For the past nine years, Produce Express has been purchasing a wide variety of Dried Fruits and Nuts from Napa Nuts. Established in 1980, Napa Nuts sources their products from farms throughout California with many farms located nearby in the San Joaquin Valley . Some nuts, such as cashews and macadamias, must be purchased out of state or abroad and, in these instances, Napa Nuts applies the same high quality standards as their domestic products.

Dried Fruit

Drying fruit is the oldest method of preserving it and a convenient way to add sugar and fiber to a diet. To produce dried fruit, the water is removed from fully ripened fresh fruit, either by the sun or by machine (hot air drying). The final moisture content of dried fruit usually ranges from15 to 25 percent. Drying fruit greatly concentrates both sweetness and flavor and the taste is often changed, as from grape to raisin or plum to prune. Machine drying usually takes no more than 24 hours. Sun drying can take three to four times as long, causing additional loss of nutrients through heat and time. Vitamins A and C are most susceptible to depletion during the drying process; however, drying concentrates the nutrients of fresh fruit including protein, carbohydrate (natural sugar) and fiber. Dried fruits are an excellent source of calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium and other minerals. Dried fruit can be stored for several months in a dried, airtight container and all dried fruits can be frozen.

Nuts

Fresh nuts are widely used in thousands of dishes in all cultures around the world. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner; eaten alone or used in all manners of entrees, appetizers, sides, and desserts; shelled, blanched, whole or halved, chopped, sliced and minced; raw, dry roasted, with or without salt, smoked, candied, glazed, and flavored with jalapeno, garlic, honey, cinnamon and chocolate, among others-nuts are versatile, essential and everywhere. Nuts are high in calcium, folic acid, vitamin E and fiber. Nuts sometimes get a bad rap for being high in fat; however, 50 to 80 percent of that fat is monounsaturated-the good fat that helps reduce the level of LDL-the bad cholesterol. The nuts highest in monounsaturated fats are almonds, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, pistachios and walnuts.

Produce Express stocks the following dried fruits and nuts-5# unless otherwise noted:

 

Dried Apples-$19.75 Dried Peaches-$28.75 Dried Papaya-$14.75

Dried Nectarines-$28.75 Dried Currants-$14.75 Dried Pineapple-$14.75

Dried Blueberries-$55.75 Dried Figs-$19.75 Dried Apricots-$17.75

Dried Pears-$28.75 Dried Cherries-$37.75 Dried Cranberry-$22.75

Golden Raisins-$11.75 Raisins- $11.75 Dried Mixed Berries-$36.75

Prunes- $18.75 Plums- $28.75 Mixed Fruit- $27.75 Mango- $18.75

  

Pine Nuts-$44.75 Cashews-$25.75 Pecan Pieces-$33.75 Pecan Halves-$35.75

Macadamia-$37.75 Walnut Halves-$28.75 Walnut Pieces-$5.00 per pound

Pistachio- $36.75 Hazelnuts- $34.75 Peanuts Raw- $14.75 Pumpkin Seeds- $17.75

Peanuts roasted/salted 25# $28.75 Sesame Seeds- $14.75 Sunflower Seeds- $14.75

Almonds- Slivered- $27.75 Blanched- $25.75 Raw- $24.75 Roasted- $27.75

Sliced- $26.75 Chestnuts Whole 5#- $21.75 Frozen Shelled 1#- $5.75