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Culinary Currents
January 2006
Winter Produce Update: Would You Believe You Can Feature
Summer Items on Your Menu Right Now?
By Tim Clark
I've spent my life in the produce business, first as a
child watching my dad operate our family's business here in Houston. The
industry has changed dramatically over the years. When I was a kid, there
were seasons in produce. There were times of the year you didn’t have
things like grapes, raspberries, peaches, plums, etc.
This is no longer the case on many items. Southern
hemisphere countries such as Chile, Peru, Argentina, Venezuela as well as
New Zealand meet our demand for fruit even in winter. Even though it
doesn't feel like it--technically, we are in our winter season-- the
countries I've just mentioned are in their summer. They are supplying us
with fruit until our domestic fruit starts up in late spring/early summer.
Changes in the transportation industry have made this
possible since the early to mid seventies. Hearty fruits like grapes and
stone fruit come to market by vessel; highly perishable items like berries
come by air.
Foodservice operators have a marvelous opportunity to "seasonalize"
their menus in regard to winter fruit. Just by going on the internet to “Google”,
and typing in" Chilean winter fruit," I found sites touting recipes for
things such as Cherry Berry Parfait, Pork Tenderloin in Ginger Peach
Sauce, Chilean Fruit Salsa, Tierra Del Fuego Fruit Cobbler,
etc. Some summertime fruit accents on your menu may now
ironically reappear on your winter menu. What an opportunity to awaken
your customers’ taste buds in the dead of winter!
About the only vegetable coming out of southern
hemisphere is Asparagus. That’s a great feature for most high-end
steakhouses, as well as your Easter menu. Quite a bit of asparagus comes
from Peru as it has excellent climate and growing conditions. No need to
wait for spring/summer--feature imported white and green asparagus now!
The southern hemisphere supply chain has matured greatly
in the last 35 years-- I wonder what marvelous things are on the horizon
for the next 35 years! Today’s operators should get on the Internet
weekly: “Google” to track the latest trends!
Tim Clark, Houston's Finest Produce, Houston, TX, along
with his father, is well known for introducing Kiwi Fruit to the Houston
market some 25 years ago. Clark also pioneered bringing in South American
produce to insure a steady supply of key items to local restaurateurs, a
trend, which has become a standard in the last decade. Clark is also the
designated Fruit Monger of The Texas Renaissance Festival, acknowledged as
the largest such event in the U.S.
We suggest you partner with your local produce vendors to
identify the seasonality of fruits and vegetables in order to project the
fresh image your guests seek. Fruits and Vegetables are also key to
nutrition and eating with balance. A word of advice: Be careful not to
lock your menu into specific produce, but use menu descriptions that
include “Seasonal” fruits and vegetables. Keep your options open!
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