Market Report
- Thursday, 23 July 2020
Artists use elements of design (line, shape, form, value, color, texture and space) to make a connection between a composition and a viewer.
The depiction of food in art cuts across all cultures and all recorded history. Ancient Greek and Roman banquet tables laid out feasts of food as inspiration and stimulation.
We’re familiar with still life drawings, sketches and paintings that highlight fresh fruits and vegetables as the main subject matter.
This recent long stretch of stay-at-home/cook at home pandemic behavior gives more permission to play with our food. Is anyone else out there looking at summer produce from an artist’s perspective?
Chefs and home cooks have always appreciated the seasonal value of what we eat when. Canning, pickling and preserving are other food centric activities that capture the best of summer’s showy spread.
Food (agriculture food products in particular) in all it’s forms is a dominant artistic theme. From planting to harvest and preparation to eating, food imagery is central to social engagement.
COVID fatigue may be blurring the lines of California’s rich agricultural bounty. Farmer’s are given the tall task of feeding our great nation. That is not a new phenomena. The ever fluid impacts of the pandemic now weigh heavy on growers to adapt, perform and deliver.
The depiction of food in art cuts across all cultures and all recorded history. Ancient Greek and Roman banquet tables laid out feasts of food as inspiration and stimulation.
We’re familiar with still life drawings, sketches and paintings that highlight fresh fruits and vegetables as the main subject matter.
This recent long stretch of stay-at-home/cook at home pandemic behavior gives more permission to play with our food. Is anyone else out there looking at summer produce from an artist’s perspective?
Chefs and home cooks have always appreciated the seasonal value of what we eat when. Canning, pickling and preserving are other food centric activities that capture the best of summer’s showy spread.
Food (agriculture food products in particular) in all it’s forms is a dominant artistic theme. From planting to harvest and preparation to eating, food imagery is central to social engagement.
COVID fatigue may be blurring the lines of California’s rich agricultural bounty. Farmer’s are given the tall task of feeding our great nation. That is not a new phenomena. The ever fluid impacts of the pandemic now weigh heavy on growers to adapt, perform and deliver.
- Thursday, 16 July 2020
Dating back to the California Gold Rush, California pear farmers have a history of a commitment to safe, sustainable and healthy farming.
Pear orchards in California are some of the oldest on record to still be producing commercially. A 2011 assessment reveals the average age of a California pear orchard ranges between 33 and 100 years old,. Some of the oldest plantings date back to the 1840’s.
Many of today’s pear farmers are still farming orchards handed down to them by their grandparents or great-grandparents and most hope to pass their farms on to their own children and grandchildren.
Modern commercial pear farming is an extremely competitive business. Marginal prices, sometimes below the cost of production, have taken a toll on the number of pear farmers who remain in business. Where once the state had over 300 pear farmers, today there are just 60. Those who are left must use their resources wisely. They’ve learned to band together to fund marketing programs and conduct important research necessary to thrive and prosper.
Today’s California pear farmer perfectly fits the model of the “ideal farmer” that today’s conscious consumer is looking for. Growing and harvesting fruit is basically done in the same way as generations before them farmed, only adding new technologies to reduce pesticide use and preserve the environment. They are mostly small, non-corporate, family-owned businesses, who care and support the people in their close-knit communities.
Pear orchards in California are some of the oldest on record to still be producing commercially. A 2011 assessment reveals the average age of a California pear orchard ranges between 33 and 100 years old,. Some of the oldest plantings date back to the 1840’s.
Many of today’s pear farmers are still farming orchards handed down to them by their grandparents or great-grandparents and most hope to pass their farms on to their own children and grandchildren.
Modern commercial pear farming is an extremely competitive business. Marginal prices, sometimes below the cost of production, have taken a toll on the number of pear farmers who remain in business. Where once the state had over 300 pear farmers, today there are just 60. Those who are left must use their resources wisely. They’ve learned to band together to fund marketing programs and conduct important research necessary to thrive and prosper.
Today’s California pear farmer perfectly fits the model of the “ideal farmer” that today’s conscious consumer is looking for. Growing and harvesting fruit is basically done in the same way as generations before them farmed, only adding new technologies to reduce pesticide use and preserve the environment. They are mostly small, non-corporate, family-owned businesses, who care and support the people in their close-knit communities.
- Thursday, 09 July 2020
Food has always been a galvanizing bridge towards understanding heritage and different cultures.
Week whatever during COVID confinement presents the perfect storm to fly our food flags.
Leisure travel is off the table. Enjoy the world through the eyes of a chef or cook.
Colorful assemblage of plates from desirable locations feed more than the belly. Caprese salad, red, green and white– tomatoes, sweet basil and fresh mozzarella — bring Italy to the table.
Peppers are an essential Spanish ingredient, whether they are fresh, roasted or fried. Served as a side dish or a tapa, red and yellow are flag emblems of Spain. So too are dishes like gazpacho (cold tomato soup), romesco sauce or sofrito. Add color and flavor of peppers and tomatoes to signify Spanish influences.
Circle the globe with a weeknight menu item that includes seasonal dishes from countries of interest. Summer corn and zucchini latkes move us to Israel for a light supper paired with a green salad. They’re perfectly suitable for weekend brunch with fruits and eggs cooked to order.
Interesting that precious saffron is used in Indian main dishes and desserts. This color is represented in the national flag. Exotic in color, flavor and aroma, take advantage of this very evocative spice.
Week whatever during COVID confinement presents the perfect storm to fly our food flags.
Leisure travel is off the table. Enjoy the world through the eyes of a chef or cook.
Colorful assemblage of plates from desirable locations feed more than the belly. Caprese salad, red, green and white– tomatoes, sweet basil and fresh mozzarella — bring Italy to the table.
Peppers are an essential Spanish ingredient, whether they are fresh, roasted or fried. Served as a side dish or a tapa, red and yellow are flag emblems of Spain. So too are dishes like gazpacho (cold tomato soup), romesco sauce or sofrito. Add color and flavor of peppers and tomatoes to signify Spanish influences.
Circle the globe with a weeknight menu item that includes seasonal dishes from countries of interest. Summer corn and zucchini latkes move us to Israel for a light supper paired with a green salad. They’re perfectly suitable for weekend brunch with fruits and eggs cooked to order.
Interesting that precious saffron is used in Indian main dishes and desserts. This color is represented in the national flag. Exotic in color, flavor and aroma, take advantage of this very evocative spice.
- Saturday, 04 July 2020
When it comes to travel, many will opt for “roads less travelled” this summer. Postcards may reflect local, state and national locations over more exotic global destinations.
Even then, tight restrictions to our national treasures will likely limit those experiences.
Campsites, parks and recreational areas will have pre-set guidelines for visitors. Adhering to the health advisories may prohibit even the most daring of travelers. Road trips are morphing into SAFE-cations.
For all our shelter-in-place buddies, grab a new road map. Buckle up for safety. We’ve heard of “staycations” prior to COVID-19. They’re now more relevant and gaining wide attention.
Plan an at home or close-to-home adventure. Creative events bring us together in the safety net of our own backyards. Decompressing and temporarily escaping reality is what’s needed for rejuvenation. Time off from the everyday “new life normals” can breath energy in to worn and weary souls.
Themed home events– foreign movie night, cowboy campout, serenity day spa and animal photo safari are worthy of exploring. Those who’ve travelled the world have fond memories of cafes in Paris, museums in Rome and mountains in Switzerland. Revive those magical remembrances through newly designed travel events. Food is always central to any destination, near or far.
Prepare the foods that summon a nostalgic glance backwards to happy past travel moments.
Even then, tight restrictions to our national treasures will likely limit those experiences.
Campsites, parks and recreational areas will have pre-set guidelines for visitors. Adhering to the health advisories may prohibit even the most daring of travelers. Road trips are morphing into SAFE-cations.
For all our shelter-in-place buddies, grab a new road map. Buckle up for safety. We’ve heard of “staycations” prior to COVID-19. They’re now more relevant and gaining wide attention.
Plan an at home or close-to-home adventure. Creative events bring us together in the safety net of our own backyards. Decompressing and temporarily escaping reality is what’s needed for rejuvenation. Time off from the everyday “new life normals” can breath energy in to worn and weary souls.
Themed home events– foreign movie night, cowboy campout, serenity day spa and animal photo safari are worthy of exploring. Those who’ve travelled the world have fond memories of cafes in Paris, museums in Rome and mountains in Switzerland. Revive those magical remembrances through newly designed travel events. Food is always central to any destination, near or far.
Prepare the foods that summon a nostalgic glance backwards to happy past travel moments.