September 29- October 5, 2013
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 only minor quality issues.
Leaf:
Romaine market is steady along with green and red leaf. Quality has been good overall.
Broccoli:
Broccoli market is very active with product in very short supply. Quality has been fair to good.
Cauliflower:
Market is steady 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 Easter 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 Idahos, Norkotah variety. We will see Burbanks start the first or second week of October. Price has remained steady this week, but look to get a little stronger now that shippers have gotten into the storage sheds. We look to start railing in the next 3 weeks or so.
Onions:
Market on onions has remained on the stronger side this week and into next week.
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 New Jersey winding down and Georgia starting.
Peppers:
Market on peppers has gotten stronger this week due to colder nights. Peppers will stay strong going into next week with New Jersey coming to an end.
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 Ziegler’s Apple Cider. A perfect treat for this time of year! Ziegler’s Apple cider is made locally. Manufactured in Lansdale, Pennsylvania, Zeigler’s Cider is a custom blend of not just one type of apple, but a variety of sweet and tart apples. Every cider batch is taste-tested to deliver the delicious flavor and high quality standards.
Serve warm, cold, or room temperature with slices of oranges, lemons, whip cream on top, or cinnamon sticks.
Recipe of the Week
Hot Apple Cider
6 cups apple cider
1/4 cup real maple syrup
2 cinnamon sticks
6 whole cloves
6 whole allspice berries
1 orange peel, cut into strips
1 lemon peel, cut into strips
Directions
- Pour the apple cider and maple syrup into a large stainless steel saucepan.
- Place the cinnamon sticks, cloves, allspice berries, orange peel and lemon peel in the center of a washed square of cheesecloth; fold up the sides of the cheesecloth to enclose the bundle, then tie it up with a length of kitchen string. Drop the spice bundle into the cider mixture.
- Place the saucepan over moderate heat for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the cider is very hot but not boiling.
- Remove the cider from the heat. Discard the spice bundle. Ladle the cider into big cups or mugs, adding a fresh cinnamon stick to each serving if desired.
Fun Facts of the Week
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Unfermented apple juice is called ‘apple juice’ in most other countries, and the term ‘cider’ refers to ‘hard cider’; it has been fermented and is an alcoholic beverage.
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Cider was the most common fruit beverage in the U.S. up to the mid 19th century.
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Without refrigeration, fresh juice was very perishable, so apple juice was virtually all ‘hard cider’, being allowed to ferment to a low alcohol content, usually around 5 percent alcohol.
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Next to water, this cider was the cheapest and most widely available beverage year-round.
