I have been suffering sticker shock in recent months from seeing 33%
to 50% price increases. Part of it is due to our currently weak
dollar and a disadvantageous exchange rate when importing produce

National stuff isn't in yet, and so there's to be no
price relief for months. Here of course we get Mexican
and South American produce year-round, and the prices
though high are not stupendous. In a month or two (it's
been cool if not frigid, so everything is behind schedule)
the localish California stuff will be in, but oddly that
is not likely to affect the prices much.

from California but that only explains at most a 20% bump. I'd like

If you're getting California produce, it's likely to
be greenhouse- or hydroponically grown, and that's going
to cost a bit more.

to think that the increase in the cost of lettuce after the two
recent e-coli outbreaks is a result of more careful and sanitary

I'm not up to speed on that, but certainly there's been
a demand sag with the consequent planting sag. There
hasn't been much romaine trade down here for a while.

growing and handling but I am sceptical about that hypothesis. And

No Pollyanna about you, eh?

even the cost of domestically produced not so perishable things
grown in Canada last year are jumping up as a result. I suspect the
benefit for that is all going to the big distributors who have been warehousing stuff all winter, not growers. Even humble cabbage has
jumped from $0.79 per lb to $1.49. And paying $4 for lettuce, $5 for
celery and $6 for 4 leeks is crazy.

So starve 'em out. Our veggies have been a bit
high, but onions and carrots aren't too much
more than normal (the quality is lower, probably
due to this warehousing you're talking about). For
some reason meat has been quite inexpensive, with
pork being especially low - I got a slab of ribs
for $1/lb (previously frozen). I could have got
center-cut chops for under $2, but Lilli wanted ribs.

Title: Lithuanian Egg Croquettes

As with so many of these dishes, it's the
onions that make it.

MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02

Title: Baby Artichoke Calvados Saute
Categories: Meats, Kooknet, Cyberealm, Vegetables
Yield: 6 servings

2 1/2 lb Baby artichokes
1 1/2 lb Pork loin scallops
6 oz Butter; clarified
3/4 lb Apple slices
2 1/2 oz Green onions; sliced
1 1/2 ts Garlic; minced
1 tb Sage; chopped
3 oz Calvados (or other apple bra
Chicken stock; as needed
Salt; to taste
Garnish: sage leaves

Recipe by: Donald Cope, Doubletree Hotel, Monterey Wash, trim and
halve artichoke hearts. Store in acidulated water. For each serving,
saute 4oz pork in butter. Remove from pan and hold warm. Saute 8-10
artichoke halves in pan, about 5 minutes. Add portions of apples,
onions, sage, apple brandy and toss. Moisten with chicken stock and
season with salt. Add serving of pork and toss again. Remove to
serving plate and garnish with sage leaves.

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