-
NEW!
• Cosmic Crisp Club Apple
• Cara Caras (early week)
• Clementine Mandarins
• Feijoas
• Tutti Frutti Bulk Cauliflower
• Sunrise Choko Boy Choy (more below) -
COMING SOON
• Tango Mandarins
• Import Grapes -
BACK IN STOCK
• Opal Apple
• Passion Fruit
• Secret Beach Tumeric (end of the week) -
TIGHT INVENTORY
• Artichokes
• Leaf Lettuce
• Organicgirl: Butter, Little Gems, Romaine having quality issues with cooler weather out of the desert.
• Crimini Mushrooms
• Mixed Heirlooms
• Yellow Squash -
GAPPING
• Thai Basil
• Iceberg -
WINDING DOWN
• Cantaloupe, Honeydew and Mini Watermelons in the next few weeks
• Red Grapes
• Persimmons
• Pomegranates -
FINISHED
• Tomatero Blackberries
• Green and Black Grapes
BUYER’S NOTES
Updated December 11, 2022
FRUIT
fruit update
Side Hill Citrus Satsumas
Side Hill Citrus is into a flush of delicious Satsumas. Incredible flavor, easy to peel and the perfect snack. From our frame of reference, Side Hill Citrus Satsumas from Lincoln, in the Sacramento foothills, have the perfect mix of sweetness, tartness and low acidity, with very little pulp, no seeds and taste like they are melting in your mouth. The combination of a higher elevation of 600 feet, nutrient-filled organic clay soil, warm summer days and cool nights and using a Satsuma Owari rootstock from Japan all contribute to growing consistently delicious Satsuma Mandarins year after year.
Satsuma Health Benefits
A 2008 U.S. Department of Agriculture study said Satsumas have six to seven times as much synephrine, a natural decongestant, as other citrus. Four or five Satsumas have enough synephrine to equal the effect of a Sudafed tablet, the study said. Satsumas are also naturally low in calories and a single fruit contains 34 percent of the USDA daily recommendation for vitamin C.
Side Hill Citrus workers go through the orchard looking for full colored fruit and each piece of fruit is hand clipped with care.
New citrus varieties are starting to arrive with Clementine Mandarins and Cara Caras arriving by the end of the week. Download Earl’s Citrus Guide.
Black and Green California Grapes are done and Red Seedless may make it through Christmas. Imports will arrive soon.
Fuyu Persimmons and Pomegranates will continue for a few more weeks. Don’t miss the wide variety of Club Apples and Pears out of the PNW. The Cosmic Crisp Club Apple has an incredible SNAP and a juicy, sweet-tart flavor.
Stock up on Cranberries and Chestnuts now for the holiday. Cranberries are harvested once a year and freeze great for up to a year! Chestnuts are sweet and meaty and make a great holiday meal or snack. Click for easy tips and photos on how to roast chestnuts.
Cosmic Crisp
Feijoa
Side Hill Satumas
APPLES
Arkansas Black Apples taste better after being in storage for a bit. Patient eaters are rewarded with a sweet, firm fruit that offers notes of cherry, cinnamon, vanilla, and coriander.
Club Apple Highlights - New this week!
SugarBee: High sugar levels at harvest. Nice snap in every bite. Flesh is creamy white. Skin is red blush, bi-colored, ranging from 30%-100% red. It is a good keeper.
Opal: Sweet, tangy and crunchy, the Opal resembles the Topaz with a ruby and orange blush, and an attractive golden yellow flush. Resists browning.
Cosmic Crisp: Crisp, juicy, sweet-tart. This large, juicy apple has a remarkably firm and crisp texture and an incredible SNAP!
avocados
Bacon Avocados have smooth bright green skin and creamy pale green flesh. Their mild flavor is delicious on avocado toast or in a winter citrus salad. Be careful when cutting this avocado into slices as the skin is very thin and delicate. We recommend peeling back the skin and then slicing the avocado.
bananas
Temperatures are dropping down into the 20’s in many areas. Bananas are extremely susceptible to fluctuating temperatures. Please take a moment to review Earl’s Banana Handling and Receiving Guide and let your Earl’s Sales Rep know if you have any questions.
berries
Blackberries: Tomatero is done. Mexico through the winter.
Blueberries: Forbidden is increasing in production with better availability. Will see some pints from Fresh Kampo (Mexico) at a good price.
Strawberries: Market is high sky with seasonally appropriate flavor and quality out of California and Mexico. Baja is just around the corner, and we will see quality improve.
Raspberries: Good flavor from Fresh Kampo (Mexico).
citrus
Grapefruit: Plenty of Rio Reds and Star Rubys.
Valencias: Solid choice supply out of Mexico.
Navels: RVO and Benzler out of Atwood provide the best eating experience! Caras coming this week.
California Lemons: Lots of great product. Meyers available from Marsalisi for another week or two, with plenty from Side Hill. Don’t miss the Meyer Weekly Special!
New from Buck! Limequat - a cross between a key lime and kumquat. It has a sweet tasting skin and bittersweet pulp with a flavor similar to limes. Eat them whole like a kumquat or use the skins to flavor deserts and drinks.
Satsumas: Side Hill coming into their full flush! Incredible flavor, easy to peel, the perfect snack. Side Hill Citrus workers go through the orchard looking for full colored fruit and each piece of fruit is hand clipped with care.
Pummelos: Coming soon! Mid-December to early January.
Lime prices are climbing.
fall
Two more week on Fuyu Persimmons. Pomegranates winding down in the next few weeks. Arils will go through the end of the year.
Don’t forget cranberries for Christmas! Cranberries are picked and packed once a year and freeze great. Don’t be caught short for the holidays.
grapes
Green and Black Seedless are done. Red Seedless are winding down and may make it to Christmas. Moving into imports around the holiday.
kiwi
Homegrown California Mammoth Kiwis (Porterville) are available in 20/1# (3-4 kiwis per clamshell). An eye-catching piece of fruit perfect to highlight next to your bulk display. Watch the video below to meet Mammoth Kiwi growers in the field.
melons
Cantaloupes are back and Honeydew has started up. Mini Watermelons towards the end of their season and will wrap up in the next week or two.
nuts
Stock up on Chestnuts now before they are gone. Medium and Large Chestnuts in 5# packs are sweet and meaty, perfect for a winter meal or snack and on Earl’s Weekly Specials! Nuts are great for snacking and baking. Don’t miss our Bulk Almonds, Bulk Halves/Pieces and Whole Walnuts and Bagged Pistachios in shell.
pears
Asian Pears through the end of the year. Shingo, Shinsetsu and Atago later varieties have a thicker skin. As they ripen up, the starches will turn to sugar, and they will sugar up beautifully! D’Anjou, Red D’Anjou, Golden Bosc hold their shape and texture during baking and are a great addition to a holiday grazing platter.
tropicals
Back into Tommy Atkins supply from Ecuador. NEW! The Feijoa, sometimes known as the Pineapple Guava, is a lime-green, egg-shaped fruit with a soft, succulent flesh similar in texture to a pear.
tropicals, continued
Cut in half and scoop out with a spoon for an easy, healthy treat. Originally a native of South America, the fruit is now grown in California and New Zealand.
Earl’s Feijoas are California grown by Swift Subtropicals on a 600 acre ranch nestled at the end of Clark Valley Road in between Los Osos and San Luis Obispo.
Ask your Earl’s Sales rep for a sample of Crespo’s New Dried Mangos, a super sweet and chewy snack!
VEGETABLES
winter transition
It is that time of year when many California growers transition their wet veg operation, think Lettuces, Leafy Greens, Broccoli and Cauliflower, from the cooler areas of the Central Coast and Salinas Valley down to the warmer regions in the California desert, Imperial Valley and Yuma, Arizona. The desert regions include Coachella, Thermal and Mecca north of the Salton Sea and south of Palm Springs. The Imperial Valley extends from the southern area of Coachella, past the Salton Sea and all the way down to the border of Mexico. Warm veg is now mostly coming out of Baja California and northern Mexico, think Zucchini, Green Beans, Hot Peppers, Colored Bells, Cucumbers and Tomatoes.
Winter transition is starting in full this week and Lakeside, Calo and Braga are transitioning all commodities. It is a bit cooler in the desert than normal. Cooler nights are limiting the beginning of the desert season as product is growing slower. Leaf Lettuce is starting up out of the desert in small quantities, prices will start to come down towards the end of the week. Iceberg gapping until the end of the week as growers are waiting for it to come on in the desert.
Cold and snowy weather out of the Pacific Northwest is slowing down trucking. Think Apples, Pears and Root Vegetables.
Greens - Kales, Chards, Collards, all have great quality. The cool weather brings out the robustness on Brassicas!
Rain and muddy fields delayed chicories out of Watsonville Lakeside. It is one of the last commodities to transition to the desert and we may see gaps. Limited product through December.
Cranberries
Chestnuts
Sunrise Choko Bok Choy
asparagus
Winter trucking schedule means less pallets coming out of Mexican growing regions. This may mean intermittent gaps until Christmas, when the Caborca region starts.
artichokes
Smaller 24ct this week.
beets
Good supply of California Bunched and Loose Red and Gold Beets.
varietal beans
Plenty of Bulk Green Beans through the holidays.
bok choy
Sunrise Choko Bok Choy is similar to Mei Qing Choy. It has large Heads 8-10" tall and a tangy-sweet yet delicate flavor with a big crunch!
broccoli
Beginning of the transition for Broccoli and will see lighter stalks. Braga harvesting out of the desert this week.
sweet baby broccoli
Lakeside, Josie’s, and a small amount available from Tomatero.
broccoli crowns
Seeing seasonal cosmetic issues as the Salinas season comes to an end.
brussels sprouts
Solid supplies, though Bagged Brussels still largely unavailable.
cabbage
Anna was rained out on Red Napa Cabbage, but they are back. Red and Green Cabbage is sizing up slowly due to the cold and rain.
carrots
Sunrise and Tomatero have a nice flush of sweet Nantes. Add Purple and Yellow Carrots to create a beautiful display.
cauliflower
Josie’s limited on 12ct and 16ct as they transition to the desert. Tutti Frutti has some surprise Bulk Cauliflower for the next few weeks. Great value deal!
Sun Valley starting to see small amounts Cheddar and Romanesco. Look for Salinas growers (Sun Valley, Tomatero) coming back in around the New Year in better volume.
celery
24ct sizing has slowed down from the cool and rainy weather. 30ct is a good alternative.
chicories
Rain and muddy fields delayed Chicories out of Watsonville Lakeside. It is one of the last commodities to transition to the desert and we may see gaps. Limited product through December.
cucumbers
Plenty of Divine Fair Trade Slicing Cucumbers, Euros and bagged and bulk Persians.
eggplant
Globe and Graffiti at a great price.
garlic
Black Garlic is aged fresh garlic with a smooth, soft texture and a rich, sweet taste. Pack Sizes: Peeled Black Garlic 12/5oz jars and 12/2ct bulbs in a bag.
ginger
In strong supply in 10# and 30#.
tumeric
Secret Beach returning at the end of the week.
greens
Kales, Chards, Collards, all have great quality. The cool weather brings out the robustness on Brassicas!
herbs
Holiday Mix clamshells and shipper- Rosemary, Sage, Savory and Thyme!
lettuce
Iceberg gapping until the end of the week as growers are waiting for it to come on in the desert. Leaf Lettuce is starting up out of the desert in small quantities, prices will start to come down towards the end of the week.
leeks
We may see some Ralph’s as well as Lakeside.
mushrooms
Turning a corner and Crimini inventory is looking slightly better.
bell peppers
Price coming down on Red Bells now that we’re into a better spot on availability.
hot peppers
Hit or miss on Shishito and Padrons.
onions
Peri and Sons Earth Bags are convenient and offer a sustainable and eye-catching option. Red and Yellow Cippolini Onions for all your holiday cooking.
potatoes
Cal-O is winding down on their potato program and soon we will fully be into product out of the Pacific Northwest.
sweet potatoes
red radish
Limited amount due to sizing. Just starting up out of the desert.
roots
Montecucco will be solid through January.
summer squash
A little on the tight side.
tomatoes
Covilli Mixed Heirlooms will increase in volume as they transition from Baja to Guaymas in 2 weeks. Rainbow Cherry Tomatoes are limited.
winter squash
Dwelley is done with Honeynut and Delicata. Moving seamlessly into Tomatero and Covilli Delicata.
Organicgirl update: Tender Leaf Blends continue to remain in excellent shape. As for True Hearts, quality is improving, and supply is in good shape for next week.
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VEGUCATION CORNER
