MARKET NEWS August 23, 2017 CHEESE TRENDS Alpage Cheeses The award-winning batch SPECIALTY INSIGHTS Think BIG For Fall 2017 Keep flavors bright in the season of sugar, spice and everything nice! FROM OUR CUT SHOPS Beef Market Update Market steady until Labor Day Meat Color The difference in retail vs. foodservice steaks Fish Market Update Local supply seems to be bouncing back Local Spotlight New oyster: Carolina Pearls
BEEF MARKET NEWS 8.23.17 Greensboro, NC 336.545.3800 www.southernfoods.com
Beef Market News MARKET UPDATE Tenderloin: Steady Ribeye: Steady Strips: Steady Ground Beef: Steady The market should remain steady until after Labor Day when we should start to see the historically gradual increase in the ribeye market leading up to the holidays. MEAT COLOR The Difference in Retail vs. Foodservice Steaks You may have noticed a difference in the color of cut steaks you see at a retail counter, and those you receive from your foodservice supplier. The retail steaks are typically a bright red color, whereas your foodservice steaks look more brown. AGE As beef ages, an important process in tenderizing beef, it darkens in color. Retail shops actually demand green meat, or beef that is only a few days old, because of it s brighter red color. The bright color appears more fresh, and therefore has greater immediate appeal to the general public than a steak that is darker brown, yet more tender. OXYGEN When beef is exposed to oxygen, a chemical reaction causes it to brighten and intensify in color. The type of packaging used in retails stores called an overwrap tray allows oxygen to penetrate and color the beef. However, this also reduces the product s shelf life. PRIORITIES The priorities in foodservice are different than those in retail. The color of the raw product is not as important since diners only see it after it s cooked, and tenderness is crucial, requiring the beef to be aged much longer. So foodservice packaging is designed to keep oxygen out and maximize shelf life. The process of vaccuum-packing actually draws oxygen off of the surface of the meat, darkening it s appearance and slowing spoilage. If you ever need that bright red appearance for a raw applciation like beef tartare, or to showcase raw cuts, simply unpack the meat and let it sit in open air for a few minutes. The meat will bloom as it once again reacts with the oxygen and the color transforms. Beef market news provided by: Chris Casey CAB /Protein Specialist ccasey@southernfoods.com
SEAFOOD MARKET NEWS 8.23.17 Greensboro, NC 336.545.3800 www.southernfoods.com
Seafood Market News Local Flounder, Black Bass and Cobia, New England Monkfish and Skate Wing, Florida Wahoo, Alaskan Halibut, and Canadian Swordfish are all part of our seafood mix this week. GROUPER (Mexican) Supply is good with plenty of big fish landed from the Gulf of Mexico. Pricing is down from last week. ALASKAN HALIBUT Alaskan Halibut looks great and pricing remains steady. Whole fish are running 30-40lbs each and fillets are 2-6lbs each. It s a great menu option until the fishery closes in November. BRONZINI We are now offering a new cut for bronzini - a tail-on butterfly fillet: SCALLOPS Prices remain low for fresh North Atlantic scallops. There are cheaper scallops being harvested from the Mid-Atlantic. All of our product is sourced from George s Bank and the Nantucket Light ship - all hard bottom areas that produce the firmest and sweetest scallops out there. TUNA Yellowfin NC Tuna are still going strong! We have 2G and 2+ available. SALMON Canadian - The market is steady with pricing still on the decline. NC CATCH The local and regional catch features a mix of Flounder, Black Bass, Red Drum, Yellowfin Tuna, Sheepshead, Cobia, Spanish Mackerel, Tilefish, and fresh crabmeat. Local Spotlight: Carolina Pearls grown in the Newport River by Teresa and Perry Bayer. They are a small family-run oyster farm that has been harvesting and growing oysters in the Morehead City area for the last 15 years. These have great cup size, excellent shell strength, 3-3.5, high salinity level with a creamy/irony finish. Click here, or visit us on Instagram to watch our fish cutters break down a whole grouper! Seafood market news provided by: Dave Forcinito Fishmonger dforcinito@southernfoods.com
ARTISANAL CHEESE TRENDS 8.23.17 Greensboro, NC 336.545.3800 www.southernfoods.com
Artisanal Cheese Trends Alpage Cheese (not to be confused with Alpine cheese ) What we call alpines are a certain style of semi-hard cheese that is dense, yet creamy in a way that is very different than cheddar - not crumbly, but just as rich or more so. They leave a long nutty finish behind so you never forget them. Alpage ( al-pahge ) cheeses are a subset of the Alpine variety which are rarer - even hardly seen at all in most places. They are reserve batches made during the best months of the year, and have the most interesting results. Alpage translates to high mountain pasture, a name which indicates a seasonal cycle where farmers move their herd from a lower valley to a higher mountain pasture over the summer months. Then they make cheese with that milk on site while it is still warm. Because the higher pastures have the most variety of grasses, flowers, herbs, the richest soil, and cleanest air and water, these are considered the best batches of cheese of the year - prized for having noticeable, pleasant, pronounced character. Two award-winning alpage cheeses are available from the Southern Foods cut shop in a variety of options. L Etivaz Alpage Sbrinz Alpage Aged over 24 months, this Swiss Cheese Awards Gold Medal Winner was made in the summer of 2015. L Etivaz originated in the 1930 s when a group of Gruye re cheese makers were concerned about traditional Gruye re changing with the use of modern equipment. Now re-named after a hamlet in the area, it is only made by hand in a copper kettle over an open wood fire. The densely layered and structured taste has notes of caramel corn, pasture, herbs, and tropical fruits. 1 lb. Cut - #10056517 6 lb. Cut - #10067149 This is a 36-month reserve batch of cheese made in the summer of 2014. Sbrinz is a traditional cheese that has been produced for centuries in Switzerland. Known as the oldest European cheese (older than Parmigiano Reggiano), it is still produced as it always has been, from fresh raw milk. Sbrinz must ripen for at least 16 months but the full flavor profile only develops after about 2 years. The best features peak only after 30 months, which is becoming rare and hard to find. 1 lb. Cut - #10056518 5 lb. Cut - #10067172 Artisanal cheese trends provided by: Sasha Shreders, ACS CCP Cheesemonger sshreders@southernfoods.com
LOCAL & SPECIALTY INSIGHTS 8.23.17 Greensboro, NC 336.545.3800 www.southernfoods.com
Local & Specialty Insights THINK BIG FOR FALL 2017 Chefs, here it comes. The leaves are changing and I hear summer fatigue in everyone s voices. I can t wait till summer is over! Fall is coming and chefs everywhere are in R&D mode looking for their next big hit for this season s menus. Initially, we tend to think about cinnamon, sweet potatoes, hot cocoa, red wine braises, star anise and pumpkin pie as the leaves start to drop. The flavors we crave and the food we cook in this season is largely influenced by nostalgia. It can even take control of your creativity, pulling you into the same rut of sweeter, spicier and darker flavors, but don t get stuck in the pumpkin pie! Keep balanced, stay bright, and prepare for a BIG FALL by introducing vibrant new flavors to keep diners warm as temperatures drop. BIG FALL FLAVORS FOR 2017 Mash up global ingredients with local cuisines to transform almost any fall dish while maintaining vibrancy and excitement with these not so obvious cold weather flavors. Dukkah Egyptian dukkah, a mixture of sesame seeds, hazelnuts, cashews, chickpeas, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, salt, pepper and paprika, is perfect to add in place of gremolata or as a crust on fish, game or lamb. Agrodolce Its name comes from agro (sour) and dolce (sweet). Agrodolce is made by reducing sour and sweet elements, traditionally vinegar and sugar. But by adding spices, roasted tomatoes, dried fruits or chocolate, agrodolce can bring in the fall while keeping things bright. Cajeta Just like dulce de leche, cajeta is a thick, sweet confection made from boiled milk goat s milk in the case of cajeta, and cow s milk in the case of dulce. Just like its cousin, cajeta is almost universally described as Mexican caramel. Try adding Roasted garlic or smoked ginger for a great accoutrement to Autumn cheese pairings.
Local & Specialty Insights THINK BIG FOR FALL 2017 Galangal Both galangal and ginger are rhizomes, a type of underground creeping stem of a plant that sends out shooters to create new plants, in the ginger family (turmeric and cardamom are also in this family). The biggest difference is their taste: galangal has a sharp citrusy, almost piney flavor, while ginger is fresh, pungently spicy, and barely sweet. Chermoula Chermoula is a pungent Moroccan herb sauce similar to chimichurri. Traditionally served with grilled fish. I think it s great with all sorts of other dishes, such as roasted cauliflower, roasted winter squash braised or grilled lamb or game and fantastic with braised beans or lentils Karashi Karashi a type of mustard used as a condiment or as a seasoning in Japanese cuisine. It s made from the crushed seeds of brassica juncea and is usually sold in either powder or paste form - a game changer when mixed with aioli or as a sauce with miso and vinegar. The absolute best is qick-pickled roasted eggplant seasoned with Karashi. Local & specialty updates provided by: Bobby Zimmerman Southern Foods Brand Manager bzimmerman@southernfoods.com