Muffins Sweetness Beyond Breakfast

 From their coveted tops to doughy bottoms, muffins are heavyweight performers, rising gracefully from breakfast sweet, to mini meal in a cup, to star of the sweet table. 

Back to Drury Lane. In 19^th century England, the original muffin men were heard as well as seen, walking the streets with trays of muffins on their heads and ringing their bells at teatime to attract hungry customers. English muffins were quite plain, a small flat roll of yeast dough, made to serve with tea. The American muffin was different from the start, modeled more after a cake than a plain crumpet, made from flour, cornmeal or bran, with baking powder as the leavening agent. Colonial cooks stuck to a fairly standard repertoire of bran, corn, date, apple, and oatmeal, with blueberry muffins having a special place at the table. Evolving from a Native American dish called Sautauthig, made from wild blueberries, dried, cracked corn and water, settlers later added milk, butter and sugar when available, and historians believe it was part of the first Thanksgiving feast. In the 1920s, muffins with meat (ham and bacon muffins) and vegetables (pumpkin or squash muffins) were added to the growing list of recipes; by 1998, there were enough variations to fill Gregg Gillespie’s “1001” recipe series.

Muffin mania continues. Mini, one-inchers, or at the other end of the muffin scale, the jumbo, muffins stuffed with cream cheese, caramel, fruit or chocolate, whole grain cheese and mustard, gluten-free cornmeal fig and orange muffins…if you can think it, someone has made a muffin of it. In 2012, muffin sales heated up, with sales rising almost 9% around the country, according to Nielsen Perishables Group. Chefs continue their quest to create the perfect muffin—most recent was the Chow Challenge for Best Muffin Recipe. The winning Meyer Lemon/Blueberry Muffin incorporates the zest of 3 to 4 medium Meyer lemons for a “darn near perfect muffin!”  Food writer Deb Perelman experimented with seven different muffin recipes over the course of a year before she discovered the perfect blend of diced plums and poppy seeds, and published it in her best-selling 2012 Smitten Kitchen Cookbook. Her hard-earned advice: “Dial back the sugar, use a little whole-wheat flour to keep muffins squarely in the breakfast department, make a thick batter, almost like cookie dough, to keep fruit from sinking, and use butter, not olive oil.”

Top this. The muffin top has been riding high by itself for years, beginning with its ‘90s breakthrough role on Seinfeld, in which Elaine convinces her boss to open a “Top of the Muffin!” shop, saying: “It's the best part. It's crunchy, it's explosive, and it’s where the muffin breaks free of the pan and sort of does its own thing. That’s a million dollar idea, just sell the tops.” Turns out she was right, as muffin tops became legitimately big sellers in the next decade, giving people exactly the part they wanted and no more. In the health-conscious 2000s, the term became associated with those pesky rolls of flesh hanging over low-rise jeans, but food historian Betty Fussell says it was a reaction to the low fat muffin craze of the time. “To compensate for the reduction of fat, which is a conveyor of flavor, and also a tenderizer and moistening agent, manufacturers and bakers increased the sugar, resulting in an overly sweet flavor profile and a soft, sticky-to-the touch muffin top.”  Not at all what Elaine had in mind! While some pastry chefs contend there’s little difference between a muffin and a cupcake, others disagree, and say it’s actually pretty simple: “As soon as you start creaming the butter and sugar together, that’s cake, not muffin,” explains Magnolia Bakery owner Bobbie Lloyd. That’s why she makes her renowned blueberry muffins the old fashioned way, like a quick bread, combining dry ingredients in one bowl, wet in another, and then lightly mixing the two together, to get a fluffy inside and crunchy top.

State of the muffin. The muffin is serious business in some states across the country - Minnesota, where the blueberry muffin is the state’s official choice, in Massachusetts, where the corn muffin reigns, and in New York, home of the apple muffin.

Big ol’ Muffins lay on the southern charm at US Foods™

SOURCES:

American Century Cookbook

Oxford Companion to Food

US Highbush Blueberry Council

Boston Globe

Food Timeline.org              

Fresh From The Farm

May 29, 2013

Potatoes

The Idaho carton market continues to get stronger moving into July. Many shippers in Idaho have raised FOB prices for cartons due to lower pack-outs in the Russet Burbank crop. Shippers have had to slow down due to a rougher Burbank storage crop. Pressure bruising and internal black are some of the main quality issues.

Red potatoes continues to have supply issues throughout the month of June, thanks to weather-related issues and less than normal acres of red potatoes planted in every growing region. This continues to put pressure on the market.

 Lettuce

Not much has changed since last week. The weather in the Salinas Valley continues to be optimal for product quality and yields.  Some fog in the mornings and evenings.

Iceberg Lettuce, Romaine Lettuce, and Green Leaf Lettuce – Overall quality is good and supply is plentiful. Very occasional tip burn but able to trim down the heads as needed.   

Tomatoes

Tomatoes remain tight in Florida with each grower still in light production in the Palmetto-Ruskin area.  Some growers are reporting they will have light volume next week and they will be waiting on their South Georgia and South Carolina crops to begin sometime the week of the 10th. 

After last week's rush on roma tomatoes prior to the holiday, the market has settled a bit with the lower demand this week. Production appears to be good coming out of Baja with some additional growers increasing in volume to add to the overall supply. Additional growers are beginning to harvest grape tomatoes. The market is trending downward.  We are looking forward to the growers in the west to begin harvest by mid June to add additional volume and provide promotional level pricing on grape tomatoes.

There is a limited supply of cherry tomatoes at this time; the cherry tomato market is higher than normal for this time of the year.  Like grape tomatoes, the west will bring in additional purchasing options and a more competitive market.

Onions

Yellows onions are mostly steady in all areas. The availability is a little light since New Mexico and California’s San Joaquin Valley are just getting started while Texas and the California desert are finishing up. Expect better numbers by the weekend though. Reds are lower in California, steady in Texas, and New Mexico is just getting started. Whites are steady in all areas. The quality has been good in Texas and better in California.

Berries

Strawberries- The strawberry market is firm with good demand starting off this week. The cool weather and the Santa Maria Growers switching 60% of their harvest to the freezer markets has help keep the market firm. Some light rain and heavy mist earlier this week will slow production. A warming trend mid-week into the weekend which should help supplies going into the weekend. Quality is good out of the Salinas/Watsonville areas.

Blackberries- Things continue to be short and all suppliers are pro rating heavily due to little to no production out of Mexico.  California is starting light production.  Pricing will remain high as we move into domestic black berries.

Raspberries- Demand and production look good.  Crop is developing nicely in Northern California.  Look for pricing to slowly decrease moving forward.

Blueberries- California in peak weeks with great volume…..southeast will be very short and gapping until Rabbit Eye starts next weekend. Market Trends Moving Forward:  Market should not get any higher and be constant this week with last week then start to come down.

Citrus

Navel Oranges – The season is expected to finish up in the first or second week of June.

Valencia - Are up and running. To start there is limited volume on the 56s and larger and good volume on the 88 and 113s.  Fancy to choice ratio is 80% fancy and 20% choice.

Lemons – Market is very strong.  Most of the product is coming from district two. Fancy to choice ratio is 70% fancy and 30% choice. Demand exceeds supply until we start seeing volume from Chile arrive.  Start to expect Chile supply by early July.

Limes - Pricing is down a slight bit on the larger fruit (110's, 150's and 175's) and stable on the smaller fruit (200's, 230's and 250's).  Quality of the fruit is very good with little to no skin blemishes (scarring and shading) and little defects (stylar and brown/sugar spotting).

Fruits

Grapes- The Mexico/Coachella region has harvested good volume through this week.  Mexican flames and perlettes are readily available and market pricing has declined through the week.  Flames out of Coachella are readily available with sugraones still tight.  Better availability next week on the green variety.

Avocados- Mexico still has fair supplies, but limited on 48’s and 40’s.They will still be the main supplier to the eastern markets. California is still increasing in volume and starting to gain size on their fruit. Strong demand is firming markets on 40’s/48’s/60’s.

Watermelons- Supplies continued to be very tight all the way through the Memorial Day pull. We continue to see FL volume increase, but nowhere near to the volume that’s needed to cover demand.

Cantaloupe / Honeydews- Domestic Melons out of Brawley and Holtville are in full swing with decent supplies next week expected. Sizing will be mainly 9s with few 12s and very minimal 15s for the next couple weeks. Yuma will start around the first part of June with Maricopa coming in around the same time.  Honeydews have decent supplies with sizing to be mainly 6s, with few 5s/8s.  Mexico will continue to cross limited suppliers of Cantaloupes and Honeydews for the next 1-2 weeks.

Pineapples- Market is very tight, there is a wide range in the market depending on Country of origin, quality and age. Limited volume expected next few weeks.

Vegetables

Cucumbers- Market is steady. Overall, supplies are good. Quality in all growing areas is good.

Peppers- Market continues to be active. West Coast has good supplies on choice and smaller fruit with limited supplies on the rest. Georgia is in production with limited supplies . Overall, demand remains good. Quality is also good. Supplies are anticipated to improve over the next few weeks.

Green Onions- This market remains steady. Moderate supplies continue to come from Mexico. Domestic Green Onions should be available within the next couple of week. Quality remains good.

Eggplant- This market is steady. Better supplies are being seen on both the West and East coast. Georgia is now 2 weeks out and a gap is anticipated as a result of transitioning to Georgia. Overall, quality is good.

Green Beans- The market is weakening. As indicated last week, supplies continue to improve. Quality is good. Tennessee and North Carolina are the next growing areas to begin.       

Broccoli- This market is stronger, particularly on Crowns. Supplies started out light this week, but are expected to improve heading into next week due to the excellent weather in Salinas. Demand remains good. Quality also remains good.  

Cauliflower- This market remains strong. There continues to be a light gap in production. Supplies are expected to improve with the ideal weather in Salinas. Quality remains good.   

Squash- West coast market continues to be unsettled on both Italian and yellow S/N Squash. Supplies are light due to older fields finishing. Georgia on the East Coast is producing good volumes.  This market is softer. Shippers out of central Florida are looking to move volume as well. Overall, quality is fair to good.

Asparagus-  Domestic supplies are expected to be available until the end of June. Imported grass has good supply. Demand for domestic product is keeping the market firm. 

Jalapenos- Mexico’s volume continues to be down as a result of “Bloom Drop”. Florida’s and Georgia’s volumes continue to be light as a result of weather conditions as well. Quality is fair to good.

Produce Market Update 5/30/2013

POTATOES

High potential for supply gaps of red potatoes continues throughout the month of June, thanks to weather-related issues and less than normal acres of red potatoes planted in every growing region.  Although Fla. growers will be wrapping up their shipments of red potatoes by June 7, growers in the Suwannee region will have about 400 acres of red potatoes available the week of June 3, but supplies will go quickly.

California growers planted 35 percent fewer acres of red potatoes, but look for increased availability toward the end of the week, although demand still exceeds supplies. Growers in Ariz. and Persall, Texas have already sold their crops, and will be wrapping up harvests by the end of the week. Following the trend for fewer acres planted, growers in N.C. and Va. have 50 percent fewer acres of red potatoes planted and are expected to begin their harvests the week of June 24. Growers in Muleshoe, Texas will begin their harvests two or three weeks later than usual—beginning the week of July 8.

Overall, the russet potato market continues to inch upward as inventories decline across the nation, as is traditional this time of year. The strongest increase continues to be in the carton sizing.

The Idaho carton market continues to get stronger moving into July. Many shippers in Idaho have raised FOB prices for cartons due to lower pack-outs in the Russet Burbank crop. Shippers have had to slow down due to a rougher Burbank storage crop. Pressure bruising and internal black are some of the main quality issues.

Availability for white potatoes has tightened up, yet pricing continues to be stable; new crop white potatoes are available from growers in both Fla. and Calif. Excellent quality yellow potatoes are growing in availability out of Calif. and Ariz., leading to slightly lower pricing. The main source for fingerlings is Calif., and the product looks great, but they garner a higher price.

LETTUCE

Not much has changed since last week. The weather in the Salinas Valley continues to be optimal for product quality and yields.  Some fog in the mornings and evenings.

Iceberg Lettuce – Overall quality is good with weights averaging 45-47 lbs.  Suppliers are packing in CVF Brand.  Supply is plentiful.

Romaine Lettuce – Overall quality is good.  Very occasional tip burn but able to trim down the heads as needed.   Case weights averaging 34-37 lbs.  CVF Brand is being packed.  Supply is plentiful.

Green Leaf Lettuce – Overall quality is good.  Very occasional fringe burn but able to trim down where needed.  CVF Brand is being packed.  Supply is plentiful.

ONIONS

Yellows are mostly steady in all areas. The availability is a little light since New Mexico and California’s San Joaquin Valley are just getting started while Texas and the California desert are finishing up. Expect better numbers by the weekend though. Reds are lower in California, steady in Texas, and New Mexico is just getting started. Whites are steady in all areas. The quality has been good in Texas and better in California.

  

TOMATOES

Tomatoes remain tight in Florida with each grower still in light production in the Palmetto-Ruskin area.  Some growers are reporting they will have light volume next week and they will be waiting on their South Georgia and South Carolina crops to begin sometime the week of the 10th.  This harvest projection does little to aid in breaking the market.  There is some 6x7 size fruit available behind growers which gives the indication that if there is going to be a market change it will be on smaller sizes.  In addition to the small accumulation of 6x7 tomatoes, the current crown picking in not yielding a tremendous amount of size which will allow the 5x6 and larger market to remain firm.

After last week's rush on roma tomatoes prior to the holiday, the market has settled a bit with the lower demand this week.  Trucking has also been a problem in the west to allow for a consistent market on roma tomatoes.  Production appears to be good coming out of Baja with some additional growers increasing in volume to add to the overall supply.

 With additional growers beginning harvest, the grape tomato market is trending downward.  We are looking forward to the growers in the west to begin harvest by mid June to add additional volume and provide promotional level pricing on grape tomatoes.

There is a limited supply of cherry tomatoes at this time; the cherry tomato market is higher than normal for this time of the year.  Like grape tomatoes, the west will bring in additional purchasing options and a more competitive market.

 The market for hothouse beefstake tomatoes has finally come down.  Some of this is attributable to the completion of holiday ads and some is due to lighter demand now that the Florida crop is producing enough to meet the needs of the buyers of field grown product.

    Fruit

STRAWBERRIES

Santa Maria continues to wind down….a lot of fruit taken out of fresh production.  Some ranches still harvesting berries. Things continue to be tight in the North as demand will eases up some post-holiday the end of this week should be plenty of open fruit. Market Trends Moving Forward:  Pricing should start to drop by end of this week. 

RASPBERRIES / BLACKBERRIES

Blackberries – Things continue to be short and all suppliers are pro rating heavily due to little to no production out of Mexico.  California is starting light production.  Pricing will remain high as we move into domestic black berries.

Raspberries – Demand and production look good.  Crop is developing nicely in Northern California.  Look for pricing to slowly decrease moving forward.

BLUEBERRIES

California in peak weeks with great volume…..southeast will be very short and gapping until Rabbit Eye starts next weekend. Market Trends Moving Forward:  Market should not get any higher and be constant this week with last week then start to come down.

GRAPES

The Mexico/Coachella region has harvested good volume through this week.  Mexican flames and perlettes are readily available and market pricing has declined through the week.  Flames out of Coachella are readily available with sugraones still tight.  Better availability next week on the green variety.

STONE FRUIT

The California stone fruit season is here! The market is very active.  Apricots, yellow and white peaches, and yellow and white nectarines are all available and have been eating very well thus far. Red and black plums have started now as well.

Cherries - CA cherries movement is strong, moved into Bings this week. Still projecting to be done in CA by week of June 3^rd. WA has adjusted their projection DOWN but it is still 3 weeks away from scratching the first fruit. Looking for volume to start end of the week of June 17^th

APPLES / PEAR

Washington Apples – Apple shipments were up slightly for last week, up 52 loads versus targeted volume. Total movement versus target is still behind fairly significantly at 4,192 loads backwards versus target.

Golden Delicious Market is steady to higher, depending on size. Movement dipped vs. YTD target, dropping backwards vs. target to 331 loads YTD.

Granny Smith - Market steady with no improvement in movement versus the week previous. Some shippers have larger grannies to sell while others are struggling... Small un-stickered grannies are still snug. YTS movement is down 331 loads versus targeted movement. Granny imports from Chile have been off significantly…58% fewer than last year.

Galas – Gala market remained steady for the week, slowing down the upward trend mostly likely due to import volume increasing. YTD, Galas are behind target by 1,383 loads.

Red Delicious – Volume remaining solid, chipping away at the YTD targeted volume, now only behind by 1,248 loads YTD. Pricing seems steady.

Fuji’s – Market moving up on smaller sizing, even though still behind YTD targeted movement by 1,042 loads.

Honeycrisp- Still some Honey’s out there but coolers are cleaning up.

Braeburns - Movement still is pacing ahead of target, one of the few varieties to do so. Market remains steady. Pressures are quite varied between lots. YTD volume is actually ahead of target by 74 loads.

.

Pears – D’Anjou market is strong …Shipments were actually ahead of target YTD volumes by 552 loads....Supplies on Import Packhams are still very limited and this has pushed up the market significantly…Bosc are available from Chile with NZ Bosc starting to show up…

AVOCADOS

Mexico still has fair supplies, but limited on 48’s and 40’s.They will still be the main supplier to the eastern markets. California is still increasing in volume and starting to gain size on their fruit. Strong demand is firming markets on 40’s/48’s/60’s.

ORANGES AND LEMONS

Navel Oranges – The season is quickly coming to an end and is expected to finish up in the first or second week of June.  For the remainder of the year all sizes will be very tight.

Valencia - Are up and running. To start there is limited volume on the 56s and larger and good volume on the 88 and 113s.  Fancy to choice ratio is 80% fancy and 20% choice.

Lemons – Market is very strong.  Most of the product is coming from district two. Fancy to choice ratio is 70% fancy and 30% choice. Demand exceeds supply until we start seeing volume from Chile arrive.  Start to expect Chile supply by early July.

CITRUS

Grapefruit – Grapefruit is up and running and have started up with the Rio Red and Star Ruby.  The peak sizes at this time are 32, 36, followed by the 40s.  These will be available until the end of May and we will then move into the Star Ruby.

Texas

Grapefruit TX – We will be done for the season after next week.  5/9

Navel Oranges – Tight due rains and lack of harvesting

Valencia Oranges – light supplies. 

Florida

Grapefruit –   Done for the season.

Valencia orange – Done for the season

LIMES

Pricing is down a slight bit on the larger fruit (110's, 150's and 175's) and stable on the smaller fruit (200's, 230's and 250's).  The gap between the smaller fruit and larger fruit continues to close.  Quality of the fruit is very good with little to no skin blemishes (scarring and shading) and little defects (stylar and brown/sugar spotting). We are seeing nice green uniformed color on the limes that are coming in.  Looks like more of the smaller fruit will be coming in at the start of the week.

CANTALOUPES / HONEYDEWS

Domestic Melons out of Brawley and Holtville are in full swing with decent supplies next week expected. Sizing will be mainly 9s with few 12s and very minimal 15s for the next couple weeks.  Expect Jbo 9s to come into a gap with minimal supplies next week also.  Yuma will start around the first part of June with Maricopa coming in around the same time.  Honeydews have decent supplies with sizing to be mainly 6s, with few 5s/8s.  Mexico will continue to cross limited suppliers of Cantaloupes for the next 1-2 weeks, great for spot buys, hard to pre-book.  Honeydews will be limited in Mexico and will be the same being great for spot buys, hard to pre-book. 

WATERMELON

Watermelons – Supplies continued to be very tight all the way through the Memorial Day pull. We continue to see FL volume increase, but nowhere near to the volume that’s needed to cover demand. We’ll see the typical retail demand decline in the beginning of next week, but orders will not fall to normal levels until we fill the pipeline. Yuma is just starting up, and Nogales is still in Mexican fruit with good quality. California should start in 3 to 4 weeks and should be heavier to 36s and 45s (expect 60s to be limited). We’ll be out of Edinburg over the next 3-4 weeks, and then we may see a gap due to the hail storm near Dallas a few weeks ago. Arcadia should be into more volume than we’re currently seeing, especial on big fruit. N. FL should begin in the next couple weeks, and we are expecting some disease pressure that could affect overall yields. Looking into June, we expect to continue a demand exceeds supply situation.

Personal Melons – Supplies will be available out of Mexico into Nogales and expect minimal volume next week for the next couple of weeks.  Texas is getting pushed back a few days due to cooler weather, and if we receive the rain that is in the forecast it could push it back again.  Florida is very late and limited.  LaBelle, Fl will be down to about 25-30% of our original projections.  We will start our Trenton, FL deal hopefully the week of May 20^th with limited volume.

BANANAS

Demand will be slightly lower this week following a holiday weekend but is expected to bounce back next week and stay steady through the July 4^th holiday.  Prices and supply are expected to remain steady.

PINEAPPLE

Market is very tight FOB Los Angeles, Philly, Florida, Texas, Parlier or Yuma with notice.  COO mostly Costa Rican, Panama, and a few Hawaiian. There is a wide range in the market depending on Country of origin, quality and age.  Costa Rica supplies are fair, a few more 8’s showing up. Mexican fruit running larger more to 5’s and 6’s. Central American fruit in flowing stge. Limited volume expected next few weeks.

Vegetables

CUCUMBERS

This market is steady.  Overall, supplies are good.  In the West, product is not being harvested from Baja.  It’s anticipated the volume will continue to increase out of Baja over the next few weeks.  Quality out of both areas is good.

 

 EGGPLANT

This market is steady.  Better supplies are being seen on both the West and East coast.  Georgia is now 2 weeks out from production.  Again, a gap is anticipated as a result of transitioning to Georgia when Florida wraps up.  Overall, quality is good.

   

BELL PEPPERS

This market continues to be active.  On the West Coast the market is unsettled.  Good supplies exist on Choice and smaller Fruit.  California has started on all sizes with limited supply.  Georgia is in production with limited supplies as well.  Overall, demand remains good.  Quality is also good.  Supplies are anticipated to improve over the next few weeks.

   

JALAPENO

FOB’s in the market has come down slightly.  As indicated, Mexico’s volume continues to be down as a result of “Bloom Drop” due to cold temperatures.  Also, Baja is still around 8 to 10 weeks out from production, as well as some eastern areas of Mexico (crossing through the Texas Valley).  Florida’s and Georgia’s volumes continue to be light as a result of weather conditions as well.  Quality is fair to good. 

SQUASH

In the West, this market continues to be unsettled on both Italian and yellow S/N Squash.  Supplies are light due to older fields being done.  Fresno continues to harvest out of the West.  Georgia on the East Coast is producing good volumes.  As a result, the market is a softer.   Shippers out of central Florida are looking to move volume as well.  Overall, quality is fair to good.

CABBAGE

This market remains strong.  Georgia’s supplies are anticipated to improve by the end of next week.  North Carolina has started with limited supplies.  California is now going with good sizing.  Florida will be finishing up shorter, with the wet fields hampering production.  New Mexico, again, is anticipated to start early June.  Overall, quality and demand remain good.

 

BROCCOLI

This market is stronger, particularly on Crowns.  Supplies started out light this week, but are expected to improve heading into next week due to the excellent weather in Salinas. Demand remains good. Quality also remains good.  

CAULIFLOWER

This market remains strong as well. It’s anticipated for this market to remain active.  There continues to be a light gap in production.  As with Broccoli, supplies are expected to improve with the ideal weather in Salinas.  Quality remains good.   

 

CARROTS

The market continues to be steady.  Supplies are good, with California being a light as a result of lower yield.    However, Jumbo’s continue to be tight due to challenges with sizing.  There are not report of quality issues, and demand remains good. 

CELERY

This market is easing.  Supplies are improving due to lesser “seeder” issues.  Michigan celery is still expected to start mid July, as well as Salinas starting a couple of weeks out.  Overall quality is fair to good. 

GREEN ONIONS

This market remains steady.  Moderate supplies continue to come from Mexico.  Domestic Green Onions should be available within the next couple of week.  Quality remains good.

ASPARAGUS

The market is steady.  Domestic supplies are expected to be available until the end of June.  Peruvian product entering on the East Coast is in good supply and, as a result, cheaper prices are available if loading in Florida.  Demand for domestic product is keeping the market firm, for supplies for domestic product are moderate at best. 

GREEN BEANS

The market is weakening.  As indicated last week, supplies continue to improve.  Quality is good.  Reminder:   Georgia will continue to harvest up until about June 15^th.  Tennessee and North Carolina are the next areas to begin.       

GARLIC

There were no reports of significant change in this market.  Pricing is easing.  Quality remains fair. 

For more information please contact Brian Isaeff, Territory Manager at US Foods San Francisco 925-588-3279

Updating Your Bar Glassware

Edward Drummond Libbey came to Toledo in 1888 from Boston where he and his family owned the New England Glass Company. Mr. Libbey decided to move the company west to take advantage of Toledo’s plentiful natural gas and sand, both important resources for a glass manufacturer – as well as economical building sites and an enthusiastic labor force. Northwest Ohio welcomed Libbey with open arms. In fact, the Blade of August 17, 1888 wrote, “All Toledo welcomes you to the future glass center of the world!” In 1892, after firmly establishing the glass company in Toledo, Libbey changed the name of the business to The Libbey Glass Company.

When Max Wolfe, owner of Massimo Ristorante in Walnut Creek, CA wanted a glassware update he called on Christine Workman, Account Manager from Libbey Foodservice.

Chris immediately asked questions to qualify what requirements Max had for his glassware.

• Should it be stackable?
• How will it be washed?
• Volume of the operations?

All questions that help Chris narrow down the products that will fit Max's bar, ultimately saving time in the presentation of appropriate products and more importantly saving Max money in the long run by using the right glass for the job.

Some of the reasons that operators still trust Libbey first for their glassware needs are their special glass treatments and their lifetime guarantees.  Read on for more about those from Libbey Glassware.



For over 86 years, Libbey's proven commitment to quality has been backed by our well-known guarantee, "a new glass if the rim of a Safedge glass chips." If the rim of any glass covered by the Safedge guarantee chips, Libbey will replace or refund the price of the glass when it is returned to the dealer/distributor from whom it was originally purchased. Of course, this guarantee does not cover breakage.

 



If the rim or foot of any one-piece stemware item chips, Libbey guarantees to replace or refund the price of the glass when its returned to the dealer/distributor from it was originally purchased.



Libbey's Sheer-Rim/D.T.E. (Dura Temp Edge) stemware and tumblers feature a beadless edge that is first cracked-off then polished to produce a fine, yet durable edge. This creates a combination of elegance and affordability in glassware for operators looking to upgrade their beverage service, while stil maintaining longer service life. Sheer-Rim/D.T.E. Tumblers and Stemware are guaranteed against chippage of the rim.

Libbey’s exclusive DuraTuff® treatment is a special thermal after-process for “pressed” tumblers and stemware that produces durable glassware with prolonged service life for the foodservice industry. Look for the DuraTuff® name embossed on all Libbey DuraTuff® tumbler and stemware products, such as élan®, Endeavor®, Quadra V, Gibraltar®, Everest, PaneledTumblers, Inverness, Dakota, Restaurant Basics, Casual Coolers and Winchester.

Libbey’s heat-treated tumblers and stemware are created through a special heating and rapid cooling process after the glass is formed. This secondary process on “blown” glassware is performed only on the upper portion of the glass where most abuse occurs. Libbey’s heat-treated glassware offers increased resistance to thermal and mechanical shock.



For more information about glassware or to be put in touch with Chris please contact Brian Isaeff, Territory  Manager, US Foods San Francisco @ 925-588-3279



Southern Comfort and New England Tradition

Take a comfortable seat around the bean hole as we tell you how Kentucky’s most famous export combined with Boston’s legendary legumes create a true melting pot classic, beloved in states all across the great US of A..

“Baked beans were, and still are, an economical way to satisfy hearty appetites, and nothing beats the deep infusion of flavor that long, slow baking imparts,” explains Damon Lee Fowler, culinary historian and author of six Southern cooking books. “Down South, our version is enriched with tomato sauce and bacon, and became a popular side dish served everywhere from roadside barbecue joints to church covered dish suppers all year round.” His “Old Fashioned Baked Beans, Southern Style” recipe dates back a century, and calls for any kind of pea, red kidney or pinto beans, heated and soaked for an hour, then mixed with sweet and savory ingredients such as unsulphured molasses, dark brown sugar, tomato sauce and thick sliced bacon, and baked for at least 5 hours—some prefer to cook them overnight for as long as 10 hours. Every region adds its own touches, and every cook does too, he says, which can include a healthy dose of house-made barbecue sauce, a dash of hot sauce, chili powder, garlic, or a splash or two of bourbon…more on that later.

The granddaddy of them all, Boston Baked Beans, comes from ancient pottage, and was introduced to America by early colonists. The Puritan settlers in Boston used their nutritious, filling taste all weekend, baking them on Saturday for dinner, serving them again on Sunday for breakfast with codfish cakes and Boston Brown Bread, and one more time for lunch that day. Also popular in Maine, beans prepared in a bean hole kept the lumbering camps well fed in the late nineteenth century. The method lives on today, with baked bean aficionados like East Coast chef Chris Schlesinger (one of the first to install a live fire grill in his restaurant), who cooks them up in a “tricked-out, souped-up” pit in his backyard, according to the NY Times. He prepares them just like in the old days, by digging a hole, building a fire of hardwood logs in it, letting the wood burn down to embers, and putting a pot of presoaked and parboiled beans into the embers, covering with dirt, and leaving it for 8 hours. “The gradually declining heat perfectly melds the earthy flavor of the beans with the fatty richness of the salt pork, the sweetness of molasses and maple syrup and the gentle tang of mustard…these beans might just be worth all the effort,” reports the Times.  

And then there’s bourbon, with its own spirited history, beginning in the 1700s with the Kentucky settlers. Getting crops to market over narrow trails and steep mountains was a daunting task, so they learned to convert corn and other grains to whiskey to make them easily transportable and prevent the excess grain from rotting. When farmers shipped their whiskey in oak barrels down the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers to New Orleans, the long trip aged the whiskey and gave it a distinct flavor, caramel undertones, amber color, and legions of fans. Almost 200 years later, a 1964 Congressional Resolution declared bourbon an indigenous product of the US, making it “America’s Official Native Spirit.” 

So why bourbon and beans? Chef Ouita Michel, owner of 3 Kentucky restaurants and nominee for James Beard Foundation Award as Best Chef, Southeast, says bourbon’s sweetness is a natural match for the brown sugar commonly used in baked bean recipes.  She suggests more than a splash: “If you can’t taste the bourbon in your dish, you didn’t use enough.” Award-winning celebrity chef and restaurateur Michael Mina, calls the 3 B’s—bourbon, bacon and beans—a must for any recipe, and adds some unique touches like a ½ cup of strong coffee and a cup of fresh chopped pineapple. Too complicated? The “Five Ingredient Fix” Chef Claire Robinson keeps it simple with dried navy beans, soaked overnight in a large bowl of water, dark brown sugar, Dijon mustard, bacon slabs and 2/3 cup of bourbon, baked for 4 hours.  Even simpler is “Semi Homemade Meals” host Sandra Lee’s recipe: 2 cans of baked beans, chili sauce, bacon pieces, molasses, brown sugar and bourbon, cooked for about 15 minutes over medium high heat, and served hot.

No Need to Pucker Up: Meyer Lemon Juice - Sweet and Smooth

Meyer buyers know, this is not your typical lemon. A distinct species of its own, with a sweet, floral taste that’s a cross between a lemon and mandarin orange, Meyer lemons have won over the great chefs of America, one drop at a time.

The man behind the lemon. What does it take to have an actual fruit named after you? For Frank Meyer, surely the US Department of Agriculture’s most adventurous employee, it was the result of a series of explorations of China’s plant life.  When he brought back the dwarf lemon from a remote region near Beijing, China where he had seen it used mainly as an ornamental yard plant, it proved a natural for California gardens. “The plants bear immediately and are almost never without fruit,” marveled garden writer John Armstrong in his 1933 Los Angeles Times column.

 New and improved. Some not-so-sweet times followed for the Meyer lemon in the next few decades, however, when it was blamed for being the carrier of a virus killing other citrus, and subsequently banned.  Its savior: Four Winds Growers and Joe Grimshaw, who discovered a virus-free clone in the 1950s, which was developed and certified as the “Improved Meyer Lemon” by the University of California in 1975.  All Meyer lemons grown in the US today descend from this healthy specimen, and it’s still the most popular citrus grown at Four Winds, some 40 years later.

Meyers go mainstream. Two decades later, Meyers achieved cult status, sparked by Alice Waters’ embrace in her groundbreaking 1999 “Chez Panisse Café Cookbook. “Meyer lemons are sweet, thin-skinned and famous for their ethereal perfume. Although common in California backyards, they are just beginning to be commercialized. Ask your friends or relatives in California to send you some." In the next decade, chefs like Martha Stewart and Bobby Flay realized its potential: a thin edible rind, a high volume of juice and none of the tartness of a regular lemon. According to NPR, Stewart began featuring them in recipes, including her lemon-pine nut tart, whole-wheat spaghetti with arugula and pistachios, and a take on classic coffee cake with thinly sliced Meyer lemons in the batter. They not only fit in everywhere a regular lemon would, but were sweet and versatile enough to be used in pastries and preserves, juiced for cocktails, drizzled over vegetables, whipped up into aioli, and to serve as a base for a vinaigrette partnered with grilled chicken and fish, or meats like lamb and pork.

A steady flow of Meyer. Its fan base continues to grow, in hot spots all across the country. Pittsburgh chef Alan Peet raves, “It's rich yet light at the same time. They're sweeter than regular lemons and you get a little tang in there." Seattle’s Eva restaurant owners champion Meyers because “they provide "lemon flavor without all the acid” and use it for gremolatas (an Italian garnish), lemon butter, yogurt drizzle and tzatziki. Kirkland executive chef Brian Scheehser created an ultra-trendy and hugely popular house-made Limoncello, an Italian lemon liqueur, with the juice of fresh squeezed Meyer lemons and simple syrup to blend with the vodka, while Tango restaurant owner Travis Rosenthal grows his own Meyer lemon tree. “I can tell you that, honestly, it is the best lemon I've ever had. I plan on enjoying my glass of Meyer lemonade.”

An oft-cited LA Times article, which deemed it “a furiously addicting fruit with an intoxicating aroma and hints of honey and thyme” got everyone’s juices flowing with 100 ways to use a Meyer lemon. Among the more exotic: shrimp piri piri with black rice and Meyer lemons; lemon-cardamom ice cream; lemon gimlet with Meyer lemon juice and zest, soda water and Meyer lemon simple syrup; Meyer lemon gremolata; Meyer lemon hollandaise sauce; Meyer lemon salsa; Meyer lemon beurre blanc for salmon or Artic char; squeezed over a freshly cut papaya or guava to bring out the flavor; avgolemono sauce with Meyer lemon juice, beaten eggs and hot broth to serve over fish or steamed artichokes; Meyer lemon crème Anglaise; crêpes suzette with Meyer lemons instead of oranges; Bellini with Prosecco, Meyer lemon juice, simple syrup and strips of peel; dipping sauce with Meyer lemon juice, fresh chopped cilantro, basil, mint, minced garlic, ginger and chiles.

The squeeze is on for the finest fresh juices, and our Rykoff Sexton Meyer Lemon is at the top of the mix!

The Secret Life of the Key Lime

Although it seems uncomplicated on the outside—a tart lime named for its popular cultivation in Key West, Florida—keep unpeeling the Key lime story, and you’ll find some juicy insider info.

A Key Distinction. The original lime, citrus aurantifolia, a native of northeastern India and Southeast Asia, made its way to Florida via Spanish explorers in the 1500s, but it wasn’t until 1835 that US consul and horticulturist Dr. Henry Perrine made it official and established the first Key lime groves in the Florida Keys. In 1906, the phenomenon really took off, replacing Florida’s commercial pineapple groves. Known as Mexican, West Indian or Key limes, the small, roundish, seedy and sour fruit with pale greenish flesh and green rinds were prized for their acidic juice and rich aroma. However, by the 1920s, hurricanes, citrus disease and urban development wiped out years of growth, and Persian lime trees were planted in place of the thinner-skinned, thorny Key lime trees. Today, many homeowners in southern Florida have a Key lime tree or two in their backyard, and while a small comeback is in the works, Mexico and Central America account for 90 percent of the Key limes sold in US supermarkets, according to foodreference.com. 

The Millionaire Life of Pie. Florida’s official state pie since 2006, Key lime pie made its sweet debut a couple of centuries earlier, possibly by sponge divers working in the area who combined the locally abundant limes with condensed milk and eggs they had on their boats. Limes and sweetened condensed milk (handily invented by Gail Borden in 1856) proved to have terrific chemistry—the duo interacted to make thick, delicious filling without refrigeration or cooking. Cases of the newly available milk were brought in to the parched climes of the Florida Keys by resident millionaire William Curry, whose cook “Aunt Sally” was credited with inventing the beloved key lime pie recipe. Other experts, like Key West historian and author of the recently published Key Lime Pie Cookbook, David Sloan, feel Aunt Sally’s receiving way too much credit for having simply perfected the recipe invented by the divers, perhaps adding a crust and whipped cream topping.

Current recipes are as likely to sport a pastry crust as a graham cracker one. Whipped cream or meringue topping?  Equally perfect, and a matter of preference.  Modern pastry chefs often tweak the basics: four egg yolks, a can of condensed milk and half a cup of bottled Key lime juice. At the Breakers in Palm Beach, for instance, the chef doubles the dose of condensed milk, uses cake flour in the crust, and bakes for a brief time instead of just refrigerating to give his legendary pie an extra creamy filling and delicate crust. At Steve’s Authentic Key Lime Pies, based in Brooklyn, but inspired by his Floridian childhood desserts, pies are produced in small batches, using only fresh Key limes juiced right before making the pies. On one point everyone agrees: the real deal is yellow, with a soft texture, not green or stiffened with gelatin or cornstarch.

Beyond the Crust. At the unofficial home of the Key lime, Kermit’s in Key West, visited enthusiastically by Food Network, Paula Deen and others, Key lime pie is only the beginning.  As owner Kermit Carpenter says: “How about Key lime cookies, Key lime salsa, Key lime chutney, Key lime taffy, Key lime jelly beans, Key lime tea, Key lime olive oil, the list goes on and on!” And it does, from citrus salsa and smoked mullet spread appetizers, to omelets, to grilled Mexican-style fish, tuna salad with Key lime dressing, to burger and tartar sauces, gazpacho, and sweet potatoes, all featuring the sweetly tart Key lime juice.  And there’s more…in Key lime country, up and down Florida’s 127.5-mile US 1 Overseas Highway, restaurants proudly showcase their own Key lime specialties, such as milkshakes, martinis, mousses and sorbets, jams and jellies. The acidic lime also juices up marinades for fish and seafood, meats, poultry and stews, harkening back to conch cooking done by Key West’s early settlers. It’s prized in Mexican cooking as well, used for its pickling properties in ceviche, and enhancing the flavor of soup, vinaigrette, and the mighty margarita.

*LA Times, 2011