Market Report

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family together. At my house, when I was growing up, my mom would always make us have dinner together. Back then, they did not have all the after school sports and stuff, so we all grew up always having dinner together as a family. Nowadays, it is very difficult to get two family members together let alone everybody. My wife has kept on the tradition of having dinner together, although my 21-year-old eats standing up and the 9-year-old still doesn’t like to eat healthy. Mothers’ Day is always the day to spend with Mom. She is the most important person when you first start out in life. There would be no you without her, and you should not forget that. I know my mom tells me that all the time. I tell her that my dad also helped, but she says he was just a depositor at the bank and she made sure the account (me) balanced most of my life. I think in any family, the role of mom is always the most important one, and in my own family, if it weren’t for my wife, I would have never been able to do what I’ve done. My business would never have reached the level it has without her, and she lets me play golf on Mothers’ Day even if it is raining and 40 degrees.

Next week, the National Restaurant Association show will start on Saturday, and Chicago will be humming with 70,000 visitors to our fair city. Restaurant show week is always a blast. Chicago is the best place for restaurants, and if you can’t make it here, give it up. Our population crosses all people, and Chicago is home to the best taste buds in the business, not to mention some of the best chefs in the world. I love to showcase our city and our chefs because I think they’re the best.

The produce markets are in a bit of disarray this week. Prices on some items are falling quickly, and on others the market is absolutely crazy. In that category, we will put Peppers, all colors: green red and yellow. Prices for the green are over thirty for big stuff. Prices for red are nuts, and if you do find them you can’t get enough to fill all your orders. The market is this tight because of weather, California had some of the coldest spring it’s had in 20 years and Florida had almost the same problem, but with rain and mud. Mother Nature is very inflexible when it comes to weather; she does what she wants, and that’s all there is to it. Unfortunately for all of us, we have to make the best of it, and right now she’s killing us on peppers. She also has a thing for Red and Yellow Teardrops, Black Tuscan Kale, Morel Mushrooms - all are up there in price.

Not that she doesn’t have a soft side: Broccoli is down big time. Blueberries are outstanding, Blackberries are also very good and French Beans are much easier in price. Cherry Tomatoes are a best buy all next week. English Peas have dropped big time.

Asparagus is dropping fast. Local product is 7-10 days away, but the Washington area has dropped their prices and quality is some of the best I’ve seen. Artichokes are moving up in price, and there are some red artichokes available if you’re interested. Nappa is still pricey for next week, but will probably drop by the end of next week. Cucumbers are down, Carrots are the same, and Cauliflower was up but will be down by the end of next week. Corn is steady. If you have not read about all the hoopla about corn prices and food you were probably dead. But some corn producers have started to give more corn to the fresh market because of the problems caused by ethanol production. Eggplant is down a little. Celery is way up: growers are having big issues with seeders in the celery. They are plowing under some fields, because it’s not worth it to harvest the celery, because they can’t sell it. Pea Pods are down, Snap Peas are steady. Zucchini and Yellow Squash are the same. Tomato prices are steady. Florida has started with some Vine Ripes, but not big ones yet; most of the sizes are 6x6 and 5x6.  Most of 4x4 and 4x5 are still coming from Mexico.

Romaine is steady; Head Lettuce is active, but price is steady. Red and Green Leaf are higher. Boston is higher, Radicchio is higher, Mesculin is cheap, and Kale is cheap. Frissee is a little tight and not as white as we would like, but it will be better next week.

Apricots are in, and so are Apriums. If you have not tried apriums, you absolutely have to! They are a cross between apricots and plums, and when they are ripe they are outstanding. Now, some growers are better than others, so some lots have better flavor, but all are good

Honeydews are higher next week, Cantaloupes are down, and Cherries have just stared and will get a lot better over the next few weeks. Grapes are steady; both red and green are in good supply. Lemon prices are still crazy. Berries are in good shape. Blueberries, Blackberries and Raspberries have all come down in price; Strawberries are getting better, and taste is improving.

New for next week: Personal Watermelons are back; Michigan Ramps; Easter Fiddleheads; Graffiti Eggplant; Cherry Tomatoes On the Vine; Tuscan Melon; Strawberry Papaya; Fejoa, Horned Melons; and Baby Gala Apples.

Market Report archives

What am I?

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I am in the same family as the melon and cucumber, and I am believed to have wild origins in Central America, between Mexico and Guatemala, dating back over ten thousand years. Christopher Columbus is credited with introducing my ancestors to Europe. My thin skin is very hard to peel so it is usually left intact. My flesh will reveal a peppery hazelnut flavor that is universally admired. In fact, when not being used as a bowl, you can just cut me in half, drizzle some butter (tanning oil to me) on my flesh, then top with honey, cinnamon, brown sugar, and/or nutmeg. Roast me for just under an hour and I’ll prove to you that bowls are better in plastic, paper or china. Don’t forget to cover me in the oven or my top layer will burn, and I never got along well with aloe. While I am an excellent source of potassium and vitamin A, I also contain vitamin C, folic acid and copper.

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What is the hottest chili pepper?

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Red Savina Habanero is believed to be the hottest chili pepper. This pepper originated in 1994 in the U.S.A. This pepper is twice as hot as your average orange habanero and 65 times hotter than the hottest jalapeno chile pepper.

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