It's All About The Kids

The holidays are about the kids - young and those 'with more experience'. Peddler's Son Produce employees have adopted the Childhelp charity as our charity of choice for the holidays.

Childhelp focuses on the prevention, intervention and treatment of child abuse and neglect. The toys collected are used for children as they are welcomed into the facility.

Each year, as we celebrate the holiday with our annual pot luck, we collect the toys to be given to Childhelp. Of course the food is always great, but my favorite part of the celebration is the conversation that starts from toys that employees have donated. Each toy seems to bring back memories of their childhood and we get to relive the excitement and fun from Christmases long ago.

So, we want to wish all of the 'kids' this holiday season, a year of good health and happiness!

Dinner 4 Donations

A few years ago, the employees of Peddler's Son Produce chose Childhelp USA as their charity of choice. ChildHelp is dedicated to helping victims of child abuse and neglect by focusing on prevention, intervention and treatment. Each year we collect toys at our holiday party which are used for children as they are welcomed int
o the facility.

This year, Childhelp has teamed up with RESTAURANT.COM to provide DINNER4DONATIONS. This program matches anything you give DOLLAR4DOLLAR, up to $100, to be used at your favorite restaurant and also helps support a child in need. So, when you give to Childhelp, you will receive the same amount in a gift certificate to one of the 19,000 participating restaurants – DOLLAR4DOLLAR. Visit RESTAURANT.COM to see participating restaurants in your area.

Here's how it works: If you donate $25, $50, $75 or $100 to help end child abuse by supporting Childhelp's programs, you will receive a Dining Code (within 24 hours), via email, that you can enter into the Dollar4Dollar website, where you can download your Dining Certificate for dinner in that same amount. Each restaurant has different rules so be sure to either call the restaurant or visit the respective restaurant’s website for program details. Some restaurants may require a minimum purchase, while others may not. In any case, you will receive the full amount of your dining certificate.

Want to help us stop child abuse? Donate to Childhelp Dinner4Donations or stop by the Peddler's Son Produce warehouse with a toy.

Warren Pears

Warren Pears are available until early January. This is Frog Hollow Farm's signature pear and for good reason. They are too difficult to grow for most farmers to consider so it's never caught on commercially but Farmer Al has never shied away from putting the time and effort into a fruit that tastes so good. The Warren Pear has a classic European texture, very soft and juicy with a silky sweetness that avoids the typical grittiness found in most pears. It was discovered by Thomas Oscar Warren growing naturally outside a post office in Hattiesburg, MS. Once known as the Post Office pear, it's taken on its founder name is a favorite of chefs.

Watermelon Radishes

The holidays are here and thoughts turn to food, presents and decorations. One of my favorite things about working at the warehouse is learning about all of the specialty produce that is out there.

So, let me introduce you to watermelon radishes. They're an heirloom variety of the Chinese daikon. Their crunchy, sweet taste is milder than a normal radish and even a little sweet. The fun part? The color of the inner flesh is red making it an attractive part of any appetizer tray and sandwiches.

Watermelon radishes are great sliced thinly on top of salads, and some like them pickled. I found this recipe that looks easy to make and yummy. Do you have a favorite watermelon radish recipe to share?

These Are A Few Of Our Favorite Thanksgiving Things

Thanksgiving is all about traditions, food and family. It's probably my favorite holiday so I wanted to learn what my co-workers enjoy about this time of year. So, in no particular order, here are the responses of some of our Peddler's Son team on their favorite Thanksgiving traditions:

Bob - My mom's homemade cornbread dressing!

Sheri - My favorite tradition is my mom's favorite cranberry sauce - the one from the can!

Sal - Our family flag football game.

Jordan - Watching football.

Joe - Just eating!

Paco - The turkey.

Aliza - The family dinner conversation.

Robert - Sleeping in! It's the only day of the year I can sleep in.

Hector - Getting all of the guys in the family together the night before to prepare the turkey to be deep fried. It usually includes beverages!

Scottie - Watching football.

Chris - Eating so much I can't move!

Scott - Eating.

Ted - The smell of the turkey in the oven and LEFTOVERS!

William - Watching football.

Jill - Playing football with the family and turkey sandwiches with cranberry sauce and potatoes!

John - My wife is Irish so we celebrate the fact that we're half way to St. Patrick's Day! Also loading up on calories to keep us through watching ASU beat up U of A in football. (whoops!)

Tim - Someone else cooking and this year, my mom's homemade pies!

What are your favorite traditions?

The People Behind The Produce

Adam Barregarve been a part of our night crew for a year and a half and helps put together customer orders and gets them ready for our drivers to deliver. He sets the orders for Prescott and also helps his brother, Richard, fill the Tucson orders. (Joe and Ted aren't the only set of brothers we have working here at Peddler's Son!) Arizona is home to Adam and he said he enjoys the variety that the state has to offer being close to fishing and snow. He collects hats and says his favorite hat is one with a bald eagle on it that his brother bought him.

What's your favorite part of the job?

I like seeing the warehouse fill up with orders at night and then having all of the orders moved out the next morning. It's the whole process of watching things from the beginning through to the end. It's also been fun to see how much we've grown since I've been here. We've got quality product and a great crew so I think that's why we've done so well.

What is your favorite movie?

My favorite movie is Ace Ventura Pet Detective. It's a funny movie and I think it's Jim Carrey at his best.

What is your favorite music?

My favorite band is Sublime. They have a regge, funky, relaxed mix. Kind of like me. I'm a little bit of everything.

What is your favorite tv show?

I don't really watch TV, I just watch Netflix movies. Nightmare Before Christmas, is also a great movie and I try to watch that whenever I can. The soundtrack is great too. It ties in with the mood and the expressions of the characters really well.

What is your favorite food?

Pizza. Intelligent people enjoy pizza, wings and fried foods! It's the fastest way to get all of the food groups; dairy, meat, veggies and fruit.

What was your first job?
I worked at a Water & Ice store and filled bags of ice and water jugs.

If you could have dinner with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be? I would have dinner with my grandmother. My mom, grandmother and I used to go to dinner once a week when I was growing up. She passed away when I was 14 so I'd like to have another dinner with her again.

What do you do in your leisure time? I don't have much leisure time right now. I also work trimming palm trees and shade trees when I'm not at the warehouse so I keep pretty busy. I do like to play some video games. Fallout is my favorite game. It has a post-apocalytic and retro-futuristic setting with cars styled after models from the 1950s. I like that. Everything has a classic look.

What is your favorite quote or piece of advice you'd like to share? 'If you're waiting for something, you're not doing anything.' Adam Barregarve

That's my quote and I say it all the time. I like to stay busy.

Adam, Peddler's Son loves your hard work, energy and positive attitude! You make the warehouse a fun place to be!

The Perfect Color and Size

We already know the holidays are coming up fast. The decorations, commercials and even music have started. It's tough finding the perfect gift, especially if you're trying to find something for your customers and employees. Well, we have an answer! Check out the new fruit gift boxes we have available!

There are two gift boxes available - one ready for any occasion and one with a festive flair. They make a great alternative to traditional gifts and fundraisers for your school, organization or church. Each box contains approximately 10 pounds of fruit including:

• Red Delicious Apples
• Golden Delicious Apples
• Oranges (Arizona Grown)
• Pears

If you're interested in learning more about these gift boxes, give us a call! 602 253 3577

The Best Apple On The Planet

There are Honeycrisps, Gravensteins, Pink Ladies, Granny Smiths and more. But none that will hold it's place in my heart like this apple. This apple has it all. Great taste, freckles and even a cool name. The Green Dragon Apple. Crisp and sweet with a honey finish. The Dragon apple is a crossbreed from the Orion and Golden Delicious apple in 1920 at the Aomori Research Institute in Japan. It is named after the Chinese symbol for royalty and has become a popular and highly requested apple here at Peddler's Son.

The season for this beautiful apple is very short and will probably only be here through the remainder of the month. So, if you're interested in tasting a different variety of apple, give it a try and let me know what you think.

What IS the best apple on the planet?

Congrats to Golden Corral Gilbert and Northern!

Out of the 500 Golden Corrals nationally, two of the Arizona locations ranked in the top 10! Congratulations go out to Linda and her team at the Gilbert Golden Corral (1318 N. Cooper Rd, Gilbert, AZ) and Kristi's team at the Northern Golden Corral (5679 W Northern Phoenix, AZ).

These locations were judged to have the best customer service, quality and community service. This marks the second year in a row finishing in the top for these locations. Way to go ladies and team!

Keep up the great work!

Now Offering Aries Meat

We are excited to offer Aries meat products starting October 6th!

The Aries Prepared Beef company has been in business for more than three decades and they have many employees that have been with them for over 20 years. We were impressed by the quality, service and family atmosphere and think you will be too.

We will be offering the following items:

Pastrami Navels Premium 2/5-6# average per case

Cooked Corned Beef Flats, split – Deli Delight 2/5-6# average per case

Roast Beef Top Round Deli Delight/Half 2/5-6# average per case

Roast Turkey Breast 2/5-6# average per case

Turkey Pastrami 2/5-6# average per case

My favorite was the Turkey Pastrami, but many have been favoring the Pastrami Navels. Why not call our sales team and check them out for yourselves?

Welcome Back Chanterelle Mushrooms And Black Mission Figs!

The rebellious chantrerelle mushroom refuses to be cultivated and must be found in the wild. (I love rebels!) It's taste is slightly spicy and should be cooked instead of eaten raw. To store chanterelles, keep them in a waxed paper or brown paper bag in the refrigerator until they are cleaned. To clean, use a toothbrush or a nylon mushroom brush to remove any surface material. In general, the less water the better. Drain them on paper towels.

Dwight, our sales director, suggests sauteing chanterelles with shallots, fresh thyme, heavy cream and lots of butter. Sounds good to me!



Sweet, chewy black mission figs have found their way into our warehouse as well. Ripe figs should be kept in the refrigerator where they will stay fresh for about two days. Arrange them on a paper towel-lined plate or shallow container since they bruise easily. Make sure to cover them or keep them wrapped in order to ensure that they do not dry out, get crushed or pick up odors from neighboring foods.

Dwight likes them best in a fig relish with lots of onions and balsamic vinegar.

Give Dwight's suggestion a try and let me know what you think. We'd love to hear your thoughts!

Switch Restaurant

Happy B-Day Switch Restaurant! they have a $4 entree option every day for 10 days!to celebrate their Birthday. I had the special today, Thai Beef Tacos. Fantastic!! Visit them at 2603 N Central Ave Phoenix, AZ 85004 602-264-2295

Go Green, Go Veggie!

The Environmental Working Group has created a tool that allows people to easily see how the food choices they make affect their health and the environment. The guide takes into account all aspects from food production through food disposal.

What foods top the list of leaving the biggest carbon footprint? Lamb, beef and cheese top the list. What foods leave the smallest carbon footprint? Lentils top the list as a great source of protein with the least amount of environmental impact. Tomatoes and organic milk complete the top 3 foods leaving the smallest carbon footprint.

The report found that wasted food also contributes significantly to the emissions associated with the life cycle of the product. So only buying and serving what you need is a great way to reduce greenhouse gases.

What can all of this attention to your food consumption really save? The group is asking that we all reduce the amount of meat and cheese in our diet. According to the EWG tool, reducing the amount of meat and cheese in your diet equates to:

• If your four-person family skips meat and cheese one day a week, it’s like taking your car off the road for five weeks – or reducing everyone’s daily showers by 3 minutes. ¹¹

• If everyone in the U.S. ate no meat or cheese just one day a week, it would be like not driving 91 billion miles – or taking 7.6 million cars off the road. ¹³

The EWG is looking for 100,000 people to take the pledge to eat meat and cheese one less day a week for a year. Are you interested in taking the pledge? Check it out here!

Even as an avid cheese fan, I think I'm up to reduce my carbon footprint and eat more produce and eliminate cheese at least one day a week. What do you think?

Compost Happens......

According to Wikipedia, compost is 'organic matter that has been decomposed and recycled as a fertilizer and soil amendment. Compost is a key ingredient in organic farming.'

Peddler's Son has been working with Norman Wellington, farmer on the Gila River Indian Reservation, for over 3 months now. Any produce that is not suitable for donation to the St. Mary's Food Bank is donated to Norman's effort to create compost as well as feed the animals on his farm.

Norman is in the process of developing 150 acres on the Gila River Indian Reservation. The produce donated by Peddler's Son is used as a soil amendment to create a rich soil for farming. While some of the land does not have the compost material, Norman sees a big difference in the product that is grown in the land he has mixed with the compost.

The horses, pigs, lambs and sheep receive special produce treats to help supplement their diet. According to Norman, the animals know the produce container and come running when they see it coming.

One of the pigs coming over to say hello!

Composting has become another product of our sustainability program. We've been thankful of our partnership with Norman and his farm and look forward to finding additional ways we can help find ways to help our people, partners and planet!

If you have any other suggestions or thoughts regarding our sustainability program, we'd love to hear them!

Mt Vesuvius, Wood, San Marzano Tomatoes and Fresh Mozzarella

What do they have in common? They are all part of the VPN process. Verace Pizza Napoletana (VPN), is a certification process that follows the strict rules in making a true Neapolitan pizza. The VPN Association Statute states: "The Association aims to protect and promote the “VERACE PIZZA NAPOLETANA” (ORIGINAL NEAPOLITAN PIZZA) as well as its restaurant-members that commit themselves to supply a service complying with manufacturing features established in the protocol and regulating the pizza production." In other words, they take their pizza making very seriously. The certification is so specific, it details instructions on specific containers for the olive oil (copper), oven and of course, ingredients.

To learn more about this, I talked with Justin Piazza, owner of La Piazza Al Forno, recently certified as a VPN restaurant.

Why did you decide to get certified? I met the VPN cerfication guys at the Las Vegas show. I was hesitant about getting certified because I felt like I had a great product and I'd need to make changes. It's a big commitment to become certified and I didn't know if I would want to have people telling me what to do. It is very humbling, but I'm really excited. The process actually isn't too far off of what I have been doing. I don't want to be like the other guys. I want true, authentic pizza. Plus, my family is from Naples.

How did you train? I trained on my own. Many people travel to Italy to train for 6 weeks, but I did it on my own and I'm very proud of that.

How has this changed things for you? Well, I've bought an oven from Naples, made by a 3rd generation builder. The material is from Mount Vesuvius. It was about the same price as my old oven, but it is much more efficient and I've actually saved about $500 a month on wood. I'm now using a new mixer from Italy as well. It doesn't heat the dough like a traditional Hobart machine. It infuses air into the dough.


It's important for me to also be extremely strict about the ingredients I use. My flour costs about 50%- more than many of the other pizza places. I only use San Marzano tomatoes. Everything is fresh, all-natural and not processed.




What has surprised you the most about this whole process? All of the openness and willingness to share. The gentleman that certified La Piazza Al Forno, Giulio Adriani, shared his dough recipe and showed me how he makes it. That's an amazing thing in this industry. People just don't share recipes like that. He's promoting a tradition though. The difference is the passion. They want to preserve the process and keep the authenticity.

How have customers reacted? We've been on the Food Network and that drew a crowd. The word is getting out that we are VPN certified and customers are curious. It's an education process though. People ask us what kinds of crusts we have. This is true Neapolitan pizza. That's it.

Why do you use Peddler's Son? The sales team has been very nice and easy to work with. You have a good reputation and high quality products. That's important to me.

How would you convince a customer to try this style pizza? Try the margharita pizza. It is the truest of any pizza. You can't get any simpler than cheese, basil and sauce. The flavors pop. Just ask my wife. She said that once you try something so good, you just can't go back.

Well Justin, that sounds like an offer I can't refuse.

The People Behind the Produce

Please meet Russell Hall, our chief steward in our warehouse! His responsibilities include keeping the warehouse clean and neat, to making sure we're following through on some of our important HACCP requirements. Born and raised in AZ, he's lived all over the world including Korea, Okinawa, Hawaii and North Carolina. Russ graduated from Westview High School here in AZ and then joined the Navy. He spent almost 14 years with the Navy - 8 in active duty and 6 in the reserves before finally ended up with the Peddler's Son family.

What is your favorite part of the job? I enjoy the challenge of the job and doing something different that has a purpose. I like to make sure I get things done right the first time.

What is your favorite movie? My favorite move is The Peaceful Warrior. I think it is an inspiration to anyone that watches it. It tells you everything you need to know is inside of you and you can find peace within. You just need to take out the trash in your head. I also really enjoyed True Romance because it has an all star cast and is action packed and suspenseful.

What is your favorite music/band? When I get frustrated I like to listen to classical music. It makes me think. I also enjoy Christian music and listen to that a lot too.

TV Show? I just watch movies, I don't really watch TV.

Food? I like food and would eat just about anything that is in front of me! Even coleslaw and sauerkraut. I eat it all!

What was your first job? I started as a bagger at ABCO for a summer job in high school.

If you could have dinner with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be? I enjoy good conversation and would like to have dinner with anyone that enjoys the same.

What do you do in your leisure time? I like talking with friends, working with my hands and drawing. I also enjoy giving massages and making origami flowers.

What is your favorite quote or piece of advice you'd like to share? 'Don't take life to seriously, you won't get out alive.' They said that in the True Romance movie too!

The warehouse runs better with you here Russell and we're glad he's found a home here with Peddler's Son!

ASU School of Sustainability Students Visit Peddler's Son Produce

Recently Peddler's Son Produce had the pleasure of having two students from ASU's School of Sustainability visit the warehouse and provide some suggestions on ways we can improve our People, Partners and Planet program. Over a year ago, we made a commitment to promote a safe and healthy atmosphere where we value and recognize our employees, source vendors that provide our customer with products that are inherently more sustainable and reduce our own ecological footprint. We have seen a lot of progress over the past year, and we know there are still ways to improve.

Over the past year, we have incorporated the following into our 3 P's Program:

• Paper Recycling Program
• Composting Program
• Formal Charitable Contributions Program
• Improved Safety Program
• Promote and sell more
• Enhanced HACCP program including preparation for PTI milestones
  

Here are a few of the suggestions Brian and Dorthy provided:

• Use the EPA's Office Carbon Footprint tool to help measure the efforts of the 3 P's Program
• Provide interviews of the Peddler's Son staff to inform customers about our current efforts regarding sustainability
• Create a transportation program with information on light rail, bus and bike option
• Encourage customers and employees to provide suggestions for the 3 P's Program

What do you think? What are your suggestions for our sustainability program?

The People Behind the Produce

Pete Lombardo, to borrow a phrase from James Brown, is on the team of the hardest working men (and women!) in the produce industry! He's on our night crew and helps put together customer orders and gets them ready for our drivers to deliver. He sets the orders for the north Scottsdale and west Phoenix deliveries. Pete is originally from Hurley, Wisconsin. He's married with 3 children and 3 grandchildren. Pete splits his time between Payson, where he lives, and Phoenix where he helps take care of his mother. If that's not enough to keep him busy, he also has a garden with cucumbers, tomatoes and corn that he tends to in Payson.

What is your favorite part of the job? I really enjoy making sure that the orders are put together correctly and that we have the best quality of product. Each customer has different things that they like and I want to make sure they all get what they're looking for. I've learned a lot about specialty produce here too. One day, we had some rambutans in the warehouse. They were the oddest fruit I had ever seen, so I took a picture of them to show my wife and son. When I went home that night and showed them the picture, we talked about where they were from and how they are prepared. The next week, my son went to school and his teacher brought a picture of a rambutan she had just gotten. She asked the class if anyone knew what it was and my son was the only one who knew! He asks me all the time now to take pictures of the specialty products we have here.

What is your favorite movie? I'm a big Sci-Fi fan so I'd say my favorite movie is Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace. The special effects are amazing.

What is your favorite music/band? Country Western and the oldies are my favorite types of music. I go to the casino and have had the chance to see the tribute band for the Four Tops and really enjoyed that show.

TV Show? Star Trek: The Next Generation, of course!

Food? A good steak, medium rare, can't be beat! Of course working here, I also like fruit too. Cantaloupe and honeydew are probably my favorites.

What was your first job? I worked at a restaurant as a dishwasher and salad maker at the old Joe Hunt's in the Scottsdale Fashion Square before they tore it down.

If you could have dinner with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be? My father passed away a few years ago, so I'd like to have dinner with him again.

What do you do in your leisure time? I like to work with wood and make cabinets. My friend works at one of the casinos and we bought a poker table. We took it apart and studied it and now we make poker tables to sell.

What is your favorite quote or piece of advice you'd like to share? Do a good job and give positive feedback. People respond so much better when they have someone telling them when the do the right thing.

Well Pete, we think you do a great job and our customers appreciate the care and attention you give them on all of their orders! Thanks for making our start of the day the best it can be.

Fresh Produce Audit Verification Program

Food safety is important to everyone. Our team has made the Produce Traceability Initiative (PTI) a priority to make sure we're leading the way to conform to the best practices.

Recently, we invited AMS, in partnership with state departments of agriculture, to come in and audit our facilities. This audit verifies the adherence to the recommendations made in the Food and Drug Administration’s Guide to Minimize Microbial Food Safety Hazards for Fresh Fruit and Vegetables.

We are very excited that out of a possible 420 points, we received 415 - a 98.9%! Way to go team!

Would you like a tour to see what HACCP is all about and why it's important to you, our customer? Give us a call and we'd love to show you around the warehouse! Just give us a call or ask your sales executive. Or, if you'd like some more information about HACCP and our program, call John Mothershead, HACCP Manager.

Hajimemashite Yoroshiku!

When you find something that is good, you pass it along. We are excited to offer items from Nihon Shokken.

Check out these products from our new partner, Nihon Shokken, to spice up your dishes or create a new twist for your menu:

'Super Crispy Batter' - Stays crunchy for up to 2 hours! Try this batter on fish & chips, braised cubed short ribs tempura, shrimp and lobster tacos. Substitute water with Modelo Negro beer or a stout ale for a deeper color.

Japanese Dressing - Wasabi and Yuzu flavored dressings that can be used on its own or as a base ingredient. Try it on salads or as a sauce for seafood and steaks.

Kabayaki Sauce - This eel sauce is used for food decoration to create a beautiful shine thick and viscous enough to be easily used for food decoration. It includes soy sauce, syrup, eel extract, and mirin. For best results, heat eel sauce in a metal or glass container placed in 3/4 inch boiling water on the stove

Yakiniku Sauce - This is a Japanese barbeque sauce with a blend of garlic, fruits and spices in a soy sauce base. Use this for meat sauces, rice and your favorite vegetable stir fry recipes.

Black Pepper Sauce - A spicy sauce made of a good balance of pepper and garlic and a soy sauce base. Use as a gravy for your favorite steaks or as a base sauce for stir-frying.

Seaweed Mix - This mix contains 6 kinds of seaweed of assorted colors. Dish up rehydrated dried seaweed mix with shrimp and salmon and finish with Japanese dressing. Use it as a colorful garnish.

Let us know what you think or call us with any questions.

Thanks!

Peddler's Son Produce Hits the Christmas City!

Howdy partners! That's right! Peddler's Son Produce is excited to start serving Prescott.

Our newest member to the Peddler's Son Produce team, Christian Minkler, resides in Prescott and will be working in the area. You'll soon be seeing our delivery trucks on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Check back soon with our blog to learn more about Christian.

We'd love to meet you too! We've found some friends on Facebook and Twitter, but let us know if we've missed you. Follow us on Twitter at @PeddlersSon and Facebook at Facebook.com/PeddlersSonProduce and introduce yourself.

It looks like we have a lot to learn and see in Prescott, from the Rodeo, Cowboy Poets Gathering and Prescott Film Festival. What else do we need to experience in the Mile High City? What are your favorite events?

We're looking forward to serving the Prescott area and hope to see you soon!

The People Behind the Produce

Customers in the southeast valley, Chandler and Queen Creek, are some of the lucky folks that get to enjoy Robert's smile each day. Robert met his wife in 9th grade in their hometown of Washington DC and have been married over 18 years. They have 5 children, four girls and one boy. Their oldest daughter will graduate in May and will be attending Arizona State University.

What is your favorite part of the job? I like talking to our customers and making sure they're happy. I respect our customers and feel good communication is important to make sure they're getting what they need from us.

What is your favorite movie? I love The Color Purple and think that Whoopi Goldberg and Oprah did a great job in that movie. It's amazing to see the cultural progress that has taken place since that time.

What is your favorite music/band? I have an old spirit and love the old music. My mom used to have parties and I remember listening to the OJay's a lot. That would probably be my favorite band.

TV Show? I love the soaps! My wife and I record them and watch One Life to Live together.

Food? Chicken and steak are my favorite foods.

What was your first job? When I lived in Washington DC, I worked in construction. I didn't like it much and quit.

If you could have dinner with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be? It's been 10 years since my mother passed away so I would want to have dinner with her.

What is your favorite quote or piece of advice you'd like to share? Never give up, but keep going and never take life for granted. Things do get tough sometimes and it takes a while for you to work through them.

What do you do in your leisure time? I love cooking, cleaning and taking care of my family. It's been fun working here at Peddler's Son Produce to see all of the different produce and spices. There's a lot of things I have never heard of before so I look them up and learn about them. For example, I wasn't aware of all of the different flavors of basil. We cook with flavored basil now a lot.

Well Robert, we're glad you found us here at Peddler's Son. Now, we need to talk to you about cooking up some food for the pot luck.....

Frost Destroys Produce

Some of the worst winter weather damages some of the growing areas. Joe and Robert show the affects of the weather on some of the produce and what to expect.

Frost Destroys Produce, posted with vodpod

Growing areas in Mexico hit hard by two nights of freezing temperatures

Lettuce growers in the Yuma, Ariz., area have suffered a freeze that turned out to be several degrees cooler than some forecasts predicted.
The Yuma deal had already seen threatening weather, beginning with a New Years Day weekend freeze. Peeling and an airborne sclerotinia fungus dropped some growers’ yields by 10% to 20%. While the extent of the new damage is unclear, the supply shortage is likely to continue if not worsen!
We predict at least another six weeks of problems.
We’re in for a wild ride. It’s going to be difficult to get top grade. A lot will have be going into secondary labels. The industry will have to be careful about quality control as crop moves around the country. You can’t have these temperatures without showing heavy blistering and freeze burns and potentially a decay-and-rot situation in transit.
Freezing temperatures across a wide area of Mexico have a huge effect on supplies of tomatoes, peppers and other winter vegetables.
The freeze reached fields as far south as southern Sinaloa. Crops in the border state of Sonora could be devastated.
It’s still too early to tell, but there’s a lot of damage.
All of the growing regions suffered freezing temperatures. The full line of vegetables, including tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and squash, was likely affected.
What made this one even worse, is that forecasts were 5 to 10 degrees higher than what temperatures wound up being. Many growers took precautions, but they did not harvest early because they did not expect it to get so cold.
As a result, the damage in some areas will likely be nothing short of devastating.
We’re pretty sure that everything in Sonora is frozen and gone.
Squash and melons are two of the commodities that will be most affected by the Sonora freeze. Tomatoes and peppers won’t ship from the region until March or April.

Cilantro Recall

Sabor Farms' cilantro, selling under the brands of Nature's Reward, Ocean Mist, Tanimura & Antle and Queen Victoria, has been recalled. Cilantro bunches printed with "Produce of USA, Cilantro ‚4889" next to UPC number 33383 80104 on the twist ties were recalled over the weekend for possible salmonella contamination. Please discard any of the affected cilantro.

Peddler's Son Produce was NOT affected by the recall. Our cilantro was purchased through local vendor Greer Farms and Boskovich farms. We have purchased our cilantro from these suppliers since August of 2010.

Please call your sales executive or our office at 602 253 3577 with any questions.

Bar Chefs

One of the food trends we're seeing is with cocktails. "Bar Chefs" are emerging as they seek local, organic and unique flavors to entice customers and set them apart from their competition.

These fun, flavorful and fantastic concoctions are not your happy hour cheap drinks either . It's about the creativity and presentation. These libations are dishes that are both beautiful and unique. Bar Chefs have used local, organic and unique flavors to entice customers and set them apart from their competition. Check out some of these tastes with spices and produce such as lychee, saffron, Sririacha Hot Sauce, huckleberries, rhubarb, cucumber, prickly pear and lemongrass.

What Bar Chefs have you met and what drinks have you tried lately?