Market Outlook

Lettuce: 

The Iceberg market is steady at lower levels. We are seeing good quality on inbound.

Leaf: 

Leaf market is steady at lower levels. Overall quality is good.

Broccoli:

Broccoli market is at the bottom. Quality has been very good.

Cauliflower:

The cauliflower is market lower. Quality has been good.

Carrots:

Carrot market has not changed. Carrots are still coming out of Georgia and are very nice.

Celery:

The Celery market is steady out of California and Florida. We are seeing good quality out of both California and Florida.

Strawberries: 

Strawberry market is lower on Florida fruit. Steady on California. Quality has run from fair to very nice.

Potatoes:

The market on potatoes has remained steady for next week.

Onions:

The market on onions is very active. We expect this trend to continue in the near term.

Citrus:

The Lemon and Orange market remains strong due to prior cold weather in the growing region. Shippers are struggling to come up with small fruit on both lemons and oranges. 138 size oranges and 200/235 lemons are particularly difficult to source. Limes will remain higher in cost for next week as we are in a demand exceeds supply situation.

Cucumbers:

The Cucumber market has gotten very active again, Cost is higher for next week. Quality has been just fair.

Peppers:

Pepper market is active with costs up. Quality has been good.

Tomatoes:

Round Tomato market is softer along with grapes and cherries. Romas are steady. Quality has been very good.

Feature of the Week

This week Primo is featuring spinach. There are two main varieties: flat-leaf and curly (‘Savoy’). The flat-leaf kind can be broad and round, or pointed; the young leaves (baby spinach) are tender and delicate. Fresh spinach retains the delicacy of texture and jade green color that is lost when spinach is processed. Raw spinach has a mild, slightly sweet taste that can be refreshing in salads, while its flavor becomes more acidic and robust when it is cooked.

Recipe of the Week

Artichoke Spinach Dip with Roasted Red Bell Peppers

Ingredients

14 ounces canned (or frozen, thawed) artichoke hearts, drained, diced (not marinated)

9 ounces frozen creamed spinach, thawed

1/2 cup finely diced red onion

1/2 cup diced roasted red bell pepper

2 tablespoons jarred pesto sauce

1/3 cup grated Parmesan

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

Directions

Preheat a gas or charcoal grill to 350 degrees F.

In a medium mixing bowl, add all the ingredients, except the chips, and mix well. Transfer to a 9 by 9-inch foil baking pan and cover with aluminum foil. Put on the grill over indirect heat (350 degrees F is ideal) and cook for 15 minutes, turning every 5 minutes, to keep the heat even. Carefully remove from the grill and serve with the chips.

Cook’s Note: The dip can be prepared in advance and kept in the refrigerator until ready to cook. If this is done, please add 10 minutes to the cook time.

Fun Facts of the Week

•  Just half a cup of raw spinach counts as 1 of the 5 servings of fruits and vegetables you should eat a day.
• Spinach is a member of the goose-foot family, which makes it a relative to beets and chard
•  In the 1930′s U.S. spinach growers credited Popeye with a 33% increase in domestic spinach consumption.
•  Medieval artists extracted green pigment from spinach to use as an ink or paint.