As a company, Produce Express strives to provide our ustomers with the following with regard to our products: quality, variety, fair pricing and service. It is at this time of year, for various reasons, that these concepts can be most challenged. Due to winter weather patterns and ongoing transportation costs, our buyer is required to spend more time sourcing produce staples as well as seasonal and specialty items. And, it is the Holiday season-a busy time for us and our many restaurants, markets and caterers. And, of the four days a year that we close, two occur in an eight day period-Christmas Day, December 25th and New Year’s Day, January 1st. And, one of our primary sources for many items-the San Francisco Produce Market- is closed for both Holiday weekends. The San Francisco Market supplies us with such items as Herbs, Baby Vegetables, Fingerling Potatoes, Specialty Lettuces, Wild Mushrooms and serves as a backup source for many staples. We are at the Market in the middle of the night and our office is able to communicate with the buyer to add on any item that we need to fill the day’s orders. This Market will be in the process of reducing stock in anticipation of weekend closures at the same time that we are trying to keep our inventory current. Thus, it is very important that our customers are aware of the above and, hopefully, order as early as possible for all of your Holiday events.
  Citrus-Blood Oranges are now in stock. Usually, it takes several weeks for full color to occur in these specialty oranges. This year, the first shipments from Southern California arrived with deep reddish flesh and excellent flavor. Blood Orange season runs from December through April and, if the first part of the crop is any indication, it will be a good season. With the arrival of these seasonal oranges, we now have a triumvirate of high quality,specialty citrus for restaurant menus: Blood Oranges, Satsuma Mandarins and Meyer Lemons. In fact, we as so pleased with these three items that we are going to give some away-Free. We propose to give one case of each to the first person that asks for one via email to our company. Here’s what you need to do: (1). Go to your E-mail and send an email or use the contact link on the home page; (2) Address the email to the author-jimmills@produceexpress.net (check to make sure that you have two e’s in the middle of produceexpress); (3) Enter the word “Citrus” in the subject column; (4) In the text part, put down which type of Citrus you would like (i.e. , Blood Orange, Meyer Lemon, Satsuma Mandarin) and identify yourself and your restaurant or catering business, etc. That’s it. We will use the time sent feature of our email service to determine who sent the first request for each type of Citrus and a case will be delivered to the winners the next day.
   So, we are having a contest of sorts and this will accomplish a few things on this end. First, we will learn if people are reading this far into the newsletter and are interested in receiving a free case of citrus with a minimum amount of effort. Second, you will learn that we do indeed have email. Third, you will help us determine how much more we should use this technology in the coming year. Fourth, you now know who I am and I know who you are and, hopefully, something good comes out of all this. Happy Holidays.

                                 December Vegetables
                                   Spinach, Bok Choy
                            Beets- Red, Gold and Chioggia
                    Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts and Cauliflower
                      Cabbages-Red, Green, Napa and Savoy
                    Chicories-Radicchio,Belgian and Curly         Endive,Escarole,  Frisee Greens-Kale, Collard, Mustard,  Red,                   Green and Rainbow Chard
  Root Vegetables-Parsnips, Celery Root, Rutabegas, Sunchokes, Turnips
               Potatoes- Fingerling, Yukons, Sweet Potatoes, Yams
      Winter Squash-Butternut, Acorn, Delicato, Pumpkins-  Orange, White, French Red
                               Wild Mushrooms-Chanterelles
                                   Seasonal Fruits and Nut
                                  Walnuts, Chestnuts, Almonds
   Apples-Granny Smith, Pink Lady, Braeburn, Fuji, McIntosh, Crabapples Kiwi, Kumquats, Dates Cranberries, Pomegranates and Persimmons     Citrus-Navel Oranges, Satsuma Mandarins, FallGlo Tangerines, Meyer Lemons
                             Pears-Bosc, D’Anjou, Comice. Quince
  Specialty-Produce Express continues to carry a wide variety of specialty items to add to and enhance our seasonal fruits and vegetables.
  Olives- Pitted Kalamata (Greece) and Mixed Harvest Olives (California).
  Olive Oil-Sciabica Extra Virgin and Pure Olive Oil (California).
  Sparrow Lane Vinegars (Napa)-Apple Cider, Champagne, Balsamic, Golden Balsamic, Zinfandel, Cabernet and Red Wine.
  Gourmet Valley Specialty Rice and Beans (Woodland)-Green Flageolet, Marrow, Runner Cannellini, Garboncito and Florida Butter Beans. Basmati, Carnaroli, Jasmine and Wild Rice.
  Nuts-Cashews, Almonds, Pistachios, Hazelnuts, Macadamia, Walnuts, Pine Nuts, Peanuts, Pecans. Pepitas.
  Dried Fruit-Apples, Raisins, Peaches, Pears, Cherries, Figs, Pineapple, Mango, Papaya, Apricots, Mixed Berries, Blueberries, Dates, Sundried Tomato.
  Decorative-Palm Leaves, Ti Leaves, Bay Leaves, Leatherleaf Fern, Edible Flowers, Roses, Pansies, and Orchids, Mixed Confetti Flowers.
  Perfect Puree (Napa)-Strawberry, Peach, Raspberry, Blackberry, Blood Orange, Mango, Black Currant, Blueberry, Cherry, Pomegranate, Lychee, Prickly Pear.
  Vanilla-Imported Tahitian Vanilla Beans (4oz. and 8oz.), Vanilla Puree (Quart), and Extract (32 oz.).
  Wood-Mesquite Charcoal, Wood and Chips, Hickory and Apple Wood Chips.