Culinary Currents
October 2004

Produce Currents by Tim Clark

I've always loved Autumn. Cooler temperatures bring a welcome relief to all of us who weary from the Summer heat. Autumn is especially busy in the produce industry. The influx of produce from the fall harvest offers variety and value to those with seasonal offerings on their menu.

Hard squash items are in abundance with varieties such as buttercup, carnival, tatuma, turban and gold acorn to name but a few. Decorative items abound with Indian corn, gourds, pumpkins, corn stalks, sugar cane and the like.

The nut and kiwi harvest in northern California is in full swing this month in areas such as Chico, a small town north of Sacramento. New crop apples and pears are coming in from the Pacific Northwest. Pastry chefs welcome the variety found in the pear crop with types such as d'anjou, bosc, farelle, seckel as well as crimson pears making their Seasonal appearance. Produce lends a colorful and delicious accent to Autumn and Holiday menus as the year draws to a close.

Right around the corner, from southern hemisphere countries such as Chile, Peru, Argentina and Ecuador is the world's winter fruit supply. Raspberries, blackberries and blueberries arrive by air from these areas starting in December and January. Stone fruit such as peaches, plums and nectarines as well as apricots and cherries are part of the scene as well.

Produce is a fast moving, energetic industry. I tell people that produce has two speeds in which to operate; fast and overdrive! Suffice it to say, we are buckling our seatbelts and shifting into overdrive for the next few months.

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!