j u n e 2 0 1 4 n e w s l e t t e r

G r e e n L e a f 1955 Jerrold Avenue San Francisco, CA 94124 phone 415.647.2991 fax 415.282.2999 www.greenleafsf.com

Farm SpotlightLearn more about Comanche Creek

Farm!Page 2

Local ArtisansExplore Schoch Family

Farmstead.

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Seasonal PicksFind out what’s best

from our local farmers and artisans.

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“It is the month of June,The month of leaves and roses,

When pleasant sights salute the eyesAnd pleasant scents the noses.”~Nathaniel Parker Willis, The Month of June

We’ve been working feverishly on our shiny new website and would love your feedback!

June Update

Looking forward, we are custom building our online ordering platform based on your feedback so that online ordering will be super easy, including a speedy, user-friendly search function.

Already, once you’re logged on, it’s a breeze to view past orders, setup reminders, and view pending orders online.

We would love your feedback; it is critical to developing our website to be most useful for you!

–Andrew J. Powning

Our homepage now includes more information on what’s just coming in, be it seasonal produce and cheese, or new items such as our expanding line of local TCHO

chocolates and Sonoma Brinery offerings.

In our food world, change is constant, and every season is a bit different each year. Because of this, we are now constantly updating to provide you with the information you need to be in the loop and up to speed. GreenLeaf has always believed in the

power of information to aid our customers in making best purchases, and we’re amping up our wattage for you. You can also see what’s trending.

We’re adding detailed information on everything we carry. Because over the course of one year

this totals over 5,000 items it will take us a bit to get everything covered. Our goal is to provide you with clear pictures and useful descriptions for all varieties of produce, cheese, dairy, charcuterie, oils, vinegars, nuts, pasta, baked goods, olives, dried spices- for everything in our artisanal arsenal.

We’re also expanding our information on Farmers we partner up with. By the way, we have for you a map of California by county which shows where many of our favorite growers are located. Several of our customers find it to be an interesting visual tool, useful in helping show back, and front of house staff where produce is coming from so they’ll be ready to answer your diner’s questions and to tell a story when promoting your dishes.

Visit us online www.greenleafsf.com

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farm spot l ight

Jim continues “Comanche Creek Farms began out of a desire for the best tasting, wholesome, picked at its peak produce for our own use. With experimentation for the best varieties, the garden expanded. Our location, just south of Chico, CA is nestled against the riparian habitat of Comanche Creek. Our produce grows in the mineral rich soil of the Butte Creek alluvion fan.

“Out of respect for our environment, we have adopted a constructive organic approach to our farming. With the knowledge that soil is not simply a means for anchoring plant roots and holding artificial fertilizers to provide plant nutrients, we work with nature, recycling natural materials, and growing cover crops to maintain soil fertility. We use only natural methods of pest control. These complex workings of creation have been successfully sustaining life for eons of time, our organic cultivation principals closely follow those found in the natural world.”

—Andrew J. Powning

comanche creekWe’ve had the pleasure of working with farmer Jim Miller for six seasons now. Recognized by peers and chefs as the premier heirloom tomato grower in California, Jim’s quality control is unparalleled. He grows beautiful, delicious tomatoes, picked ripe and packed with care.

Jim packs out two grades of mixed Heirloom Tomatoes. Greenleaf brings in only his number one grade, both the larger, basic varieties in a 10-pound case, and his “Caprese Mix”, a value-laden 12-pound pack featuring smaller fruit. His number two grade pack is distinguished by a red box-just in case you see them around; you will recognize the difference.

Jim says, “I am proud to have GreenLeaf represent me, and they are my biggest customer. I know that what I grow is being well taken care of and delivered in good condition to many of the best eating establishments in Northern California. Together with their buyer Gary Teilman, we carefully plan out how much of what to grow before each season, and his input is invaluable to me. He knows what the chefs are looking for, and I can be confident that what I grow, GreenLeaf will sell.”

As we settle into summer, local farms will be in full production in Brentwood, Capay Valley, Salinas/Watsonville and points in between. Low chill hours and ill-timed rain and heat slowed CA cherry harvest to a trickle but WA state fruit should run well for

July, alongside peaches, nectarines, pluots, and plums, bush berries (black, red and gold raspberries, green goose and possibly some boysens), both snap stage beans (Romano, wax, French, Blue Lake) plus Cranberry shelling beans. Succotash and Cassoulet time. Mixed Heirloom squash, corn and new crop potatoes will hit a hearty stride. Heirloom tomatoes typically hove to in sweet, significant volume. Heirloom melons (Sharlyn, Galia, Charantais, Ambrosia, Pink Dews) join Yellow Doll, Orange Orchid, and Mickey Lee Watermelons. The pepper parade picks up steam with yellow, orange and red Gypsies, lilacs, Pimenton de Padron and sweet/hot Italian frying peppers (green to start). Later ripening varieties such as Cheese pimentos, Jimmy Nardello, and Corno di Toro to follow soon. Champagne grapes/Zante currants usually roll in mid/late month. Fig leaves, grape leaves await wrapping projects. Rose petals, mixed blossoms, nasturtiums, pansies, petal confetti), abound. By months end Toybox eggplant should be up and running.

—Andrew J. Powning

J u l y s n e a k p r e v i e w

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loca l ar t i sans

schoch family farmsteadThe Schoch Family Farmstead, established in 1944, is one of the few small family dairies still located in Monterey County. Originally from Switzerland, the Schoch brothers brought their knowledge of dairy farming to the fertile Salinas Valley and the traditions they established continue to hold true today. The herds graze on pastures cloaked in fog from the Monterey Bay, and milking starts every day before sunrise. Sustainability is paramount, and the milk that goes into Schoch cheeses comes from a tidy herd of 100 Holsteins, making each wheel a true farmstead cheese. Second-generation dairy man John Schoch and his three sons are focused on maintaining their legacy of land stewardship, and have partnered with local resource conservation agencies to achieve this goal. Recent projects have included native hedgerow plantings, riparian habitat restoration, wastewater collection and reuse, composting, erosion control, nutrient management practices, improved pasture management and rotational grazing. Herd health is critical, and Schoch takes a hands-on approach to running the dairy, including doing most of the milkings himself. The resulting cheeses are outstanding examples of the family’s history and dedication, and pay tribute to the vibrant dairy history of the Salinas Valley.

Gabilan – A mountain cheese crafted from fresh raw cow’s milk, in the tradition of a classic Swiss. Firm, smooth and dense, with a mellow tang and buttery sweetness. Available in half wheels.

Monterey Jack – A superb take on a California classic, with a lactic complexity layered over fresh, sweet milk.

East of Edam – Creamy to semi-firm, similar to gouda and featuring a natural salt-brined rind. Made with raw cow’s milk cheese, a clean, creamy treat.

Mt. Toro Tomme – Made with raw milk and washed in locally handcrafted beer, a subtle yet complex cheese with a semi-firm paste and buttery finish.

—Sara Jaye

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PANTRY

Evolution Juices: Fresh Orange, Grapefruit, Lemon, Lime, Tangerine

Tcho Chocolate

California Olive Ranch EVOO

Sparrow Lane Vinegars

Dried Fruits and Nuts

Divina Olives

Potter’s Crackers

Sapporito Fresh Pasta

Lundberg Rice

Sonoma Valley Foods Fresh Tortillas

Dried Chili Peppers

DAIRY

Clover Milk: Conventional and Organic

Straus Barista Milk

Cage Free and Organic Glaum Eggs

Sierra Nevada European Style Butter

Straus and Wallaby Yogurt

Clover 1% Buttermilk

FROZEN

La Brea and Pastry Smart Breads

Perfect Puree of Napa Valley

SUPPLIES

Lazzari Wood and Charcoal

Knoll Fig Wood

CHEESE

Schoch East of Edam

Vella Dry Jack

Pt. Reyes Toma

Nicasio Maggia Reserve

Cypress Grove Bermuda Triangle

View and order online at www.greenleafsf.com

BEST SEASONAL PRODUCE PICKS

FRUITJacobs Farm Chandler Strawberries and Coke

Farm Albion Strawberries

Driscoll Raspberries and Blueberries

County Line Galia, Honey Yellow, Piel de Sapo, Snow Leopard, and Toybox Melons

Shanley Farms Finger Limes

Oregon Field Grown Rhubarb

Frog Hollow Apricots and Peaches

Conventional Black Mission Figs

Knoll Adriatic Figs

VEGE TABLES

Knoll Arugula

California Hass Avocados

Iacopi Fava Beans

Dwelley Farms Yellow Wax, French and Romano Beans

Wild Sea Beans from Humboldt County

Coke Farm Broccoli di Ciccio

Brentwood “Blue Diamond” Corn

Capay Nantes Carrots

Comanche Creek Painted Serpent and Lemon Cucumbers

County Line Harvest Baby Lacinato and Red Russian Kale

California Red, Mixed and White Endive

Coke Farm Fennel

Earthworks Nasturtium Leaves and Flowers

Knoll Fava, Fig, and Horseradish Leaves

Mushrooms- Morel (NorCal), Gourmet Mushroom Toybox Mushrooms

Onions-Cippolini, Pearl, California Sweet

Iacopi English Peas

Full Belly Farm German Butterball Potatoes and Capay Organic Princess La Ratte Potatoes

County Line Baby Turnips

Comanche Creek Toybox Squash

Coke Farm Male Squash Blossoms

Faurot Ranch Easter Egg Radishes, County Line Harvest French Breakfast Radishes, and Coke

Farm Black Spanish Radishes

seasonal p icks f r e s h i n f o r m at i o n s o y o u c a n p l a n a h e a d f o r t h e s e a s o n

PRODUCE: GAPPING

Red Watercress-Gapping until September

Organic Meyer Lemons-Short supply until Fall

Artichokes-Summer heat slows production as plants flower

Scarborough Frisee-Returns early June

PRODUCE: NEW

Riverdog Mixed Baby Chards

County Line Harvest Ananas, Galia, Goddess, Piel De Sapo, Honey Yellow and Snow Leopard

Melons

County Line Ancho Cress

County Line Baby and Mixed Mustards

County Line Purslane

County Line Pea Tendrils

River Dog Fresh Red Torpedo Onions

Brentwood White and Yellow Corn

Comanche Creek Painted Serpent Cucumbers

Comanche Creek Toybox Cherry Tomatoes

Knoll Adriatic Figs

Conventional Black Mission Figs

PRODUCE: DONE

Coke Farm Celery Root

Garnet Yams

Vidalia onions

Coke Farm Jerusalem Artichokes

Green Almonds

Knoll Baby Fava Beans

Riverdog Red and White Spring Onions

Organic Red Cippolini Onions