FSD's Culinary Council: Winter produce ordering

Question:

How are you adjusting your produce order for the winter?

Answers from FSD's Culinary Council

Our guests remember the days when you could not get a berry in December, but society and global commerce changed that. Now, we in the food industry are looking for the best local produce, and with that comes eating to the season once again. We have begun to menu more root vegetables; they are not only in season, they create taste memories for our residents. Your metabolism slows in winter, and root vegetables and hard squash contain more fiber, which is filling for cold winter days and helps aid digestion.

Richard Hoelzel
Corporate Executive Chef
Morrison Community Living
Little Rock, Ark.

We go through produce product sheets weekly to see what we can get locally and to see what new items may be available. We also keep our pars low so that we do not have a lot of product on hand. If the quality on items such as tomatoes, melons or berries are poor or the price shoots up, we look for alternate items and substitute. I am not married to a product that is poor quality or increases labor in picking out the usable parts.  

Craig. J. Mombert
Executive Chef
Davidson College
Davidson, N.C.

I plan on incorporating more seasonal fruits, such as clementines, pomegranates and pears. During the holiday season we get several requests for cheese trays with dried fruits, nuts, preserves, chutneys and butters, which is a great way to use IQF fruit and leftover squash and pumpkin. [Also,] our infused waters will have a more harvest feel by adding apples, cranberries, oranges and rosemary. I must say
I love this time of year!

Darla Mehrkens
Executive Chef
Carilion Clinic
Roanoke, Va.