cactus family fruit with a somewhat grainy, magenta, pink or white flesh with many small edible seeds. Peel and enjoy alone, or add to cocktails and dressings. Can also be used for decoration.
CHERIMOYAS
Cherimoyas have a wonderfully sweet, custard-like, banana-pineapple flavor when ripe. The inner flesh is soft, moist and creamy-white with large inedible seeds. Its flavor is so good that even Mark Twain referred to the fruit as "deliciousness itself!" They are also known as Custard Apples and are a close relative to Atemoyas. WATERMELON RADISH The Watermelon radish is made up of an edible globular root attached to thin stems and wavy green leaves. Its exterior is creamy white in color with pale green shoulders, a sign of the chlorophyl it received from exposure to the sun. The Watermelon radish's flesh is white closest to the exterior becoming bright circular striations of pink and magenta.
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Delivering A Tradition Of Quality And Service
Fall is the season for Apples, so here's the low down: Washington Apple demands are very strong because the school demand is strong. Make sure to check with your Sales Executive on Specialty Apples. We can get it all, Macs, Jonamacs, and Galas but the sizing is mixed. Honeycrisp and Empires are starting. Golden Delicious is peaking on 88-113's and availability is improving but still lower. Apple qualities are overall excellent and the markets are steady. Granny Smith numbers are growing with sizing in 80-100's. There are a few Fuji and Braeburns available as well. Pears are steady and quality looks good. Bartlett, Bosc, and D'Anjou Pears are all available. Most Pears are peaking on larger sizes.
As Fall starts keep in mind our Bindi Desserts for that fall menu change as well as our Cloverdale product line. Bacon Prices are down so ask us to sample you and see the quality and value we can add to your menu.
Also check out our newest partner and taste the Talenti Gelato and see the recipe idea below in the left column.
Even if you don't currently buy from us, I hope you find the information here essential to conducting your day-to-day business. Of course, should you wish to pick up the phone and call us at 602-253-3577, we would be happy to take your call or visit us in person for a tour or online at www.peddlersson.com
As always thank you for your partnership with Peddler's Son Produce.
Ted and Joe Palmisano
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 From Field to Kitchen Nectarines are done for the season
WEATHER
The weather pattern will continue to be the normal morning fog, clearing off in the mid morning and back in the late afternoon. This will keep the low clouds, fog and moisture from the ocean rolling into the Salinas Valley through the week. This continuing pattern will keep temperatures 5-15 degrees below normal. Temperatures will continue to reach the low 60s near the coast to mid 70s in the interior valleys.
TRANSPORTATION & FUEL
Trucks in California should be steady this week with rates higher than normal. Trucks in the Northwest and Idaho have tightened up considerably and will most likely remain tight thru the fall season. Crude oil dropped slightly and is currently 89.43 per barrel. The national average dropped as well and is currently 4.086 per gallon. The price in California is significantly higher at 4.386 per gallon.
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This Week in Fruit
Fruit Skewers with Dragon Fruit
Apples/Pears by John Tole
New York is still packing Mac's, Jonamac's, and Gala's and the size profile is mixed. They will start packing Empires and Honeycrisp this week. Washington Reds are still mostly large and higher in color. The foodservice sizes & grades of reds are short. Golden's are peaking on 88's-113's and the Washington extra grade. Golden supplies are up. Granny-Smith inventories remain light. The fruit that Washington is harvesting is heavy to the Premium grade and sizes 80-100's. California is still packing a few Granny-Smith and they are peaking on 100's and smaller. Washington Gala's are producing more of the Washington extra-fancy grade and are peaking on 88's-113's. California Gala's are finished for the season. Both Washington & California are packing Fuji's and a few Braeburns. California is still packing Bartlett & Bosc pears and they are both now producing mostly 90 size & larger. The Washington Bartlett market has stabilized and they are also short on the smaller sizes. Washington is also packing Bosc & D'Anjou pears.
Strawberries: by Mike Gorczyca
Warming trend is forecasted to start this Thursday into the front part of next week in the berry growing areas. This could hurt the already weak strawberries with softer fruit which would bring on more bruising. Demand is still steady with a firm market. There are some deals being made on some of the weaker fruit so be careful on what you are buying. Quality is still fair coming out of the Salinas/Watsonville areas. Only order what you need, as the fruit will not hold up. We do not anticipate these arrival conditions to change in the near future. Shippers are being very selective as to where and to whom their fruit is being shipped to because most packs, if not all, will have issue upon arrival. The next growing area to come into production will be Santa Maria and Oxnard which has started in a light way with limited volumes. Quality is being reported as good out of these areas.
Raspberries: by Mike Gorczyca
Supplies continue to decrease with good demand which has firmed the market. Quality is fair to good depending on lots and growing area.
Blackberries: by Mike Gorczyca
Blackberries are still in a demand exceed supply situation. Quality is fair at best but has improved slightly. Look for this market to stay tight for the next month. Santa Maria has started packing some light numbers of blackberries. Quality is slightly better out of this area.
Blueberries: by Mike Gorczyca
Good demand with lighter supplies is firming this market. Quality is good out of most areas. The main pack size is switching to 4.4oz with a few 6oz still being packed. The first blueberries out of Argentina have arrived in Miami. Expect good quality but light volume and high prices.
Limes: by Tim Kelley
Supplies are good on all sizes. Past rains in the growing area is and causing some quality issues.
Oranges: by Tim Kelley The Valencia orange harvest remains steady, with sizing peaking on larger sizes - 72's/88's, with very little 138's or 113's. It is demand exceeds supplies on the 113's and 138's, with 88's starting to get a little tight.
Lemons: by Tim Kelley Ventura crop harvest is going at full production. Supplies are good on 140's and smaller, with the 115's and larger tightening up. Grapes: by Amy Grolnick The market on the red grapes is higher to start the week as shippers move into their late varieties in California. Quality is excellent. Greens are tightening up a bit as several shippers' transition out of Thompson and Princess into Autumn King and Pristine. The market is higher. Black Seedless and Red globe both have good supplies. Cantaloupe: by Amy Grolnick Supplies remain extremely limited. What limited supplies there are, the varietal of fruit in the ground now is very large. They are peaking to 9's and Jumbo 9's. In addition the new varietal will have more of a green cast than they have had. The Westside deal started early and looks to finish early this year. The desert is set to scratch in 2-3 weeks. Honeydew: by Amy Grolnick Product remains extremely limited and looks to finish up very quickly. We may see a gap between Westside and desert deals. The desert should start scratching at the beginning of next month. Watermelon: by Jaime Contreras Market is steady to trending up. Continued demand exceeds on s/less watermelon. Most availability will be in bins on s/less. Availability on seeded watermelon is sporadic. Arizona has wrapped up and most production is coming from central California with New Mexico having started production. Stone Fruit: by Amy Grolnick Shippers are finishing up early this season on all fruit. Peaches and Nectarines are for the most part done for the season other than some large Peaches still available. Plums look to remain available for the next couple of weeks. All stone fruit that is still available will be very large. California pomegranates have started with good supplies. Persimmons have started early in a light way.
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| This Week in Vegetables
roasted butternut squash with pear arrugula frisée with garlic lemon vinegrette dressing
Asparagus: by Gabe The The market on Mexican grass is firm. Most suppliers are reporting light to moderate availability throughout the week. Jumbo packs are very light in supply. The pricing on Mexican grass is very comparable to Peruvian product. Expect the pricing to be stronger by the end of the week.
Avocados: by Tim Kelley Mexico's Flora Loca crop is begging to wind down. Their new main crop will be ready to come to market as soon as the Flora Loca is done. California volume looks good, but will begin its down turn as we move into October as we start to see the end of California's season. Bell Peppers: by Jaime Contreras Green bell market is on an upward trend. Expect some lighter supplies on larger fruit as some growers are sizing down on current fields. Colored Red bell market is steady but, some growers are anticipating slightly lighter production as other shipping points are experiencing some increased harvesting. We expect cooler temperatures which will slow some harvesting. Demand slightly exceeds market. Gold bells are settling but, they continue demand exceeds supplies. Broccoli: by Gabe Romero/Mike Pacheco Demand is average and the market overall is stable with most suppliers. Bunch broccoli continues to be short with some suppliers but in general all packs are available in all growing regions. Broccoli crown supplies have picked up. Carrots: by Tim Kelley California carrot supplies remain good. Sizing of the carrots are good with steady warm weather. Cauliflower: by Gabe Romero/Mike PachecoThis market has remained steady with most suppliers. Supplies are moderate as demand is off. With a push of any kind, this market could be going upward by the end of the week. The quality overall has been favorable with very little brown spotting issues being reported. Celery: by Gabe Romero/Mike Pacheco
This market has remained steady with most suppliers. Smaller sizing continues to command a higher price. Loading in Santa Maria can be beneficial in terms of cost so please be aware. Oxnard is expected to begin in production in late October to early November. Cucumber: by Jaime Contreras Market is settling; as production has increased as well as new acreage coming online. Onions: by John Tole All areas are steady on all sizes of yellows. Washington has some volume deals on jumbo yellow and Oregon/Idaho has some on colossals. Yellow demand has been light. The tightest item in the northwest right now is transportation! California has two shippers still packing onions and they have mostly yellows. Colorado is still producing mostly medium and smaller yellows. Reds are also steady in all areas. Washington will still deal on volume orders of jumbos. Most northwest packers are still short on medium reds. Whites are steady to in all areas with good supplies available. The quality has been good on colors and in all areas. Green Onions: by Gabe Romero/Mike PachecoThis market has softened. The bad weather in Mexico the previous week has gone away and supplies have picked up. Demand is about steady. We have a split market currently as the pencil onions seem to be readily available while the larger sizes are extremely light supplied. Potatoes: by John Tole The potato market is flat. Most districts have good supplies available on all sizes. Idaho is a little short on the smaller carton counts but aside from that there are no availability issues. Idaho is still peaking on 70's & larger. Most Idaho packers are still only packing norkotahs but a few are also packing Burbanks & that market is a little stronger. Washington norkotahs are still heavier to the larger counts. Colorado is also still peaking on the larger sizes but all sizes are available. Russet quality is good to excellent in all areas. Stockton, California is steady on all sizes and colors but the availability is slightly lower since a couple shippers have finished. The remaining packers are still heavier to A-size in all colors. Washington, Wisconsin, and Minnesota continue packing pack new-crop reds & golds and they are all steady and also have better availability in the A-size. The colored potato quality has been fairly good in all areas. Leaf Lettuce: by Gabe Romero/Mike Pacheco Supplies are stronger on all leaf items. Demand overall is light and this has caused the market to be steady, overall. Size and weight are improving in all growing areas. Romaine Heart supplies have picked up and some suppliers have made a few offers on large volume orders. The quality overall has been good. Lettuce: by Gabe Romero/Mike Pacheco Supplies on this commodity are steady and this along with light to moderate demand has kept the market stable. Weights continue to be reported on palletized at 42-44 pounds. There have been some reports of brown outer leaves and sporadic pink ribbing seen upon arrivals. Santa Maria and Salinas are the two main growing regions. Huron is expected to begin production in the middle of October. Squash: by Jaime Contreras Market is steady to upward trend on both Italian and Yellow S/n. Some growers are experiencing gaps and production is a little spotty. Additional demand from other parts of the country has also pressured markets. Italian ought to remain steady and yellow s/n is starting to settle as production increases. Yellow s/n continues to be demand exceeds and we are still experiencing some quality issues. Impending weather from Miriam may affect production in the coming week. Eggplant: by Jaime Contreras Market is on a steady trend. Expect lighter supplies on large fruit due to field production sizing down. Tomatoes: by Jay Martini
While harvesting in California's San Joaquin Valley remains steady and will continue for approximately the next 3-4 weeks, demand definitely has slowed, putting downward pressure on the mature green tomato market. However, every week is bringing colder weather to the Midwest & Eastern states, meaning that backyard tomatoes will be coming to an end, which should increase demand right about the time yields, start to decrease in California.
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Menu Planning for October
By: Jill Overdorf
If you're planning your menu for October, there are a few holidays to consider.
Plan for October:
Full Moon - October 29th, called the Hunter's Moon
- October 1st - World Vegetarian Day
- October 1st - 7th Sukkot
- October 8th - Columbus Day observed
- October 14th - National Dessert Day
- October 21st - National Pumpkin Cheesecake Day
- October 22nd - National Nut Day
- October 31st - Halloween
Plan ahead for November:
Full Moon - November 28th, called Beaver Moon or Frosty Moon
National Apple Month, Good Nutrition Month, National Diabetes Month
- November 1st - All Saint's Day
- November 2nd - Cookie Monster's birthday
- November 3rd - National Sandwich Day
- November 4th - Daylight Savings Ends
- November 6th - Election Day - Go Vote!
- November 10th - Sadie Hawkins Day
- November 12th - Veteran's Day
- November 15th - Great American Smoke-out
- November 22nd - THANKSGIVING Day
- Hanukkah begins in the evening of Saturday, December 8, 2012, and ends in the evening of Sunday, December 16, 2012.
Last of the Fall fruit - first of the hard winter vegetables.... This is the month that farms shift into a flurry of activity to ensure that the final harvests are secure for the on-coming winter, while still reveling in late autumn sunshine and flavors. Early October is usually a reminder of why we love summer, providing long days of warmth while keeping the nights cool and comfortable. Often this sunny disposition shifts about mid-month and we receive the first frost or truly cool morning. In the mid-West, the mountains and throughout New England, the trees shift in color and have lost a majority of their leaves by Halloween. This marks the next part of farming, the winter squashes, the hardy greens - the end of fragile and delicate berries, herbs and lettuces and a transfer of growing energies into the earth, roots start to take hold and the cruciferous vegetables really excel in their growth and production. Beets, turnips, rutabaga, spinach, kale, Brussels sprouts, broccoli and cauliflower all do well in this transitional period and the winter squashes are 'cured' in the fields by the cold evenings. This is when culinary thoughts turn to pickling and 'putting up' the harvest abundance to enjoy throughout the winter. Shelling beans are dried and preserved for hearty soups and stews later in the winter, fruit are jarred and preserved. Years ago, some of the fall slaughter was prepared through confit and laid down in layers of fat and salt to be kept in an aseptic environment. The beauty of this time too is that we can still enjoy the season's gifts of apples and late harvest peaches, with the addition of persimmons and pears. We have access to some of the best and most delicious ripe fruit that seems to psychologically offset all the 'hard' vegetables that are growing and being stored for the cold months to come.
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| | Peddler's Son Produce |
I've gone from growing wild, to slave plantations, to industrial production. A perennial grass, I am grown in about 80 countries in the tropics and subtropics and can grow from 6 to 23 feet in height. My cut shoots are 1 - 2 inches in diameter. I am first documented in India in 1000 BC. Early on, I was used in medicine; Dioscorides, a first-century Greek physician, considered me "worth my weight in silver." You'll find me mentioned by Jeremiah, Ezekial and Isaiah in the Old Testament. Europeans viewed me as a fabulous food and expensive medicine brought through deserts to their ports. In fact, in 966, Venice's fate and fortune were founded on me and on the trade of silks and spices. My most popular output is -- cut; crushed for my juice which is extracted with water; purified, concentrated by evaporation, and crystallized. In ancient times, you might have chewed me, or in an Arab harem, made me into a depilatory. For nouveau cuisine, cook me as a skewer for shrimp. Raw, I am 96-99% sucrose. Originally a rare and valuable plant, I became so popular that by 1979 there were more of my products produced than could be consumed. Today, ecologists propose my juice as an alternative food source for pigs and poultry, and scientists are mapping my DNA to help understand plant genes.
(Answer on last page)
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Specialty Produce of the week
Green Dragon Apples Seasons/Availability Green Dragon apples are available in the fall. Current Facts A cross between the Golden Delicious and Indo apple, Green Dragon apples share the same DNA as the Mutsu apple. The name Green Dragon is a reference to the Chinese symbol for royalty. Description/Taste The Green Dragon apple in appearance resembles a lime green Golden Delicious dotted with near-microscopic brown freckles. Its inside reveals a white, crisp-textured flesh. It is a sweet, low acid apple that has a plentitude of fruit esters in its aroma, making it one of most aromatic apples on the market. Its flavor imparts layers of tropical undertones such as pineapple along with even sweeter flavors reminiscent of pears. Applications The complex sweetness of the Green Dragon apple shines in both cooked and raw preparations. Serve fresh in chopped and fruit salads. Add grated or roughly chopped Green Dragon apple to batter for pancakes, muffins and fritters. Similar to their parent the Golden Delicious, sliced Green Dragon apple makes an excellent filling for pies and tarts. Its flavor pairs well with cranberry, pear, strawberry, manchego cheese and cinnamon. Geography/History The Green Dragon apple was developed in 1920 at the Aomori Research Institute in Japan. Grown in the pacific northwest originally it was harvested almost exclusively for export to Japan, today it can be found during harvest season at select farmers markets and from purveyors of specialty produce.
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Fruit and Vegetable Nutrition of the week
Baby Oyster Mushrooms
Baby oyster mushrooms can be found growing wild in autumn forests. However, they're usually cultivated in controlled environments such as spawns filled with rice, grains, cotton, straw, wheat, millet and maize that serve as the mushrooms' food and protein source.
How to Select Baby Oyster Mushrooms
Choose oyster mushrooms with firm scallop-shaped caps that are free of slime. Their coloring varies from snow grey to pale brown.
How to Store Baby Oyster Mushrooms
Store wrapped in a moist towel in either plastic or paper bags inside your refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. If stored in a paper bag, make sure the end is closed.
Nutrition Benefits of Baby Oyster Mushrooms
Fat free, saturated free, cholesterol free, low in sodium, and a good source of vitamins B2 and B3
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What am I? Answer
 SUGARCANE
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