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HOLIDAY REMINDER: We will be closed Monday, May 29th in observance of Memorial Day.
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Market Watch
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Avocados:
With Mexican production winding down for the summer and increasingly strong demand, markets are expected to remain active through June or July. Quality remains good.
Celery:
The market is extremely active as supplies remain limited due to slower than expected growth. Quality is fair at best. Defects include discoloration, inconsistent sizing, seeder, and pith.
Cucumbers:
Market is active as the transition and weather conditions have caused the West Coast to begin pulling from the East. While product has begun shipping out of Baja, CA, limited supplies continue to be seen out of Mexico. Overall quality is good.
Lemons:
Market is active as growing regions transition. CA's Central Valley is winding down, while Ventura ramps up. Demand exceeding supplies of 165, 200 and 235ct; this may remain a constant throughout the summer and into fall. Quality remains good.
Squash:
Market is active as Mexico ends and CA production struggles due to cooler temps; yellow squash is extremely limited.
Tomatoes:
Market is active. Nogales is finishing up sooner than anticipated with poor quality and yields being seen. Baja has begun production with marginal volumes being seen for this time of year. Production of Roma tomatoes out of Baja were short last week, but expected to come into better production this week, which should help the transition of western supply. Grape tomatoes have also transitioned to Baja where cherry tomatoes are available in limited volumes.
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May 15th - May 28th
This week's guide includes fresh, local ingredients from:
Abby Lee Farms
May 22nd - May 25th
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New Specialty Guide (Available Weekly)
Contributed by Rj Johnson
Local & Organic Curator; Peddler's Son Produce
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One of the many things I love about being here at Peddler's Son Produce and Provisions is that we are as full-service and customer-oriented as a produce company can be! Of course we have a complete line of fresh fruit and vegetables, who doesn't? However, where our product line really starts to stand head and shoulders above the rest is with our ability to source the finest in seasonal specialty products from right here in our back yard, to all over the world. Put alongside our local and certified organic program and you'll find we're becoming your source for one-stop shopping of fine foods, backed by a quality of service.
In an effort to keep our customers up to date on what we currently have outside of our core produce commodities, there is now a series of informational flyers available on our website's products page and from your local representative. The newest of these flyers is the Specialty Ordering Guide. Here you will find a few items we would like to highlight for the week, any really exciting products that are soon to market, newly in-season items and some of the many items we are most often sourcing for our chefs that like to stay two or three steps ahead of their competition.
That being said, remember that if you don't see it on the list, that's OK! If it's in season we can find it!
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Planning Ahead For June
Contributed by Jill Overdorf
Corporate Chef; Coosemans LA Shipping
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June is the beginning of the summer fruits and vegetables: legumes, melons, stonefruit and the traditional strawberry season. Gone are the earthy flavors of spring (Ramps, Morels, fiddleheads and Miner's Lettuce) and what now begins to season our plates and our diets are flavorful bursts of sugar and starch. Summer Corn begins and this handheld delicacy contains all the starch and sugar anyone could wish for. The fig trees generally have an initial burst of fruit in June and then gap for about five weeks while the new fruit continues to ripen. Full harvest is generally more abundant mid-July.
The big option coming onto the marketplace is delectable chin-dripping stonefruit - drupes of all types (except the later harvested almonds and mangos from other places) - are becoming available. Use the perfect orbs as a singular dessert or cut up the less beautiful, but equally flavorful fruit for cobblers and compotes, or even as delicious sides with savory proteins. Apricots are the least plentiful, so get them while they are fresh and ripe - they can be preserved or frozen to maintain that delicious flavor a tad longer. California cherries run through Father's day with a taper at the end of the month. There is usually a short supply of sour or Montmorency cherries just before the beginning of July. Santa Rosa plums lead the plum parade with Peaches available now through early October! Don't fall in love with just one variety as the options change weekly, especially with small farms. Keep peaches out at room temperature to ripen perfectly; cold will arrest their development, but they can be kept in a walk-in until ready to be tempered.
Fresh California Garbanzo beans and wild sea beans become available in June, right around the summer solstice (June 20th), also known as the
first day of summer. Flowering herbs continue through the end of the month and lemon verbena becomes one of the favorite flavoring ingredients of the months - rich and aromatic with lemon flavor and scent, this herb makes incredible simple syrup for desserts and an addition to vinaigrettes and marinades.
Summer squash becomes available in most locales in June and still has that 'new-kid' culinary appeal that makes it delectable. It's not until August that we are fed-up with this cucurbit! While in the same genus as
Butternut, Hubbard and Acorn, all summer squash has a soft outer shell covered with nearly invisible hairs. These hairs are pest deterrents and keep bugs off of the squashes delicate skin as it develops. All summer
squashes can be cooked (or not) in the same manner as they are interchangeable in flavor. A recipe for zucchini can be applied to patty pan or crook-neck, eightball or grey squash with the same success. The older the squash, the larger the seeds and internal seed pocket - this big specimen is better for bread and other applications where it's not a solo star.
Depending on the temperatures, this is when the first of the legumes start appearing - bush beans, pole beans and intermediate beans all need heat and time; they really hit their production in July. There are three stages
in bean production and harvest: fresh snap, fresh shelling and dried shell.
Start phasing out the last of the blood oranges (usually the Sanguenielli variety is the last available), Meyer lemons and other winter based citrus. (Meyer lemons are coming from New Zealand if you don't mind paying
airfare.) All Fiddleheads are done by the middle of June and we now look for fruit and vegetables that absorb sunshine and thrive.
Culinary tidbit: The sweet onion is actually a variety called granax. The names attached to the allium - like 'Vidalia' or 'Maui' refer to the growing regions, not the variety of onion. Thus, sweet onions could also come from Bakersfield or Des Moines and the determining factor of their flavor and sweetness is the mineral base in the soil and the pyloric acid content.
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In Season:
*Items in BOLD will prove to usually be better values as they are in their peak harvest period.
| Apples |
Cucumber |
Papaya |
| Arugula |
Eggplant |
Passion Fruit |
| Asparagus |
Endive, Belgian |
Peas - English |
| Avocados |
Fennel |
Peas - Snow |
| Bananas |
Fiddlehead Fern |
Peas - Sugar Snap |
| Beans - Cranberry |
Figs |
Peppers - Bell |
| Beans - Dragon Tongue |
Garlic |
Peppers - Chili |
| Beans - Fava |
Garlic - Elephant |
Peppers - Padron/Shishito |
| Beans - French |
Grape - Champagne |
Pineapple |
| Beans - Green |
Grapes - Perlette |
Potatoes - Red |
| Beans - Purple |
Grapes - Red Flame |
Potatoes - White |
| Beans - Yellow Wax |
Horseradish |
Raddichio |
| Beets |
Jicama |
Radishes |
| Berry - Blackberry |
Kiwifruit |
Rhubarb |
| Berry - Blueberry |
Kohl Rabi, Green |
Salanova |
| Berry - Raspberry |
Kohl Rabi, Purple |
Shallots |
| Berry - Raspberry, Gold |
Loquat |
Spinach |
| Berry - Strawberries |
Lychee |
Spinach - Baby |
| Broccoli |
Mangoes |
Squash |
| Broccoli Rabe |
Melon - Cantaloupe |
Squash - Chayote |
| Broccolini |
Melon - Honeydew |
Squash - Summer |
| Cabbage |
Melon - Pepino |
Star Fruit |
| Cactus Leaves |
Melon - Watermelon |
Squash - Summer |
| Cape Gooseberry |
Mushroom - Porcini |
Star Fruit |
| Carrots |
Mushroom - Chanterelle |
Stone Fruit - Apricots |
| Cauliflower |
Mushroom - Lobster |
Stone Fruit - Cherries, Bing |
| Celery |
Mushroom - Maitake |
Stone Fruit - Nectarines |
| Celery Root |
Mushroom - Morels |
Stone Fruit - Peaches |
| Chard |
Mushroom - Porcini |
Stone Fruit - Plums |
| Citrus - Limes |
Okra |
Stone Fruit - Pluots |
| Citrus - Oranges |
Onions - Imperial Sweet |
Tomatoes |
| Collards |
Onions - Italian Sweet |
Tomatoes - Heirloom |
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Corn
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Onions - Vidalia
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Walnuts - Green |
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Thank you for your following our newsletter. We value your partnership with us and hope the information provided here will be of assistance to you and your business.
If you have yet to form a relationship with us and would like to learn more about our distinguished products and service, please contact us directly at 602-253-3577 or visit us online at PeddlersSon.com.
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DELIVERING FRESH SINCE 1988
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