New Jersey is a food-rich state – which is one of the reasons why I love being a chef here.
Most of the farm produce goes to the fresh food market. Part of the produce also goes to processors who freeze or process the fresh produce so we will have cooking ingredients in and out of season. If you run a corporate catering service in NJ, you are assured of readily available ingredients all year long.
The availability of fresh farm produce can be attributed to the Jersey Fresh Campaign, which seeks to promote fresh produce from the farm. There are almost all the ingredients you will ever need, but the most popular are as follows:
Tomatoes
The Jersey Tomato is perhaps the most popular crop. People from other states love tomatoes grown and ripened on the vine in NJ. The state grows tomatoes in more than 2,200 acres, producing more than 70 million pounds every year.
Bell Peppers
Make your salads spicier with bell peppers fresh from the farm. About 2,300 acres grow bell peppers so you can have them whenever you need them.
Cranberries and Blueberries
The New Jersey Pine Barrens produce cranberries in large numbers. This fruit is a favorite during Thanksgiving, but you can still use it in your salads. Every year, the state can produce up to 48 million pounds of blueberries, making them one of the top crops in NJ.
Sweet Corn
If you want to make corn on the cob for your family, the state of New Jersey produces enough corn for all residents. The plant grows on at least 6,400 acres, making NJ the thirteenth-largest producer of corn.
Asparagus
The Garden State’s soil supports asparagus and grows it in large numbers. New Jersey ranks as the fourth-largest producer of asparagus in the country.
Spinach
There are many meals where I use spinach whether at home or when I work as a personal chef in NJ. Framers harvest more than 30 million pounds of spinach from about 2,400 acres. This ensures we have spinach for our meals fresh from the farm.
Cabbage
Cabbage finds its way into most of my salads, and I know you have it in your recipes too. The state of New Jersey grows cabbages in about 1,600 acres so our salads will always have cabbage in them.
Squash
There are many varieties of squash in NJ to make your food delicious. The state ranks as the sixth-largest producer of squash in the US so you will always have some for your recipes.
Cucumbers
Cucumbers are awash anywhere you go in the Garden State. Farmers grow them on more than 3,100 acres so you never have to complain that your salads lack some ingredients.
Apples
Apples are New Jersey’s fall favorite. The state has apple orchards in more than 2,400 acres, making New Jersey the eighth largest producer of apples in the US. You can make salads and apple juices as much as you like.
Eggplant
The state of New Jersey is the second producer of eggplants in the US, with about 800 acres dedicated to the crop.
There are many more foods grown naturally in New Jersey – the above foods are just the most popular.