Fresh News
- Category: Market Report
- Friday, 10 January 2020
- Hits: 30
For the next few weeks, we will be posting the PRO*ACT Market Report in place of our usual General Produce version.
- Category: Market Report
- Thursday, 02 January 2020
- Hits: 116
The stone soup fable has many iterations. They all involve a traveler coming into a town beset by famine.
The inhabitants of the town try to discourage the traveler from staying, fearing he wants them to give him food.
They tell him in no uncertain terms that there’s no food anywhere to be found. The traveler explains that he doesn’t need any food and that, in fact, he was planning to make a soup to share with all of them.
The villagers watch suspiciously as he builds a fire and fills a cauldron with water. With great ceremony, he pulls a stone from a silken bag, dropping the ordinary stone into the pot of boiling water. He sniffs the brew extravagantly and takes a small taste.
With great exuberance, he exclaims how delicious stone soup is. The villagers gather around with great interest. The traveler says rather loudly, “I do like a tasty stone soup. Of course, stone soup with cabbage — that’s hard to beat.”
The inhabitants of the town try to discourage the traveler from staying, fearing he wants them to give him food.
They tell him in no uncertain terms that there’s no food anywhere to be found. The traveler explains that he doesn’t need any food and that, in fact, he was planning to make a soup to share with all of them.
The villagers watch suspiciously as he builds a fire and fills a cauldron with water. With great ceremony, he pulls a stone from a silken bag, dropping the ordinary stone into the pot of boiling water. He sniffs the brew extravagantly and takes a small taste.
With great exuberance, he exclaims how delicious stone soup is. The villagers gather around with great interest. The traveler says rather loudly, “I do like a tasty stone soup. Of course, stone soup with cabbage — that’s hard to beat.”
- Category: Market Report
- Friday, 27 December 2019
- Hits: 43
As 2019 comes to a close, make time for some personal reflection and self-care. Renewal is part of letting go and embracing the future.
The well wishes and greetings for the New Year can already be heard around offices, sales floors, kitchens and produce coolers.
Good genes can help you live a long, healthy life, but they are no guarantee that you’ll be an active older adult.
The average American life expectancy has risen to 78.6 years, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics. Your life span is determined by a complex mix of heredity, lifestyle and environment. The way you manage your body, mind and spirit affects how you feel as you age.
It serves to reason, and is well documented, that one’s attitude toward aging can influence future health.
The well wishes and greetings for the New Year can already be heard around offices, sales floors, kitchens and produce coolers.
Good genes can help you live a long, healthy life, but they are no guarantee that you’ll be an active older adult.
The average American life expectancy has risen to 78.6 years, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics. Your life span is determined by a complex mix of heredity, lifestyle and environment. The way you manage your body, mind and spirit affects how you feel as you age.
It serves to reason, and is well documented, that one’s attitude toward aging can influence future health.
- Category: Market Report
- Friday, 20 December 2019
- Hits: 154
Festivities of the season yield to indulging in holiday cheer. Hot and cold beverages, alcoholic and non, have grown up by using better ingredients.
Craft cocktails distinguish themselves by their bold inclusions of fresh, well-balanced ingredients.
Happy hour has gotten more cheerful by eliminating predictable canned juices and powdered mixes.
Try fresh blood oranges, tangerines, lemons, limes, grapefruits, and even melons for the body or base of a cocktail or holiday beverage. With purer flavors and colors, there are no additional additives and preservatives to weigh down or mask the drinks. Antioxidants and polyphenols from most fresh fruits are just an added bonus.
Small batched drinks using house-made syrups and infusions are keeping it real. Shaken or stirred, even the ice matters more these days. Preferred are the large, clean cubes that don’t rapidly melt and dilute the drink.
From mulled wines to sparkling drinks, unpack a lineup of good sips through fresh, seasonal and bold flavors. Fresh herbs add excitement and awaken the senses. Mint, rosemary and thyme, whole or muddle, impart a unique taste profile. Pomegranate juice and arils come to mind.
Craft cocktails distinguish themselves by their bold inclusions of fresh, well-balanced ingredients.
Happy hour has gotten more cheerful by eliminating predictable canned juices and powdered mixes.
Try fresh blood oranges, tangerines, lemons, limes, grapefruits, and even melons for the body or base of a cocktail or holiday beverage. With purer flavors and colors, there are no additional additives and preservatives to weigh down or mask the drinks. Antioxidants and polyphenols from most fresh fruits are just an added bonus.
Small batched drinks using house-made syrups and infusions are keeping it real. Shaken or stirred, even the ice matters more these days. Preferred are the large, clean cubes that don’t rapidly melt and dilute the drink.
From mulled wines to sparkling drinks, unpack a lineup of good sips through fresh, seasonal and bold flavors. Fresh herbs add excitement and awaken the senses. Mint, rosemary and thyme, whole or muddle, impart a unique taste profile. Pomegranate juice and arils come to mind.
- Category: Market Report
- Monday, 16 December 2019
- Hits: 164
‘Tis the season for serving up special treats for every holiday festivity. Snacks, drinks and baked goods have permission to go a little holiday crazy.
Ordinary beverages and plain Jane snack foods get a waver on being one hundred percent healthy this time of year.
The addition of alcohol, sugar and butter adds up over the extended holiday period. From dinner parties and open houses to office potlucks and neighborhood gatherings, consumption of those off limit ingredients is off the charts.
Good news then that produce offerings give us a chance to include some flavor boosters that are relatively harmless. If not for calories alone, their welcomed positive affects seem to present “magic powers”.
The peels of citrus fruits such as oranges, mandarins, tangerines, lemons and grapefruit contain potently scented natural oils that release into the air when the peel is broken. Their scent has been proven to be a powerful mood booster.
Ordinary beverages and plain Jane snack foods get a waver on being one hundred percent healthy this time of year.
The addition of alcohol, sugar and butter adds up over the extended holiday period. From dinner parties and open houses to office potlucks and neighborhood gatherings, consumption of those off limit ingredients is off the charts.
Good news then that produce offerings give us a chance to include some flavor boosters that are relatively harmless. If not for calories alone, their welcomed positive affects seem to present “magic powers”.
The peels of citrus fruits such as oranges, mandarins, tangerines, lemons and grapefruit contain potently scented natural oils that release into the air when the peel is broken. Their scent has been proven to be a powerful mood booster.
- Category: Market Report
- Friday, 06 December 2019
- Hits: 182
California citrus varieties are so worth the marketing hype. Navel oranges in particular have been the steadfast fruit we’ve come to rely on for healthy winter snacking.
Outside the navel margins are so many juicy citrus hand fruits that excite the food world.
Satsuma mandarins are a California lovely. Believe it or not, they may have first arrived here 700 years ago from Japan via Jesuits who planted them on the banks of the Mississippi River in New Orleans.
Growers in the Golden State took it from there. This loose-skinned, sub-acid fruit has a zipper peel and is seedless. What more can one ask for except the miniature size is perfect for single serve snacking.
Compared to oranges in general, mandarins tend to be smaller in size, have a looser peel, and are less tart. They originated in the Far East and were originally exported through North Africa, where they were all tagged with the name “tangerine,” from the city of Tangiers.
The name “tangerine” has become less generic and is now usually applied to only one kind of mandarin orange. Retailers have come to market the different cultivars by so called brand names. While all tangerines are mandarins, not all mandarins are tangerines.
Outside the navel margins are so many juicy citrus hand fruits that excite the food world.
Satsuma mandarins are a California lovely. Believe it or not, they may have first arrived here 700 years ago from Japan via Jesuits who planted them on the banks of the Mississippi River in New Orleans.
Growers in the Golden State took it from there. This loose-skinned, sub-acid fruit has a zipper peel and is seedless. What more can one ask for except the miniature size is perfect for single serve snacking.
Compared to oranges in general, mandarins tend to be smaller in size, have a looser peel, and are less tart. They originated in the Far East and were originally exported through North Africa, where they were all tagged with the name “tangerine,” from the city of Tangiers.
The name “tangerine” has become less generic and is now usually applied to only one kind of mandarin orange. Retailers have come to market the different cultivars by so called brand names. While all tangerines are mandarins, not all mandarins are tangerines.
- Category: Market Report
- Saturday, 30 November 2019
- Hits: 195
Some of us call ourselves cooks. Others of us are known bakers. In most circles, it’s unusual to find someone highly skilled at both. When the holidays circle around, even those in the “marginal bakers’ category find an excuse to break out the rolling pins, cookie cutters, baking sheets and cake pans.
Following a recipe for bars, balls or cookies shaped like Santa requires attention to detail. Adhering to the measurements and directions is so different from just adding a splash of this or a pinch of that.
Restraint and compliance seem like strong attributes of a good baker. Pre-chilling the bowl, butter and beaters is not just a “good idea”. It turns out, this could be the difference in success or failure. Who knew? Actual bakers who take directions seriously? Yeah, those guys.
The angst in baking can be linked to the fact that desserts or sweet treats are always the stars of the show. Any celebration, birthday or otherwise, has the pressure of delivering a spectacular something with candles or stunning decorations.
Exquisite decorating skills are no accident. Set the stage for achievement by way of investing in some equipment that is easy to work with.
Following a recipe for bars, balls or cookies shaped like Santa requires attention to detail. Adhering to the measurements and directions is so different from just adding a splash of this or a pinch of that.
Restraint and compliance seem like strong attributes of a good baker. Pre-chilling the bowl, butter and beaters is not just a “good idea”. It turns out, this could be the difference in success or failure. Who knew? Actual bakers who take directions seriously? Yeah, those guys.
The angst in baking can be linked to the fact that desserts or sweet treats are always the stars of the show. Any celebration, birthday or otherwise, has the pressure of delivering a spectacular something with candles or stunning decorations.
Exquisite decorating skills are no accident. Set the stage for achievement by way of investing in some equipment that is easy to work with.
- Category: GP Newsroom
- Friday, 14 September 2018
- Hits: 936
Green Business Bureau
By Amanda Johnson September 11, 2018 Blog, Member News
From foodservice to retail, export to wholesale, the fresh produce distribution business can cover a wide-rage of business segments that come together to service everything from grocery stores to restaurants and casinos to schools. One business that successfully covers all of these segments is Green Business Bureau member, General Produce Company, a company tackling the fresh produce market in Northern California.
Founded in 1933 by Chan Tai Oy, his three sons and nephew, General Produce Co. is a third generation owned and operated family business that distributes and exports fresh fruits and vegetables that are local, organic, sustainable, and regionally and globally sourced. As a PRO*ACT member, General Produce is focused on energy conservation and reduction, recycling and participating in programs like Greener Fields Together, a local farm initiative. General Produce works to integrate sustainability – social, environmental and economic – into their daily business practices and long range planning.
While General Produce is challenged with facilities that are dated in terms of structures, energy systems, fleet demand for service and CA legislation, they have worked hard to be creative in addressing the demands of state mandates, as well as facility layout. From lighting to cooling and refrigeration, the company’s operations and facility team continuously work toward making improvements. They also look for ways to minimize the company’s environmental impacts in the areas of water, waste, energy and air, and reduce their carbon footprint by installing cost saving measures.
“Our approach to business is guided by our commitment to the principles of integrity, honesty, personal relationships, diverse expertise, stewardship and innovation,” said Linda Luka, Director of Marketing & Communications. “We are dedicated to providing quality service and products. To do so, our aim is to ensure that our workforce and communities benefit from the small scale of our daily operations to the large scale of our supply chain.”
Read the original article here.
- Category: GP Newsroom
- Friday, 24 August 2018
- Hits: 233
On Friday, October 11, 2019, our resident GP “Chefs” made 14 delicious dishes using any variety of winter squash. Some developed their own recipes while others cooked or adapted classic recipes found in cookbooks or innovative recipes found on food blogs. Winners won Target gift cards of $25, $15 or $10.
Congratulations to the winners & thank you to all of the participants. We enjoyed a very tasty Friday and have a new appreciation for winter squash thanks to you!
Congratulations to the winners & thank you to all of the participants. We enjoyed a very tasty Friday and have a new appreciation for winter squash thanks to you!
 Cranberry Chip Squash Bread Romana Harris First Place |
 Kuri Curry Coconut Soup Gina Backovich Second Place |
 Butternut Squash Galette Sandra Sanchez Third Place |
 Butternut Squash, Sausage and Tortellini Soup Traci Ennis |
 Butternut & Red Kuri Squash Soup Rochelle Grover |
 Parmesan Acorn Squash Leah Hazzard |
 Roasted Red Kuri Squash with Cannelli Beans & Spinach Salad Linda Luka |
 Kabocha Squash Donut Muffins Linda Luka |
 Spicy Squash Salad with Lentils and Goat Cheese Jeff Sacchini |
 African Lamb Kabocha Tagine Gina Backovich |
 Lemon Grass Butternut Squash Patty Chan |
 Sauteed Delicata Squash Nancy Spinella |
- Category: News Blog
- Friday, 15 June 2018
- Hits: 1317
Seeking to infuse your culinary or beverage creations with the ultimate fresh fruit flavor? No need to peel, dice, purée, and simmer for those ideal results.
Perfect Purée is the solution!
Perfect Purée is the premium purée product on the market. The succulent, single-note flavors of Perfect Purée inspire everything you can think of: cocktails, marinades, cakes, cookies, sorbets and smoothies. At the back of the house or front of the house, chefs, cookes, baristas, bartenders, pastry chefs, and brew masters love this product line!
For a perfect summer, try out our favorite warm weather flavors: El Corazon, Pink Guava & Passion Fruit.
Red Yams, Japanese Yams & Okinawa Sweet Potatoes
- Category: Produce Beat
- Wednesday, 23 November 2016
- Hits: 2152
David John differentiates various yams and sweet potatoes.
Smitten Apples
- Category: Produce Beat
- Wednesday, 16 November 2016
- Hits: 2358
David John explains what Smitten Apples are, how they taste and how they compare to other apples.
Calabaza & Red Kuri Squash
- Category: Produce Beat
- Wednesday, 09 November 2016
- Hits: 2317
David John talks about what to do with Calabaza and Red Kuri Squash. Try it!
Satsumas
- Category: Produce Beat
- Wednesday, 02 November 2016
- Hits: 2338
How Satsumas are different from other citrus fruits.
Fennel
- Category: Produce Beat
- Wednesday, 12 October 2016
- Hits: 2423
How to pick, store, and 3 ways to use fennel.
Cactus Pears
- Category: Produce Beat
- Wednesday, 05 October 2016
- Hits: 2250
David John III explains how to pick, clean, eat and use the cactus pear.
Apple Hill Apples
- Category: Produce Beat
- Wednesday, 28 September 2016
- Hits: 2258
David John explains the history and current state of Apple Hill apples.
- Category: GP Newsroom
- Monday, 26 September 2016
- Hits: 3852
Chilean Navels
- Category: Produce Beat
- Wednesday, 21 September 2016
- Hits: 2162
Chilean Navels are in season and better than ever!
Figs
- Category: Produce Beat
- Wednesday, 14 September 2016
- Hits: 2248
David John III differentiates figs: Brown Turkey, Kadota, Tiger Striped.
Italian Prune Plums
- Category: Produce Beat
- Wednesday, 07 September 2016
- Hits: 2179
David John III explains how to choose, ripen, use and enjoy this seasonal treat!
Forono Beets
- Category: Produce Beat
- Wednesday, 31 August 2016
- Hits: 2192
Learn about this seasonal root vegetable: what it is, what it tastes like, how to use it.
French Butter Pears
- Category: Produce Beat
- Wednesday, 24 August 2016
- Hits: 2145
Learn all about this seasonal fruit: what it tastes like, how to choose, store and use it.
River Bartlett Pears — Red & Green
- Category: Produce Beat
- Wednesday, 17 August 2016
- Hits: 2148
All about River Bartlett Pears.
Deep Roots: Agriculture 360
- Category: GP Newsroom
- Monday, 15 August 2016
- Hits: 3195
Learn about California’s rich agricultural industry.
“Jimmy Nardello” Sweet Peppers
- Category: Produce Beat
- Wednesday, 10 August 2016
- Hits: 2305
What are “Jimmy Nardello” sweet peppers and how are they used?
Yellow Watermelons
- Category: Produce Beat
- Wednesday, 03 August 2016
- Hits: 2031
Learn fun tips for using yellow watermelons!
Maitake Mushrooms
- Category: Produce Beat
- Wednesday, 13 July 2016
- Hits: 2091
All about Maitake mushrooms: what they are, flavor, how to use them and storage.
California Blueberries
- Category: Produce Beat
- Wednesday, 06 July 2016
- Hits: 2154
David John offers ideas for enjoying this year’s California blueberry crop.
