This Valentine’s Day, forget sweets and celebrate with healthy foods that symbolize love around the world! In many cultures, long before chocolates and conversation hearts became popular, fresh fruits and vegetables were the answer to winning someone’s heart and affection! Whether you’re cooking for your partner, family, or friends, any meal or snack lovingly prepared with these items is sure to bring joy. The way to the heart is definitely through the stomach! 

Apples: In the Middle Ages, women would sleep with an apple and then offer it to a man the next day, believing that eating the fruit would make him fall in love with her. 

Beets: Heart shaped and red—what more do you need? Ancient Romans believed that beets were an aphrodisiac and promoted feelings of love.   

Carrots:  In Scotland, they celebrate “Domhnach Curran” or Carrot Sunday, when women gift carrots tied with a red thread to their beloved as a symbol of fertility. 

Garlic: While garlic may seem like an unusual symbol of romance, in China it represents luck and fertility. Ancient Chinese elites used it as an aphrodisiac. 

Lemons: In Italy, lemons symbolize both friendship and love. Their bright color, zesty flavor, and uplifting qualities make them a perfect representation of love’s joyful healing power. 

Oranges: In the 19th century (and now!), gifting an orange was considered thoughtful and generous. Peeling a citrus fruit can represent the care and love that is put into a relationship.  Due to the traditional timing of Blood Orange harvests in California, we have featured this red-fleshed fruit on Valentines for many years. Don’t pass up the Cara Cara navel, with its luscious pink flesh.  

Peppers: In many cultures, especially Mexican cuisine, chili peppers are prominently used and seen as a symbol of fiery passion and love.   

Spinach: In Japan, spinach is believed to be a symbol of secret love. People wrap gifts in spinach-green paper as a way to express their hidden passion. 

Pink and red color is often associated with love and the heart, hence any fruit or vegetable with red skin or red flesh can be featured. Strawberries are classic, but what about radicchio, blood oranges, red dragon fruit, strawberry guava, watermelon daikon, or red pears? Even Purple Stokes sweet potatoes can please and surprise anybody’s sweetheart! 

And don’t forget the PASSIONFRUIT! 

Weather Watch

A massive snowstorm in the Pacific Northwest is impacting production and shipping of some commodities. Cal-Ore’s Nature’s Pride potato packing shed in Klamath Basin in southern Oregon/northern California had to close for a “snow day.” Champs Mushrooms, in Western Canada experienced shipping delays. 

The same storm flooded parts of Hawaii before hitting the West Coast, and papaya supply is impacted. We want to re-name it “the Papaya Express.” 

Rains and strong winds in Northern California will continue to disrupt many categories including citrus, passionfruit and baby leaf lettuces. Expect delays in harvests and some impact on supply.  Further south in the desert, freezing temperatures are slowing growth and affecting quality on leafy greens such as bunched chards and Romaine lettuce. Cold temperatures in Mexico are affecting row crops, of course, and even bananas.  

New & Exciting!

Ataulfo Mango: AKA Honey Mango. Sweet and creamy with buttery texture. Delicious for eating out of hand but also amazing for smoothies and shakes. 

Dragon Fruit: AKA Pitaya. Gorgeous Red and cheery Yellow dragon fruit available from a family farm in Ecuador. Both varieties have white flesh with mild sweet flavor, the texture is reminiscent of kiwifruit. The small black seeds are edible. Supply expected to be steady for one month. 

Fresno Pepper: Medium heat chili similar in appearance to jalapeno but slightly fruitier and smokier in flavor. Fresnos start out green and ripens to a deep red color. 

Hawthorn Berry: Sweet-tart berry, grown worldwide. Great to eat fresh, made into jam, jelly & wine. In Mexico, the berry is known as tejocotes and used in candy called rielitos. In Korea, it’s sansachun and made into an alcoholic beverage or a sweet treat. In Ireland, Hawthorn is thought to cure a broken heart—perfect for Valentine’s Day! 

Royal Mandarin: In a sea of winter citrus, Royals reign supreme. They have zesty sweet orange flavor and are very juicy with some lemony undertones. The thin skin is easy to peel; expect some seeds. Wonderful for juicing or eating fresh!   

Seville Marmalade Orange: Coming soon! When ripe, Seville oranges are aromatic, with a sour, acidic, tangy and somewhat bitter taste. They are prized for their fragrance and flavor. Best suited for juicing, zesting, made into marmalade or candied. 

TDE Tangerine: TDE stands for Temple Tangor, Dancy, Encore—the parentage of this sweet, rich and juicy triple treat.  TDEs are known for their powerful flavor, plus they are easy-to-peel and seedless!  A staff favorite! 

Tulip Bouquet: A true sign of Spring is   the arrival of beautiful tulips! Available as straight packs and will be adding gorgeous color in all the mixed bouquets from Thomas Farms.  

Promotable

Asparagus: Prices are coming down; volume available. 

Carnival Squash: Nutty, buttery, and slightly sweet flavor similar to butternut squash. Great for roasting and stuffing! The attractive orange and green speckled skin is thin and edible. We have a super-great price from Tobias Farms, in the Hummingbird label. California-grown. 

Citrus 

• Blood Orange (right): Bloods have a complex flavor that is sweet and less acidic than regular oranges with notes of berry. 
• Grapefruit: Steady wins the citrus race.  Rio Red and Ruby in all sizes from B&J Ranch continue to be available with promotable pricing. Don’t sleep on the Cocktail grapefruit. This variety is exceptionally sweet and juicy. Much sweeter and less acidic than traditional grapefruit. 
• Golden Nugget Tangerine: Sweet & rich full-bodied flavor. Seedless and great for eating fresh or juicing! Considered to be one of the best tasting citrus in the world! 
• Kishu Tangerine: Back after a short gap. Petite, easy to peel with delicious balanced sweet and acidic flavor. Impossible to eat just one!  
• Murcott Tangerine: Very sweet, extremely juicy flesh.  Mostly seedless and easy to peel. Both flesh and juice are vibrant red/orange. A cross between a tangerine and a sweet orange. 

Cosmic Crisp Apple: Steady supply and sharp pricing! This apple has the texture and juiciness of the Honeycrisp, and long shelf life of the Enterprise. It has the perfect balance of tart and sweet. 

Avocado: We have good supply of California-grown Hass, Fair Trade Hass and green-skin Bacons. The final pick of staff-favorite Fuerte avocado is here now. Talk to your Account Manager about lightly breaking avocados ready-to-eat for the weekend! Make sure you’re stocked for Super Bowl Sunday!  

Fun Fact: On Super Bowl Sunday, Americans eat 8 million pounds of guacamole—that is enough to cover a football field 20 feet thick! 

Limited

Artichoke: Gap expected to last until end of February when Salinas and desert production start up. 

Bunched Chard: Extreme cold temperatures in desert growing regions are slowing growth and causing freeze damage. 

Egg: The bird flu coupled with reduced production during the winter season means the nationwide egg shortage continues on.  

Passionfruit: Harvest is light due to rain and cold temperatures. 

Radicchio: Very limited 

Raspberry/Strawberry: Still limited 

Romaine Lettuce: Quality issues from cold temperatures is impacting supply. Prices are up. 

Done for the Season

 Washington-grown Bosc Pear