Good Grief!

The Market Report is a weekly column written by Ken Klein of Klein’s Supermarket in Philadelphia’s Fairmount neighborhood.  He writes the column for the Art Museum Area News and kindly allows me to post it here.  The report is a fascinating look at the forces that drive the quality and price of our food; if you haven’t read it before, check it out!

Executive summary:

• Expensive:  tomatoes and green peppers
• Declining prices:  zucchini, cucumbers, asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, and eggplant
• Grapes:  the party is over
• Food quiz!

Read on for the entire report.

The Market Report, by Ken Klein

Klein’s Supermarket, 2401 Pennsylvania Avenue, Philadelphia

Our Hours: M-F 8 AM to 8 PM; Sat. 8 AM to 8 PM; Sunday 9 AM to 1 PM

Greetings food lovers!

Quiz:  don’t let my hard heart put you off

I’m a 1-2 centimeter drupe on an annual herb, but don’t let my hard heart put you off—it’s as edible as the rest of me.  You can forage for me, if you know where to look, and the easiest way to get me is to shake my stem and let me fall to the ground (I’m already black and blue). Because you can’t propagate, transplant, or cultivate me, I’m a rare find. In addition, my summer harvest size is unpredictable since it depends on nature, soil, rainfall, frost, and sunlight.  When I’m in low supply, watch out for hungry bears.

Purists will insist that only my Northeast U.S. black and dangle types are the real things, but many bear my name in the western states with larger harvests of red, blue, Californian, squaw, Mountain, big or hairy. Remarkably juicy, with a rich, spicy and sweet flavor, you’ll find me most often frozen or made into juice, pies, and preserves. I have vitamins C and B. If you’ve never seen or eaten me fresh, you’ve missed a real delicacy, but you’ll know my name. My bloodhound namesake was the first animated series to win an Emmy. An American classic gave my name to a barefoot boy. Finally, you’ll even find me in the song "Moon River."  What am I?

Market Report

• This past week witnessed the highest prices in longer than I can remember on green peppers, now costing over $2 wholesale on the largest sizes (and that does not include whatever waste we receive in the box). This situation will continue for several more weeks, until the Mexican product matures.
• Tomatoes are also expensive. In this case, we have to wait for product to grow after it has been replanted.  Some product is currently available, but not nearly enough to supply the entire country.  As it looks right now, prices and supply are going to stay this way for 5-6 weeks.  All tomatoes are affected, with grape and cherry going up the most.  Those two varieties grow fast, so it may not be a long-term problem.  Large-size and plum tomatoes are not as lucky; they were hit hard, and recovery is taking some time.
• Now for some good news. Going down in price and up in quality are zucchini, both green and yellow.
• Also in the mix of price dekleins are cucumbers, asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower and eggplant. I am not sure if the supply is up or the demand is down.  Something has to give, so the suppliers might just have blinked to move product.
• California navel oranges are having a difficult time. Two killer rain storms have put a hold on the harvest. Those storms and forecasts of a reduced crop will have a major effect on the prices this winter. The overall quality will be inferior to last year’s fantastic crop.
• Grapes. The party is over. White seedless are just about done; prices have gone up, and the life of the fruit is not strong. With the recent California rains, the red grapes are having problems.  With what is available in the local marketplace, there remains a noticeable price difference based on berry size.  The larger the grape, the more we pay!
• Lettuce prices are going up.
• Now for something interesting.  Grapple. A Fuji apple that has the taste of a Concord grape!  What will they think of next? All in an attempt to have children eat more apples.  Check out the web site for more info.

Have a fruitful week!