Market Outlook

Lettuce: 

Market is active. The Salinas season is winding down along with much cooler temperatures at night is keeping supplies at lower levels. Overall, we are seeing lighter weights,, and some pinking on the ribs.

 Leaf: 

Romaine market is a little higher. We are seeing smaller heads, and lighter weights. Green and red leaf remain steady with only occasional quality issues.

Broccoli:

Broccoli market is very active with product in very short supply. Quality has been fair to good.

Cauliflower:

Market is very active and availability is spotty. Quality has been very good.

Carrots:

Quality on carrots has been very good out of Georgia. Canada will start with carrots this week.

Celery:

Celery is steady on both Eastern and California. Quality has been very good.

Strawberries: 

Supplies continue to remain tight and the market is steady to higher. Quality is fair with most lots showing bruising on inbound. Also reports of the occasional moldy berry.

Potatoes:

We are into new crop Idaho’s, Norkotah variety. Burbank’s have started this week. Price has remained steady this week, but look to get a little stronger now that Burbank’s have started. We will look to rail in the next two weeks.

Onions:

Market on onions has gotten much stronger this week and will remain that way for the next few weeks.

Citrus:

Lemons continue to be very tight. Availability is at historic lows and costs remain at elevated levels. We do not expect to see any changes until mid to end of October.

Cucumbers:

Market has gotten stronger on cucumbers. With jersey just about finished we will see some jump in price for the next few weeks.

Peppers:

Market on peppers has gotten stronger this week due to colder nights. Peppers will stay strong going into the next few weeks. Jersey has just about ended.

Tomatoes:

Tomato market on rounds is lower as California has come into better supplies. Romas are much stronger. Grapes and cherries are steady.

 

 

Feature of the Week

This week Primo is featuring pumpkins. Pumpkins offer nutritional benefits, they are packed with fiber, antioxidant vitamins A, C and E, B-vitamins and minerals such as calcium, potassium and phosphorous, all of which are needed by the body to maintain health.

 

Recipe of the Week

4 ounce(s) sweet Italian sausage

1/2 cup(s) chopped onion

1 (1 1/2-pound ) pumpkin, peeled, seeded, and cut into 3/4-inch pieces

1/2 cup(s) chopped Granny Smith apples

1/4 cup(s) white wine

1 cup(s) Israeli couscous, cooked

1/4 cup(s) dried cranberries

1 tablespoon(s) extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon(s) fresh thyme

1 teaspoon(s) fresh oregano, chopped

1/2 teaspoon(s) salt

1/4 teaspoon(s) fresh ground pepper

4 small (1-pound) pumpkins, hollowed out

Make the stuffing: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Decase and crumble the sausage meat and place it in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook the sausage until it is almost done — about 8 minutes. Remove the sausage from the pan, increase heat to medium, and add the onion and 2 cups of the chopped pumpkin. Sauté until the pumpkin begins to soften — 5 to 7 minutes. Add the chopped apple and sausage and sauté for 3 minutes. Add the wine, cook for 2 minutes, remove from heat, and set aside. Combine the couscous, dried cranberries, olive oil, thyme, oregano, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add meat mixture to the bowl and toss to combine.

Bake the pumpkins: Evenly fill the hollowed-out pumpkins with the stuffing mixture and place the pumpkins in a shallow baking dish. Cover the dish with aluminum foil, bake for 25 minutes, remove the foil, and bake for 10 more minutes. Serve immediately.

Fun Facts of the Week

• Pumpkin flowers are edible
• The largest pumpkin pie ever made was over five feet in diameter and weighed over 350 pounds. It used 80 pounds of cooked pumpkin, 36 pounds of sugar, 12 dozen eggs and took six hours to bake.
• Pumpkins were once recommended for removing freckles and curing snake bites