MARKET NEWS January 9, 2017 CHEESE TRENDS Let There Be Raclette! It s the Cheese for the Season SPECIALTY REPORT True Balsamic Vinegar: An Emperor s Condiment Not all balsamics are created equal FROM OUR CUT SHOPS Beef Market Update Increase on chucks and grinds Portion-Ready Steaks The Sirloin Flap & Teres Major Fish Market Update New Oyster: Bekah s Bay! Regional Fish Highlight Dayboat Florida Tilefish
BEEF MARKET NEWS 1.9.17 Greensboro, NC 336.545.3800 www.southernfoods.com
Beef Market News MARKET UPDATE Ground beef has seen a jump in pricing. Grocery stores have forward-bought chucks and grinds, causing this increase. Historically, we have seen a run-up until late January or early February. Hopefully, this will hold true again this year and it will be a short-lived increase. The sirloin flap and teres major cuts are still priced right to make money on your menu. HIGHLIGHT: SIRLOIN FLAP & TERES MAJOR Cuts that Save on Cost without Sacrificing Flavor THE SIRLOIN FLAP This is a a great alternative to the pricey skirt steak - you will often see around a $2.00 per pound price difference. This cut comes from the bottom sirloin and has a great flavor profile with fine texture. The Bavette steak comes from the sirloin flap. It can at times be slightly chewy, so marinate this cut before roasting or grilling. THE TERES MAJOR (or SHOULDER TENDER) The teres major is an upscale, versatile cut form the chuck complex. It has a great chuck flavor and texture, but similar in tenderness to a filet mignon. You can roast this cut whole, or portion into filets (known as bistro filets ) or medallions.
Beef Market News IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: CUT STEAKS 12 Reasons to Consider Portion-Ready Steaks in 2017 At a time where skilled labor is scarce, and food safety regulations are only increasing, these 12 reasons are why some of the most successful restaurants choose to use portion-ready steaks. The butchers at our Southern Foods Cut Shop average 15+ years of experience hand-cutting steaks and are eager to meet your needs. So if you re interested in seeing these benefits in your own restaurant, ask to speak with your beef specialist to get started! 1. No waste = better cost control - Every ounce of beef bought can be served; no trimming or boning by your kitchen staff is necessary. You know exactly what your cost per portion will be before you purchase your product. 2. Uniform cooking time - When all cuts are a consistent size, shape, and weight, they all require the same cooking time for the same level of doneness. This makes it easier to cook multiple steaks to the same temperature for a banquet or large party, reducing the risk of overcooking some while undercooking others. 3. Little, if any, extra labor is required - No need to expend labor hours on breaking down and weighing out portions of cut steaks. Only the cooking remains to be done. 4. Skilled meat cutters are not required to be on staff - We pay highly skilled meat cutters to prepare portion-ready products efficiently so you don t have to. 5. Reduce injuries - Less use of knives, slicers and saws to break down your meat can mean less injuries for you and your staff. 6. Customer satisfaction - Uneven, and inconsistent portions can sometimes dissappoint customers, especially if multiple orders of the same cut are ordered within a single party. 7. Improved food safety and sanitation - With less handling, and less time exposed in the temperature danger zone, your steaks will run less risk of containing food-borne illnesses. 8. Less loss due to spoilage - For the same reason, you can maximize the life on your cut steaks. 9. No leftovers to be re-stored - Individually packed, portion-ready steaks can be taken right from refrigeration as only demand requires. There is no need to cut and hold steaks out only to be wrapped and returned if unused. 10. Less refrigeration space needed - Portion-ready steaks are packaged compactly, with no extra trim, to minimize storage space. 11. Loss due to theft can be reduced - Because the product requires less handling, the inventory can be entrusted to one person, fixing responsibility and limiting exposure to multiple staff members. 12. Greater variety at less cost - Small case sizes allow operators to feature several different steak items at a lower inventory cost. Beef market news provided by: Chris Casey Protein/CAB Specialist ccasey@southernfoods.com
SEAFOOD MARKET NEWS 1.9.17 Greensboro, NC 336.545.3800 www.southernfoods.com
Seafood Market News Fish supply is limited this week. We are still trying to catch up from the holidays when a majority (if not all) fisherman came in to be with their families. Strong winds and icy conditions have further hampered local and regional catches. It s not all doom and gloom though, the guys that did go out didn t stay out for long, so quality is excellent. CA SWORDFISH With sword catches non-existent on the East Coast, I had to look to our vendor partners on the West Coast for fish. They do a very nice job on short trip sword, which are flown in directly to us. We will have fish in on Wednesday. GROUPER (Mexican) Supply is good out of the Gulf of Mexico, while pricing is down slightly. A brand new shipment is in today, with more on the way for later in the week. Fillets run 4-6# each, while whole fish are 20-35# each. SNAPPER (Mexican) Snapper supply has been limited for true American Reds. We have 4-6# in house today. Get with your representative as supply s are limited. OYSTERS New Oyster: Bekah s Bay from Morehead City, NC. Farmed near the Newport River, they are 3.5 with a deep cup and a strong shell that is easy to open. By buying these, you are supporting a small, family-run NC oyster farm. Plus, they taste delicious... enough said! Seafood market news provided by: Dave Forcinito Fishmonger dforcinito@southernfoods.com TUNA Yellowfin little to no production on fresh tuna for a similar reason to the short swordfish supply. We do have 2+ and 2G available all week, pricing is steady. SALMON Wester Ross - Europe is putting heavy demand on all salmon products, especially the higher-end market. Supply will be limited (we will be mostly covered), but expect a price increase of $.50 on fillets for the next 2-4 weeks. NC CATCH Local Catch is very limited with the poor weather over the weekend. Look to Flounder, Sunburst Trout, Carolina Catfish, Fresh NC 16-20 Shrimp (Yep, they are still catching fresh shrimp. Unbelievable, huh?) Regional Highlight Dayboat Florida Tilefish Catches of Florida Tile have been very nice the last few days. Quality has been excellent, and pricing is very good for this time of year. Whole fish are 4-8#, with fillets weighing at 1-2# each. Tile is similar in profile to grouper: firm, white flesh with a large firm flake; lends well to all cooking applications.
ARTISANAL CHEESE TRENDS 1.9.17 Greensboro, NC 336.545.3800 www.southernfoods.com
Artisanal Cheese Trends For those about to Raclette, we salute you! We are officially in the thick of Raclette season. Demand has skyrocketed around here over the past 5 years. Many said that would never happen. They said the same thing about ice hockey. Now go to a Canes home game without your earplugs and see what happens. We have one of the loudest crowds in the league. How to say it: Rock LET, as in, Let there be rock LET! What does it mean? To scrape. What is it? A melting cheese, for entertaining groups of people during the cold weather season. A large portion is heated and scraped onto the plate. Raclette goes really well with a lot of stuff! Just like fondue, Raclette is popular with bread, cornichons, cured meats, tiny sized potatoes, mustard, onions the list goes on. The most authentic Raclette comes from Valais Switzerland. There is nothing else that tastes quite like it. To bring the thunder, look for Raclette De Bruson, or Brebidoux Sheep Raclette. Most melting cheeses actually taste very subtle once melted, in this case you still taste cheese. Swiss Raclette can taste a little strong all by its self. However, once it s melted, it tastes juuuust right. French Raclette is also a very popular and affordable option. Raclette Milledome or Secret de Scey offer a nice buttery experience. The two are practically identical, but having two around helps in case one runs out, which tends to... happen with our orders in France. When deciding to go French or Swiss, it depends on what mood the occasion calls for. No question it needs to be awesome, but is it going to be an AC/DC or Def Leppard kind of night? Beatles or Stones? The Roots or Wu Tang? For me, either way, it can t go wrong. Artisanal cheese trends provided by: Sasha Shreders, ACS CCP Cheesemonger sshreders@southernfoods.com
LOCAL & SPECIALTY INSIGHTS 1.9.17 Greensboro, NC 336.545.3800 www.southernfoods.com
Local & Specialty Update True Balsamic Vinegar: An Emperor s Condiment It is found in almost every kitchen, both professional and domestic alike. It is the main ingredient in salad dressings, syrups, and glazes; it is enjoyed on tomatoes and mozzarella, marinades and even in ice cream. But what is True Balsamic Vinegar? The first written reference of balsamic vinegar occurred in 1046 - the Holy Roman Emperor, Henry III was given a silver bottle containing this celebrated vinegar while passing through a town on his way to his coronation. At that time, balsamic vinegar was known only to those in the Emilia-Romagna region of what is now modern Italy, and produced only in the provinces of Reggio Emilia and neighboring Modena. ACETO BALSAMICO TRADIZIONALE Traditional balsamic vinegar is only made in Reggio Emilia and Modena, Italy using traditional methods, and production is overseen from beginning to end by a special certification agency. Traditional balsamic vinegar begins with grape must. Whole pressed grapes complete with juice, skin, seeds and stems are cooked over a direct flame until concentrated by roughly half, then left to ferment naturally for up to three weeks. The vinegar is then matured and further concentrated for a minimum of 12 years in a batteria, or five or more successively smaller aging barrels. Traditional balsamic vinegars are graded affinato (fine), with a red cap - 12-year vintage; vecchio (old), with a silver cap - 15-20 year vintage; or extra vecchio (extra old), with a gold cap - 20-25 year vintage. In Modena there s just affinato, with a white cap, or extra vecchio, with a gold cap. Flavor: A rich, complex sweetness that explodes in the mouth with notes of fig, molasses, cherry, chocolate, or prune. Traditional balsamic should pick up the flavors of the wood it matured in, and may have a slight smokiness. Traditional balsamic offers a mellow tartness rather than a strong acidity. Identification: Traditional balsamic vinegar is always labelled Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale and carries a D.O.P. stamp. The only ingredient is grape must. Use: Traditional balsamic is not a cooking ingredient heating it will kill its distinctive bouquet and it would be wasted as an ingredient in a salad dressing.
Local & Specialty Update CONDIMENTO BALSAMICO Condimento is a term that exists to cover balsamic vinegars made in the traditional manner that can t receive the traditional designation. Often they re excellent balsamic vinegars made outside of Modena and Reggio Emilia, or vinegars made by tradizionale producers that have only been aged for three or five or seven years. Flavor: Condimento lacks the woody notes and lingering complexity of traditional balsamic, but should still offer a wonderful mix of acidity, sweetness, and leathery, cherry flavors. Identification: Condimento will not have D.O.P. stamp on the label, but it should carry an I.G.P. stamp. Condimento may also carry the seal of the Consorzio di Balsamico Condimento, a body set up to monitor condimento grade balsamics, and a good indicator of quality. Use: Condimento should be used exactly as a traditional balsamic is used, with the advantage that you can use it more liberally because it s much cheaper! BALSAMIC VINEGAR OF MODENA IGP The vinegar is cooked in pressurized vats and aged for at least 2 months in large wooden barrels. There is no fermentation stage. Balsamic Vinegar of Modena I.G.P. must contain wine vinegar to bring its acidity to at least 6%, and can contain up to 50% wine vinegar. It may contain thickening agents, caramel, or other colorants to make it more like real balsamic. The balance of ingredients can create vinegars as cheap as $5 or as expensive as $50. Flavor: I.G.P. balsamic has a higher acidity, and that s strongly reflected in the taste. This isn t a complex condiment, but closer to standard vinegar with a touch of sweetness. Identification: Other than the I.G.P. designation and yellow-and-blue I.G.P. stamp (which shows two furrowed hillsides in a ring of stars), there should never be too much shown on the label of an I.G.P. balsamic. Use: This grade of balsamic vinegar is also known as salad balsamic (balsamic insalata), which gives a clue as to how it s used; it s the go-to balsamic for a flavorful salad dressing. IMITATION BALSAMIC Some Balsamic vinegars are nothing more than vinegar with sweetener and coloring. They may be made with wine vinegar, white vinegar, or cider vinegar, and they re industrially produced to emulate the texture and flavor of balsamic vinegar. The clues are always in the ingredients. If the ingredients only list cooked must, it s a high-end balsamic imitator. If it contains cooked must and vinegar, it s closer to an I.G.P. While these vinegars are nothing like traditional balsamic, they do have a place in the kitchen and can be the perfect product in vinaigrettes, marinades and pickling. Local & specialty updates provided by: Bobby Zimmerman Southern Foods Brand Manager bzimmerman@southernfoods.com