Buyers' Picks: July 2004

Loralie Durkee, Laro’s New England Specialty Shoppe, Quechee, VT
Foliage is our best and busiest time of year. We do well with apple-based wines, pickled items and corn relishes. We will also be carrying cider mustard from Cold Hollow Cider Mill. My picks include:
• North River Winery Blueberry Apple Wine
• Granny Blossom’s Dilly Beans and Corn Relish
• MacIntosh Farms Apple Butter
• Cold Hollow Cider Mill Cider Mustard

Michael Janiszewski, Chefshop.com, Seattle
The cooler weather calls for more soups, stews and pasta—that brings increased sales in the dried bean category. Dried mushroom season begins in the fall and we sell a lot of dried cepes (porcini). Jam and olive oil also does very well. My picks include:
• Essential Pantry Marrow Beans and Petite French Green Lentils
• Stephanie’s Specialties Bing Cherry Jam
• Lagarde Dried Porcini Mushrooms

Ayrica Bennett, The Olive Farm, Portland, OR
A lot of our products are harvested during certain times of the year for the most intense flavors and colors. We have green, pink and black olives; each has a different flavor profile. Early harvest olive oil and Turkish dried figs picked in early fall are also very popular. My picks include:
• The Olive Farm Early Harvest EVO
• Turkish dried figs
• Green, pink and black olives
• Turkish dried apricots

Christina Cassano, Pumpkins Organic, Brooklyn, NY
Oddly enough, we sell a lot of chicken and beef broth. Winter squash is very popular as are fresh figs and grapes. Beverages like Zeigler’s apple cider and hot cocoa do well along with vegan marshmallows. My picks include:
• Butternut or winter squash
• Zeigler’s Apple Cider
• Pacific Chicken and Beef Broth
• Green & Black’s Organic Hot Cocoa
• Vegan Supreme Marshmallows
• Fresh figs

Evelyn Ignatow, Hyde Park Gourmet Food & Wine, Cincinnati, OH
We bring in products specifically for the harvest season. Customers are looking for items that contain apples, pumpkin, corn and cranberry. Cornmeal cookies and breadsticks are new for us and we hope they will do well this fall. My picks include:
• Stuzzichini al Mais (cornmeal breadstick)
• Ritrovo Foglie di Mais (cornmeal cookies)
• French Farm Peach with Vanilla Jam
• Earth & Vine Spicy Apple Garlic Jam

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