Looking to invigorate your bar with a new and unusual signature cocktail that people just have to try? North American Import & Export now sells wholesale specialty produce that can do just that!

Sechuan Buttons (aka Szechuan Buttons)
These small yellow flowers possess an unusual secret that will have your customers talking. The tiny yellow petals possess a strong (but not unpleasant) tingling “voltage” sensation. Use it to give your drinks an electric buzz, or the feeling of carbonation without adding soda or seltzer. Sechuan buttons can also be used as a palate cleanser or as an ingredient in salads, sorbets, ice creams, etc.

Pepquinos (aka Cucamelons, Mouse Melons)
Wow customers with what appears to be the world’s smallest watermelon. Pepquinos actually have a flavor closer to cucumbers (with a slight sourness) and are completely edible. Though they’re a unique, eye-catching garnish, they can also be used as an ingredient in drinks, tossed with other small fruit like kumquats to make a tiny fruit salad, or sautéed.

Shiso Leaves (aka Japanese Basil, Perilla, Purple Mint, Beefsteak Plant)
Muddle shiso into drinks for the ultimate herb cocktail. This classic Japanese herb combines a beautiful shape with a complex flavor that includes elements of many herbs and spices. Green shiso tastes similar to a blend of basil, fennel & mint, while purple shiso evokes cumin, cinnamon, and ginger. Shiso leaves are a common accompaniment to raw fish in Japanese cuisine, but they are also great in salads or dipped in tempura batter and fried.

Adding specialty produce to your foodservice menu is easy, just call us at (888) 276-5955 to place your order!  

If you’re a home cook, Marx Foods can help.  Buy szechuan buttons, buy pepquinos and buy shiso leaves here.

North American Import & Export distributes several species of wholesale salmon for foodservice use. Here is a guide to help you decide which species to include in your next order:

Pink Salmon – Most Tender and Affordable

Oil Content: High
Flake Size: Smallest
Fish Size: Smallest

Frequently overlooked, Pink salmon (aka humpback salmon, “humpies”) is the smallest of the Pacific species. It is plentiful and therefore relatively affordable and sustainable. Pink salmon is the most tender of all salmon, which unfortunately means its flesh is frequently damaged during large-scale commercial fishing. Because of this damage, it is usually found in cans.

NAIE has partnered with small fishing operations in the Pacific Northwest that clean and refrigerate their Pink catch at sea before hand-carrying them from the boat at dock instead of using vacuum tubes. This allows us to sell you whole Pink salmon that is in pristine condition.

Besides being tender, Pink salmon has other benefits. Its relatively small size (below 4 pounds), low place on the food chain, and youth when spawning mean that there is less bioaccumulation of toxins than larger salmon. It also contains an amount of flavorful (and healthy) oils approaching those found in the prized Sockeye and King salmon species. Pink salmon meat has a comparatively small flake size.

Sockeye Salmon – Darkest Color and Most Popular

Oil Content: 2nd Highest
Flake Size: Medium
Fish Size: Small

The most popular of all Pacific Salmon, Sockeye salmon (aka blueback salmon) also possesses the darkest colored meat. It is almost ruby in color, giving them their primary nickname, red salmon. It is second in line in terms of flavorful/healthy oil content behind King salmon. It has a medium flake size, and robust flavor, but less fat than the King (which, while reducing richness, may be a selling point for your customers). These fish tend to weigh between five and seven pounds each.

King Salmon – The Largest and Richest Salmon

Oil Content: Highest
Flake Size: Largest
Fish Size: Largest

Also known as Chinook salmon, the King is the fattiest, richest, and largest of the Pacific salmon species. The meat often has ribs of white running through it in a striped pattern. King has one of the highest oil contents, and the largest flake size.

Ivory King Salmon:
While relatively uncommon, it is possible to find King salmon that have not developed their pink color. This is a natural occurrence in the wild. These King salmon are sometimes sold as Ivory Kings or White King Salmon, and should otherwise have the same characteristics as normal Kings.

Coho Salmon – Less Flavorful, But More Tender

Oil Content: Medium
Flake Size: Medium-Small
Fish Size: Medium

Coho salmon (aka silver salmon) have flesh that is similar to King salmon in color (and is therefore the color most people associate with salmon). They tend to weigh between six and eight pounds whole. They have a medium flake size like sockeyes (although smaller), but are leaner and have less flavor. Finally, their flesh is more tender than Sockeye or King salmon.

Chum Salmon – Late Season Availability

Oil Content: Low
Flake Size: Small
Fish Size: Large

Also known as Keta salmon or “fall salmon,” Chum salmon is one of the palest and leanest salmon (just above the pink in fat content). These fish are relatively large (weighing around eight pounds each) with a delicate flavor. The Chum salmon season tends to peak later than other species, making them more likely to be available when other salmon is scarce. Chum salmon are the species least commonly sold fresh, and are the most commonly dried Pacific salmon.

Atlantic Salmon:
A large, robust species. Almost all Atlantic salmon available on the market is farmed due to the depletion of wild Atlantic salmon fisheries. Farmed Atlantic salmon generally is far less flavorful than wild caught varieties and usually contains synthetic coloring agents.  Most farmed salmon is raised in Norway, Chile, Washington State and British Columbia.  Farmed salmon is outlawed in Alaska.

Consumers can buy wild salmon at MarxFoods.com.

Several varieties of duck are available for restaurant menus.  Below is a brief discussion of the different species.

Tremendously Flavorful
Ducks are packed with flavor that can be leveraged to produce all sorts of dishes in a restaurant kitchen. Duck confit, smoked duck, foie gras, roast duck breast or duck legs are all beloved classics, and rendered duck fat can be used as a cooking medium for other ingredients as well. Duck meat is often paired with fruit, port wine, sage, soy, or ginger.

Easily Controlled Fat Levels
As water fowl, ducks carry most of their fat just under the skin where it acts as insulation and as a flotation aid. While duck fat is considered one of the most flavorful fats available to chefs, this positioning allows it to be easily trimmed away (if desired) to make duck meat leaner. Care must be taken not to overcook duck breasts in particular, as they can become mealy and dry (the meat (especially in Muscovy or Magret breasts) is lean despite a heavy outer layer of fat).

Different Breeds, Different Characteristics
North American Import & Export is a duck distributor that carries wholesale Muscovy duck, Pekin duck, and Moulard (aka Magret) duck. Each of these breeds have gained favor in world cuisine due to different characteristics:

Pekin Ducks – The Standard American Duck

Pekin ducks (aka Peking ducks) are often called Long Island ducks (or Long Island duckling) in America (despite being Chinese in origin) because that is where they were first raised in the US. These are the ducks most Americans think of when they think of duck meat. Pekin duck meat is prized for its tender texture and mild flavor.

Muscovy Ducks – The Leanest of Ducks

Muscovy ducks are perhaps the best option when serving duck to health-conscious customers. While duck has a reputation for being luxurious and delicious, many people associate these qualities with duck fat. Muscovy ducks possess 50% less surface fat than other breeds, and if you remove that fat from Muscovy breasts you are left with meat that is 99% lean.

Moulard Ducks – Crossbred for Flavor

The sterile offspring of a male Muscovy duck and a Pekin female, these domesticated ducks are highly prized in southwestern France, Canada, and the US. Moulards are primarily known for being the breed of choice for duck foie gras production. These ducks possess the strongest game flavor of all the domesticated duck varieties with a taste which lightly evokes wild berries.

Magret Duck Breasts

Despite the fact that they are named “Magret,” these duck breasts are actually from a Moulard duck that has been raised for foie gras production. Magret duck breasts are larger (up to twice as big) and more flavorful than those found on other ducks. Magret duck breasts are sometimes aged for up to 7 days on the bone to further develop their natural flavor.

Applications:
Because of their robust flavor, Magret breasts can stand up to combinations that could overwhelm other duck meat. At the same time, they are prized for that natural flavor, so simple applications may be best.

Over 170 people entered our “How About Dinner on Us?” fine-dining gift certificate drawing.  In their comments they dreamed of superb suppers in several of our country’s finest dining establishments, from famous eateries run by celebrity chefs like Gordon Ramsay and Thomas Keller, to smaller name restaurants run by chefs who may not be national household names (yet), but that in no way diminishes their skills and talent.

From this great collection of entries only one can be chosen, and the random integer generator at random.org has selected comment # 154, submitted by Beth as the winner.  Beth said she would use the certificate to go to Morimoto in Philadelphia because it is ”one of those places my husband and I would never go without a good reason.”  Well, Beth…you’ve got a reason!

Jenn from Jenn Cuisine won the secondary drawing and is heading to Rigsby’s Kitchen in Columbus, OH for a romantic evening with her husband.

Congratulations to Beth and Jenn, and thanks to all of the rest of you who entered!  We really enjoyed reading about your dream dinners.

Morels (aka Morchellas, Sponge Mushrooms, Merkels, Molly Moochers) are highly sought after wild mushrooms. They are renowned in many cultures for their smoky, nutty flavor. Despite being found throughout North America, Europe, and Asia, they are still considered rather rare, and morel foragers guard their favorite hunting grounds jealously. Morel mushrooms tend to be in season in the Pacific Northwest between April and July.

Morels prefer forests where a fire has occurred as recently as the previous summer, and such spots are the best place to find them. However, they can also be found in unburned forests, often reappearing where they were the previous year, but apart from that trend nobody knows where to expect them (though some foragers swear they prefer growing by certain trees).

Morels are a wild product, and as such are subject to availability fluctuations due to weather variations. They have a very irregular season that is largely dependant on weather conditions, specifically moisture. Morels seem to love warm rains, which increase soil temperature as well as moisture. Dry heat, on the other hand, can bring the season to an early close.

Applications:

Morels contain small amounts of toxic helvellic acid that is easily destroyed with heat. Because of this they must be cooked for your customer’s safety. Morels are delicate, so gentle stewing, simmering, or sautéing is recommended. They can also be stuffed and/or breaded and deep fried. Morels pair well with most meat and poultry and love butter, sweet peppers and caraway seeds.

How to Select:

Look for mushrooms that are clean, and dry. Size will vary a lot depending on the variety of morels you are examining and when in the season you are buying.

NAIE sells several varieties of wholesale morels including (early season morels first):

Early Season Blond Morels
The availability of these fluctuates from year to year. These morels are rather small (between 2-2 ½ inches on average) and range from a pale yellow to a light grey color. Their shape is rounded, almost like a pear.

Black Morels
These dark-colored morels are large (2-4 inches) and pear shaped. They are meaty and thicker walled than many of the early morels.

Burn Morels (aka Conica Morels)
This is the type of morel most often found in forests where there has been a recent fire. Thinner walled than Black Morels, they are about the same size (2-4 inches).

Grey Morels
These morels are found very late in the season (around June) and range from 2 inches to 5 inches in size. They are dense and meaty with thick walls. These robust characteristics allow them to hold up well to the rigors of summer shipping.

Wholesale dried morels are also available, and while perhaps not as good as fresh, can be reconstituted and used to good effect.

Other Morel Varieties (Not Widely Commercially Available):

Valley Morels
These are some of the earliest available morels. They’re found in the foothills of the Willamette Valley in Oregon. These morels are quite small, with a Christmas-tree like profile (narrow at the top, opening out as you move towards the bottom). They tend to be dark black in color.

Cottonwood/Riverbank Morels
These morels are some of the largest available and range from 3-8 inches in size. Their large internal cavities make them ideal for stuffing applications. They can be either grey or blond in color.

Handling & Storage:
Store morels cool and dry, with room to breathe. The best storage is in a walk-in cooler in a ventilated bin, layered and covered with dry napkins or paper towels. They will last for about 10 days.

Pre-prep:
Morels possess a unique spongy honeycomb structure that can harbor bugs and dirt if they are not cleaned carefully. A mushroom brush is the traditional cleaning method, although they can be soaked for about an hour in cold, lightly salted water which, while effective, can result in some loss of flavor. Because they are hollow, morels are often cut open lengthwise to clean their inner cavities.

How to Buy:
Just give us a call at (800) 276-5955! We’ll FedEx overnight your order, fresh from the forests of the Pacific Northwest!

For information about some of our other foodservice products, visit our Chef’s Notes Collection.

North American Import & Export has compiled a collection of Chef’s Notes offering important information to assist culinary professionals in making decisions about which products to feature on their menus. 

New entries will be linked to this list as they are added to the blog.

	Wild Boar			Veal
	Fiddle Head Ferns			Golden Chanterelle Mushrooms
	Wild Huckleberries			Microgreens
	Wild Morel Mushrooms			Fresh Wild Produce
	Duck			Wild Salmon
	Specialty Produce

Microgreens pair well with foodservice seafood and wholesale wild mushrooms.

For information about some of our other foodservice products, visit our Chef’s Notes Collection.

These are just a few of our wild produce for foodservice options, all foraged to order in the Cascade Wilderness of the Pacific Northwest

Typically Available April through June

Ramps

Also known as wild leeks, ramps are a wild spring green with a pungent flavor and aroma that is a cross between green onion and garlic. Use ramps like a green onion, either sauteed or raw. They are great in soups, sautés and egg dishes.

Miner’s Lettuce

Most varieties of miner’s lettuce (and there are many) have small delicate green leaves (round or spade shaped) and small clustered white blossoms forming on the inside stems. Miner’s lettuce is best used as a salad green, and is a good base green for mixing with other delicate greens and herbs.

Wood Sorrel

Similar to French Sorrel, wood sorrel has very delicate clover shaped leaves, a vibrant bright lime green color and a lemony flavor (from the presence of oxalic acid). Wood Sorrel is a bright accent in green salads and can be cooked into a sauce or filling.

Stinging Nettles

A fresh, green, spinach/mint flavor characterizes stinging nettles, one of the most versatile, healthy, and delicious plants in the forest. The top two inches from young shoots are the most tender and vibrant. Blanch stinging nettles first for a few minutes to dissolve the stinging agent (folic acid). Then, cook like any other cooking green. Nettles are a great side vegetable or puree for gnocchi or soup.

Wood Violets

Stunning in salads and as a garnish, Wood violets are a beautiful showy plant with leaves and flowers attached together. The leaves have a mellow peppery taste and the showy yellow flowers add a sweet accent. Wood violets are found in marshy areas as a ground cover and are loaded with vitamin C.

For information about some of our other foodservice products, visit our Chef’s Notes Collection.

The huckleberry is a wild relative of the blueberry. Completely undomesticated, each and every huckleberry must be foraged for and hand-picked. These late-summer fruits come in several varieties, ranging in color from bright red (also known as a “Southern cranberry”) to deepest violet-black (the most prized).

Red huckleberries are tart. Blue huckleberries are less so, with a wild flavor that borders on musky. Violet-black huckleberries are the sweetest, pairing exceptionally well with wild salmon for a true Northwest taste.

Applications:

Excellent as a garnish for entrees or desserts, huckleberries also make memorable sauces, perfect for drizzling over wild salmon, foie gras, wild boar, or rabbit. Huckleberries add a unique flavor to traditional desserts like chocolate truffle torte and almond frangipane.

Wine Pairings:

Huckleberries pair well with extra dry or demi-sec sparkling wines.

How to Select:

Look for huckleberries that are clean, firm and plump.

Handling & Storage:

Store huckleberries in a shallow ventilated container, layering paper towels between the berries to absorb any extra juices. Huckleberries should be used immediately for optimum freshness, or frozen or jarred as a syrup or jam for later use.

Pre-prep:

Rinse huckleberries, making sure they are clean of woodland debris. Leave the seeds in tact, as they are edible and add to the flavor.

Cooking:

Huckleberries can be added to baked goods or served as a garnish or sauce over appetizers, entrees or desserts.

How to Buy:

Just give us a call at (888) 276-5955! We’ll FedEx overnight your order, fresh from the mountains of the Pacific Northwest!  We offer both wholesale fresh wild huckleberries and frozen huckleberries for foodservice.

For information about some of our other foodservice products, visit our Chef’s Notes Collection.

Most Wild Boar sold today isn’t truly wild. Even though it sounds like an oxymoron, Wild Boar is often farm-raised, since “Wild Boar” is a distinct species of hog, regardless of whether it’s truly wild/feral or not.

Some Wild Boar, on the other hand (like ours), is actually wild Wild Boar. Each Wild Boar is hunted, trapped and brought to a holding pen before slaughter.

Flavor Profile:

The wildness of true Wild Boar gives it a distinct game flavor that farm-raised Wild Boar simply cannot match. It’s slightly sweet, a tad nutty, and intensely exotic. Although similar to domestic pork and farm-raised Wild Boar, wild Wild Boar has a deeper color, leaner texture, tighter grain, and bolder taste.

Applications:

Since Wild Boar is easily substituted for pork in any recipe, its culinary possibilities are virtually endless.  For some suggestions, check out these wild boar recipes submitted by professional chefs.

Attributes of our Wild Boar:

Nutrition:

Wild Boar has a third less fat than domestic pork, making it an attractive option for consumers who are watching their weight or cholesterol. A 3 oz serving has 105 calories, 18 grams of protein, 2.85 grams of fat and 47 mg of cholesterol.

How to Buy:

Just give us a call at (800) 459-7349! We’ll FedEx overnight your order, fresh from the Texas Hill Country!  For a list of some of the wild boar products we offer, please visit our wholesale wild boar cuts page.

For information about some of our other foodservice products, visit our Chef’s Notes Collection.