July 2006 Market Report [click for PDF]

For past issues of the Market Report, visit our Market Report Archive!

Club DLM card is required for all sale prices. In the event of a typographical error, in-store prices will prevail. All sale items are limit five with Club DLM card.

Third Annual Peach Party at DLM
If you're like me, one of the things you love about summertime is all the fresh fruit we have at peak condition. Long-stem strawberries, fragrant juicy melons, plump plums and nectarines...it's the time of year when nature's candy jar of fruit overflows. For the third straight year here at Dorothy Lane Market, we have something so wonderful for you, so perfect for summer, that we are throwing a "party" to celebrate. What summertime food is so good it has us grinning from ear to ear? Peaches! Not just your normal supermarket peaches, though. We're talking about "Prima Sweet" peaches so sweet and juicy, you don't even notice the nectar running down your chin when you take a bite.

What makes these particular peaches unique? How did we find them? DLM Produce Director José Manzano, who has been in the produce biz for decades, discovered these peaches on a trip he made a couple of years back to California's fertile San Joaquin Valley. There, he visited the orchards of Prima®, where he met the growers, toured the orchards, and saw how carefully Prima's top label, "Prima Sweet"(the one DLM carries), is handled.

To give you an idea of why Prima Sweet is different, consider how normal supermarket peaches are harvested. When harvest time arrives, the packer goes through an orchard three times looking for fruit that's ready. On the last pass, they will pick all that's left, ripe or not. The fruit is mercilessly dumped into large bins that weigh up to 1000 lbs. From there, the fruit gets hydro-cooled (quickly cooled to stabilize them), sorted, packed into boxes, and shipped around the country. Because the fruit is put into large bins, it has to be picked, as you can imagine, quite green to withstand getting piled so high. Finally the fruit is subjected to bruising, from bumping into other fruit in the box, and again when it's piled on a display in a typical store. This gives you an idea why the typical supermarket peach is about as tasty as a fuzzy baseball.

Prima Sweet peaches are a whole different story. On José's first day at Prima, he was touring an orchard with his guide Jerry just after a picking crew had passed through. Looking up and seeing what looked like a perfectly ripe peach, José inquired as to why it was missed. Jerry said it was left behind on purpose. The pickers, you see, hand-select fruit only when its color and sheen are peak, and not before. To get peak fruit, the pickers of Prima will pass through the same orchard, not just three, but eight to ten times, harvesting fruit that is in peak condition. The longer a peach remains on the tree, the higher the sugar content and the better the flavor. Once each Prima peach is hand-selected, the picker places it into a small rounded-bottom bucket. This special small bucket further protects the fruit from bruising.

Once at the plant, these exceptional peaches are minimally and carefully handled. First they are slowly cooled while still in the small harvest buckets. Next they are gently placed on a slowly moving belt. The belt passes under a device that uses light to measure the brix (sugar content) of each fruit. Those with the highest brix, of 11 to 13, are separated and given further special treatment. Only these higher-brix, that is, sweeter peaches, get the "Prima Sweet" label (a normal peach has a brix reading in the 8 to 10 range). Next, the fruit is hand-packed, one-by-one, in protective boxes that coddle each individual peach. So much pride is taken packing the boxes, in fact, that you can see a small photo of the person who packed the box. The peaches we are featuring for the DLM Peach Party are certifiably sweeter, more flavorful peaches. Not only does Prima sort and measure their premium crop, we do the same at DLM by means of a tool called a refractometer. Each of our Produce managers has such a sweetness measuring device. With this device, we can daily measure the brix level of the fruit. Remember, higher brix means more sugar, which means more flavor. Whereas the brix of peaches sold at most places comes in around the 8-10 range, our extraordinary peach registers at 11 to 13, and sometimes higher!

Look for our DLM Peach Party to begin in mid-July, when these peaches will be at their peak. Be sure to check out our displays, where you will find samples, signs showing daily brix measurements, and plentiful fresh peaches too good to resist. We will also keep you posted daily as to where the peaches come from, as well as the variety. For this year's party, only peaches with a brix of 11 or higher are allowed in. We guarantee you will love them all. You're invited, so come to the party—and sink your teeth into a juicy sweet peach.

HEALTHY LIVING

Dr. Dennis S. Brickner
This month the Healthy Living Department is happy to welcome Dr. Dennis S. Brickner, renowned National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association (NUCCA) chiropractor and president of the Springboro Doctors' Speakers Bureau. Dr. Brickner graduated cum laude and with research honors from Palmer College of Chiropractic. He was named to the prestigious Heritage Registry of Who's Who for his outstanding individual achievements in the field of chiropractic care and for notable contributions his practice has made to the health and wellness education of countless citizens. His topic will be "Vaccine Facts, Myths, & Speculations."

Dr Brickner knows that the well-being of your children is among your top priorities. In this dynamic and eye-opening workshop, Dr. Brickner answers these questions that parents often ask themselves:

• Are vaccines really safe—and effective—for my child?
• Is there a vaccine/autism link?
• Can my child get into school without vaccinations?
• What really contributed to the decline in polio?
• How beneficial is the flu shot?

Concerning the flu shot he asks, would you want any of the following vaccine constituents in your own bloodstream?

• Ethylene glycol (antifreeze)
• Phenol (carbolic acid, used as a disinfectant; dye)
• Formaldehyde (a known cancer-causing agent)
• Aluminum (associated with Alzheimer's, seizures)
• Chimerical (a mercury disinfectant; can result in brain injury)

Join us in our Springboro community room for this power-packed workshop on Tuesday, July 24 from 7-8 p.m. This workshop is free, but registration is required, as seating is limited. To register, or for more information, contact Kathy Stone (937 748-6800) or Joy Kemp (937 434-1294).

New! Magnetic Therapy
As a child I was always fascinated by magnets. I couldn't understand how that small piece of metal could be so strong. As an adult I am fascinated that magnets are being used as a therapy for health and well-being. The use of magnetic therapy dates back thousands of years. Today there is a revival of this ancient therapy. Magnets are being used as pain relievers, to increase proper circulation, to achieve optimum energy and stamina, and to assist the body's ability to achieve balance. According to a Baylor College of Medicine study, "The delivery of static magnetic fields through a magnetized device directly applied to a pain trigger point or to a localized painful area results in significant pain relief within a short period of time (less than 45 minutes in our study) and with no apparent side effects."The World Health Organization studies on magnetic fields, published in 1987, declared magnets safe. It is important, however, that people fitted with pacemakers, defibrillators, implanted insulin pumps or other electro-medical devices keep magnets at least 18"away from the device.

New in our Healthy Living Department at all three locations is magnetic jewelry from Serenity 2000 that brings wellness and fashion together. The beautiful necklaces, bracelets, rings, and earrings are stylish yet "good for you." Bracelets, for instance, are commonly used to alleviate discomfort in the hand, arm, and shoulder and to promote a general sense of well-being. My new fascination—how can something so pretty be good for you? 20% off Serenity 2000 Product Line.

Couscous & Asparagus Summer Salad
Adapted from June 2006 Bon Appétit

• 1 garlic clove
• 3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• ½ cup Vera Jane's Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
• Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2½ cups Bowman & Landes Chicken broth
• 2 cups Rustichella d'Abruzzo Fregola Sarda (Toasted Pasta aka Israeli Couscous)
• 2 cups 1-inch pieces thin asparagus spears, blanched 2 minutes (about 1½ lb)
• 1 English cucumber, seeded, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
• ½ cup pitted kalamata olives, halved
• 2 large green onions, chopped
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• ¼ cup fresh mint leaves, chopped, plus sprigs for garnish
• 6 oz coarsely crumbled feta cheese (optional)

Press garlic clove into small bowl. Add lemon juice and mustard; whisk in oil. Season dressing with salt and pepper.
Bring the broth to boil in a medium saucepan. Mix in pasta. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until pasta is tender and all broth is absorbed, about 10 minutes. Transfer pasta to a large bowl; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cool to room temperature, tossing occasionally, about 45 minutes (TIP: to shorten cooling time, spread pasta on a cookie sheet and place in refrigerator for about 15-20 minutes).

Mix asparagus, cucumber, olives, green onions, tomatoes, and chopped mint into pasta. Add dressing; toss. Gently mix in cheese, if desired. Makes 8 servings

Per serving: 258 calories (65% calories from fat); 19g total fat; 2g saturated fat; 3mg cholesterol; 230mg sodium; 17g total carbohydrates; 7g protein.

DLM School of Cooking Favorite!

1) $50 Gift Certificate to Marco's Paper
2) $100 Gift Card to the Montgomery Inn
3) Sonrise Window Cleaning Single Visit (up to $100 value)

One set of prizes will be awarded at each store location unless otherwise specified. No purchase necessary to enter.