Check out the chicks
As food costs rise, protein-packed chickpeas gain more attention.
By Joan Obra / The Fresno Bee

05/13/08 17:37:12
In west-side fields, there's a legume poised to play a bigger role in shoppers' diets -- and in California agriculture. It's the garbanzo bean, also known as the chickpea. Here in the central San Joaquin Valley, you'll see it in two forms. The next few weeks bring the harvest for the young, green chickpeas prized among Hispanics, Indians and other ethnic groups. By mid-June, they'll have turned into the more familiar yellowish-tan beans sold dried or in cans.

Chickpeas, similar to other legumes, are attracting more attention because they're a cheap source of protein. At a time of rising food prices, wholesalers and retailers see more demand for beans. "People are counting their pennies and going to cheaper items," says Lee Perkins, president of Pacific Grain and Foods, a Fresno dry foods wholesaler, packager and bulk supplier to the food service industry.

Typically, sales of beans and rice in the company's retail store start to fall off in May as grilling season starts. "Usually, we sell more barbecue seasonings and spices," Perkins says. But not this year. "Beans and rice are back up."

Though garbanzos are more expensive this year, they're still cheap when compared to many cuts of meat. At this time last year, the retail price of garbanzos was 45 cents a pound, says Gary Daloyan, a research writer at Pacific Grain. Now, one pound of dried beans sells for between 89 cents and $1.25.

The fresh garbanzos, the plant's "immature seeds," are more pricey, says Morgan Murray, general manager of Califresh of California, a Sanger-based pioneer in the marketing of fresh garbanzo beans. The typical retail price for a pound of these green legumes is $2.99-$3.49. Though they cost more than dried or canned chickpeas, the green legumes benefit from their status as a trendy food. So says Phil Lempert, food editor of the "Today Show."

"Edamame out," he recently said on the show. "Garbanzo in." He also pointed out that fresh chickpeas are low in salt and rich in potassium.

Because of the demand, Murray says Califresh could sell about 5 million to 6 million pounds of fresh chickpeas in 2008, compared to about 850,000 pounds during the company's first year of operations in 2003. Califresh's fresh garbanzos are sold in select Save Mart, FoodMaxx, WinCo Foods, Food 4 Less and FoodsCo stores, among others.

Additional fresh garbanzos will be sold at local swap meets and by street vendors -- a trade that has a long history of theft. During a field day last week at the University of California's West Side Research and Extension Center in Five Points, researcher Steve Temple told stories of garbanzo farmers camping on their fields to prevent poachers from ripping up garbanzo plants for the young, green legumes.

Temple, a grain legume specialist with the University of California at Davis Cooperative Extension, says he even once lost parts of a research trial to poachers.

But Murray says the theft problem is "not a big issue now." Many of the street vendors simply buy fresh chickpeas from local farmers, he says.

While shoppers see them as food, researchers see other potential in chickpeas. At last week's field day, about 25 industry members listened to Temple describe the importance of garbanzo beans.

These and other winter legumes "will definitely have a role 10 to 20 years from now in California agriculture because of low water requirements and nitrogen fixation," Temple says.

Chickpeas' ability to add nitrogen back to the soil replaces some of the need for nitrogen fertilizer -- an item that's becoming more and more expensive, he explains. That's because of the rising cost of natural gas, which is used in the production of fertilizer.

Of course, the extent of chickpeas' expansion in California depends on an interplay of economic, political and environmental factors.

Along the Pacific Coast, chickpea production peaked in the early 1960s because of exports to Cuba, Murray says. But the U.S. economic embargo of Cuba killed that trade. By the late 1970s, only a few hundred acres of chickpeas remained along the coast.

As more Americans ate chickpeas in the 1980s, imports from Mexico and Turkey rose, Murray adds. That piqued the interest of California farmers.

The 1990s were chickpeas' heyday in the central San Joaquin Valley. For example, crop reports show that Fresno County had 21,000 acres of garbanzos grown for the dried market in 1995, with a value of $13.7 million.

The growth of the garbanzo-bean farming in the Valley turned it into "the heart of garbanzo area," Temple says.

By 2006, Fresno County had only 3,000 acres of chickpeas grown for the dried market, with a value of $2.4 million. (Fresno County crop report statistics for fresh chickpeas are not available.)

The local drop is partially because of water conservation on the west side. About a third of the land in the 600,000-acre Westlands Water District, which includes prime farmland for garbanzos, is not in production.

While chickpea acreage has dropped in the Valley, it has grown in areas such as Colusa, Yolo and Sutter counties, Temple says.

Also, record prices for crops such as corn and wheat prompted farmers to abandon garbanzos this year. "Wheat is a very easy crop to grow," Perkins says. "With garbs, you have to weed, fertilize and nurture them."

These factors have left Perkins scrambling to find more garbanzos to stock his company. Chickpea acreage is down in California, North Dakota, Washington, Idaho, Mexico and Canada, he says.

He's keeping an eye on the harvests, which gradually move north from Mexico to Canada. Perkins will likely pin his hopes on Canada's harvest.

"All I can do right now is pray that they have a bumper crop," he says.

The smaller supply means higher prices for garbanzo farmers. In the 1990s, growers were paid about 25 cents for a pound of garbanzos, Perkins says. Now, "I'm willing to pay 50 cents a pound," he says.

He expects more farmers to plant garbanzos next year because of rising prices.

"I can't say [the acreage] will double," he says, "but it will definitely rise next year."

The reporter can be reached at jobra@fresnobee.com or               (559) 441-6365.

 

Garden to Table

Monday May 26, 2008

A common ingredient in many Middle Eastern and Indian dishes like hummus, falafel and curry, the garbanzo bean has been enjoyed for its nutty flavor and buttery texture for thousands of years. Relied upon heavily in certain cultures for its high protein content, the garbanzo bean is also praised for being a good source of cholesterol-lowering fiber. It may even help prevent heart disease.

Garbanzos are one of the most consumed legumes in the world. Wild garbanzos originated in the Fertile Crescent some 7,000 years ago where the climate was ideal for production. They were widely cultivated in the Middle East, and later, by the Egyptians, Greeks and Romans. Today, the main producers of garbanzo beans are India, Pakistan, Turkey, Mexico, Canada and the United States. World production is about three times that of the lentil.

“The introduction of fresh, green garbanzos in California has delighted consumers. Available only in that brief time when the peas fill the pods and just before they start to turn golden, consumption has soared. The best quality garbanzo pods can now be found in your local store,” says Bob Rinker, Head of Business Development for Califresh of California, LLC, the biggest single company producing fresh, green garbanzos.

The garbanzo is not actually a bean, but a pea, and in fact, is often referred to as a “chickpea.” Desi and Kabuli are the two predominant types of garbanzo. Desis are small-seeded and multicolored; Kabulis are large-seeded and a white or light tan color. Kabulis are usually considered the premium variety. Versatile and tasty, garbanzos can be beige, black, green, red or brown.

Garbanzo beans require more than 400 mm of rain annually to grow properly, thriving in a temperate, Mediterranean type climate. The plants grow to between 20 and 50 cm high, with small, feathery leaves on either side of the stem and white or reddish-blue flowers. Each seedpod contains two to three peas. They grow best in well-drained soil, as they are easily waterlogged. Seeds should be planted about one to two inches below the soil, and in rows about six to 12 inches apart.

Harvesting comes about 100 days after planting, typically in mid-September for dry peas. Fresh, green peas are harvested continuously from October through May in Mexico, and from May through October in California. Those harvested for dry peas or canning are allowed to dry on the vine, in the field, before harvest.

Garbanzos can be harvested both by hand and by machine. Seed size is an important marketing factor, but the most crucial test of a garbanzo’s marketability is seed hue. Most producers look for seeds that are light and yellowish-cream in color when drying their garbanzos. Fresh garbanzos come to market green.

While dry garbanzos are threshed and handled like any dry bean or pea, fresh garbanzo pods are stripped from the plant in a manner similar to picking fresh green beans. Dried garbanzos are left in the field to dry in the sun until moisture content is less than 16%. In contrast, fresh green garbanzos are harvested with a moisture content of about 85%.

“Dried garbanzos should be kept in airtight containers to prevent insect infestation and stored in a dry cool place. In this manner, they will keep their quality for several months. Fresh, green garbanzos should be refrigerated at about 34 to 36 degrees Fahrenheit, and should maintain good quality condition for several days to a couple of weeks,” says Rinker.

In terms of health benefits, garbanzos are high in Folic acid, protein, soluble fiber, calcium, and Vitamin C. Their calcium content is equivalent to that of yogurt. Low in sodium, garbanzos offer the added health benefit of lowering blood pressure. And they are low in fat, most of which is polyunsaturated.

“Garbanzos are wonderful in any form, but are considered a delicacy when fresh,” adds Rinker.

 

Garbanzo beans still in their pods offer taste and texture unlike dried or canned ones

Tuesday, April 01, 2008
LINDA FAUS and DANIELLE CENTONI The Oregonian Staff
It's not often we're startled by a trip down the produce aisle, but every once in awhile it happens, usually at an upscale market where produce managers like to trot out exotic specialties for adventurous cooks.

But our latest shocker came during a trip to WinCo, of all places. While visiting that bargain supermarket we found a rather odd-looking specimen in the produce section: plump little green pods that looked like miniature edamame. But the sign said "garbanzo beans." What?!

We had forgotten that those little beige beans in the can, or their dried brethren in the bulk bins, weren't just born that way. Maybe that's because until that day we had never -- ever -- seen them fresh. Not even in a cookbook.

We picked up a bag and brought them back to FOODday. "Where did they come from?" we all wondered. "What do they taste like?"

To find out, we took them to the test kitchen to experiment. First we opened the thin, papery pods. Some had one pale green bean, others had two, and they looked liked big, gnarled peas. We popped a few in our mouths and found they tasted a bit like peas, too, with a pleasant crunch.

We Googled around a bit on the Web and found that fresh garbanzos are common in the Middle East, India and Mexico, where they're often snacked on out of hand, or grilled, roasted, blanched, sauteed and simmered. In short, you can eat them any way you like.

We gave them a quick dip in boiling water to soften them up a bit before sauteing with bacon and onions (we used the recipe for Lima Beans With Bacon on this page). They were delicious and retained much of their firm texture instead of becoming as soft and starchy as canned garbanzos or cooked dried beans.

Like most beans, fresh garbanzos are high in protein, calcium, iron, fiber and folate. You can use them anywhere you would use other fresh, dried or canned beans. Add them to soups, stews and braises. Steam them until tender, then puree into a green-hued hummus. They would make a delicious bean salad with a tart vinaigrette, or they could be tossed into a bowl of leafy greens. You can even coat them in spices and roast in the oven on a baking sheet or in a foil packet on the grill. Eat the roasted beans as a snack with an icy beer or toss them into a side dish, like potato salad.

Honestly, the sky's the limit when it comes to cooking these little guys. And that's why we were happy to find out WinCo plans to continue carrying them for as long as they're available. We called the company's produce manager, who said that the supply comes from either California or Mexico and that they've been selling well in all the stores.

Peak season for the crop from Mexico is February through June. After that, they're likely to come from California. In late summer, you can find a limited supply of locally grown fresh garbanzos at some of our local farmers markets.

Keep in mind that with just one or two beans per pod, shelling them is a labor of love best done while you're watching TV, chatting with friends or otherwise mentally occupied. Or employ the help of little kiddos, who would delight in popping out the beans.

At least shelling garbanzos is easier than shelling fava beans, which will be appearing in stores and farmers markets soon. Favas are essentially shelled twice: first they're released from their furry pods, then blanched for 2 minutes in boiling water to loosen the skins. Use a paring knife to make a small slit in the skin, then squeeze out the bean.

 

GARBANZO JOURNALISM

Out cruising for chickpeas
Sure, this town's crawling with 'em canned or dried, but get a load of these babies when they're fresh
By PEGGY GRODINSKY

Over the years, I've eaten chickpeas every which way - puréed for hummus or soup, whole with couscous or pasta, in a box, with a fox. I've opened cans when I'm harried and soaked the dried legumes when I've planned ahead. But until last month I'd never heard of fresh chickpeas - never even imagined their existence.

If there is a dried bean, logically there is a fresh one. Still, who knew? Even in Italy, where cooks routinely use chickpeas, people think the beans are "born brown and born dry," as British food writer Patience Gray wrote 20 years ago. Little has changed since then - certainly not in the United States, where fresh chickpeas remain almost unheard of.

Perhaps their time has come.

Califresh, a 5-year-old California company, has begun marketing fresh chickpeas in the United States outside the ethnic communities that traditionally cook with them.
"We saw a niche and took advantage," Bob Rinker of Califresh said. We first spoke when he was in the Rio Grande Valley negotiating with Wal-Mart to carry fresh beans, also known as garbanzos, in stores across Texas. The deal went through, he proudly said two weeks later, confirming that "selected Supercenters throughout the state" now carry them.

A small but growing number of gee-whiz mentions in the culinary blogosphere also indicates the beans are ready for prime time. Then there's the edamame paradigm: If the soybean - once the butt of jokes - could sweep America, what's to stop the chickpea?

Delicate and nutty, fresh chickpeas persuasively make their own case. They taste like an artichoke heart, with suggestions of green bean, English pea and lemon - the soul of spring.

The flavor hints at the canned counterpart as cucumbers allude to pickles. Unlike dried, the fresh beans are a pretty shade of apple green. They grow in pods roughly the size of a peanut, one, two or rarely three to a pod. Shelled, they look like "a miniature green brain," 101 Cookbooks blogger Heidi Swanson has written.

I stumbled onto them while grocery shopping at a Sellers Brothers Market in Spring Branch. I was so pleased with my small bagful that the next day I went in search of more. When I spied them at a Fiesta Mart in Montrose, I cleaned the store out. Since then I've spotted them at the Airline farmers market, too. Prices ranged from $1.39 to $3 a pound. Peak season is February-June. The beans mostly come from Mexico then. Califresh has extended the season at other times with a California crop.

Experimenting with fresh garbanzos has been a modest but not inconsiderable thrill. You'll find scant guidance in cookbooks. But relax, this isn't rocket science. First, I made fresh-chickpea hummus the color of guacamole. It tasted lighter and brighter than any hummus I'd ever encountered.

Before returning to the kitchen, I asked some experienced cooks for advice. Fresh garbanzos may be new to Americans, but they're old hat in Mexico, the Middle East and India.
"Pop it open from the shell and just eat," suggested Moses Abayan, native of Lebanon and a manager at Phoenicia Specialty Foods. "I am sure you may be able to cook them, too, but growing up I used to eat (them) like that." Phoenicia sells the fresh beans seasonally.

Indians also snack on them out of hand, Houston cookbook author Suneeta Vaswani said. "We make a salad kind of thing, too. Shell them and toss with fresh lemon and lime juice and chaat masala (a spice mix) to zip it up a bit, and of course you can add some chopped cilantro. It is yummy."
Mexicans eat fresh garbanzos during Lent as a meat substitute. Monica Ramirez, who sells them at Martinez's Produce at the Airline farmers market, had a wonderful idea, borrowed from Mexican street vendors. Grill them with salt, cayenne and lemon.

"That's it," she said.

I added chili powder and a smidge of olive oil and used lime instead of lemon. The roasted fresh garbanzos were addictive.

A Los Angeles Times article noted that chef Robert Gadsby added fresh garbanzos to soup, risotto and a tuna sashimi plate at Noé in L.A. Now that he's at Soma in Houston, does Gadsby use them here? Yep. In season, they dot the menu like punctuation points, but diners aren't likely to know; the menu simply says "garbanzos."

At Soma, Gadsby pickles the fresh beans; adds them to lamb-shank curry with potatoes and carrots; purées them with butternut squash, cumin and coconut milk for a soup he garnishes with fresh garbanzo "croutons"; and mashes them with onions and potatoes to make vegan mayonnaise. "I'm known in the industry for always having some weird or secret ingredient," Gadsby said. "I'm a big fan."

In Chez Panisse Vegetables (HarperCollins, $35), Alice Waters dispenses with fresh garbanzos in two sentences. "During the summer, we sometimes find fresh chickpeas at the markets in San Francisco that cater to ethnic cooks. These can be shelled and cooked in the same way as other fresh shell beans."

With her encouragement, I steamed fresh garbanzos and added them to pasta, soup and stew, with happy results. I tossed them raw into salads and popped them into my mouth for a virtuous yet satisfying snack. Fresh garbanzos are rich in protein, calcium, iron, folate and soluble fiber, according to Califresh. "They are really good for you," Rinker summed up.

Fair warning: Shelling them is slow work. Califresh sells them shelled, although I haven't come across a package in the Houston area. On the plus side, it's a kitchen task that affords a Zen calm. Or you can do it in front of the television, as I did late one evening.
Vaswani suggested enlisting a helper: "A child will be only too happy to do this, provided you reward them well with at least one-third of the peas. Provide for a lot of extras."

Fresh garbanzos taste good. They've got versatility, attractive coloring, a brawny nutritional profile, a name chef or two behind them, and exotic culinary appeal. A star is born?
peggy.grodinsky@chron.com

 

http://www.supermarketguru.com/page.cfm/35843

Home > New Product Hits & Misses > Fresh Green Garbanzos

Fresh Green Garbanzos
December 26, 2007

Taste 25
Value 16
Health 14
Ingredients 87
Preparation 8
Appearance 4
Packaging 5
Total 87

Garbanzos (also called chickpeas) are a good source of cholesterol-lowering fiber and a good source of protein. Similar to an edamame snack, these are easy to heat up in the microwave for a fresh tasting, healthy snack. The Nielsen Company shows canned garbanzo beans up in dollar sales this year by 10.2%. But we think these bagged garbanzo beans make a much for a fresher and more appealing way to enjoy this vegetable. Makes a great snack for kids too! Retails for $2.29/ 8oz bag.

 

PRODUCE CONCEPTS

Fresh Ideas and news for foodservice from The Packer

NEW PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

Wild Arugula
Sometimes known as roquette, wild arugula is a spicy addition to any salad and can stand on its own as a leaf item too. From Earthbound Farm.

 

Grape Escape
Grape Escape table grapes in individual packaging are ideal for school foodservice, to-go packs and as side items on restaurant kids' plates.

 

Fresh, shelled chickpeas
Califresh Gourmet has introduced fresh, shelled garbanzo beans in foodservice bags.

 

Since 1893, The Packer has been the weekly business newspaper of the fresh fruit and vegetable industry. Count on us for breaking news, analysis and market insights. Visit www.thepacker.com

Califresh now offers fresh green in-shell garbanzos year-round

By Rand Green
October 15, 2007

Califresh of California LLC in Sanger, CA which was formed in 2002 specifically to bring fresh green garbanzos to market, began by offering the product six months out of the year but has since expanded production to several growing areas, thereby making the product available year round.

Garbanzos are best known to most U.S. residents as a canned item usually called  "garbanzo beans" found frequently in salad bars. They are also widely available in dried form. But fresh green garbanzos are a popular snack in Mexico and particularly in Central Mexico, according to Morgan Murray, managing member of Califresh.

Garbanzos, which are actually a pea and not a bean, are also known as chickpeas and are "the most widely consumed legume in the world," most notably in India and he Middle East, said Mr. Murray. "They are highly prized for their snack-like quality, nutritional value and diversity in ethnic dishes. Picked green as a fresh produce item, they have a firm crisp texture with a slightly sweet to nutty flavor. They are usually deep to pale green color and brighten up when cooked, adding color to the menu. They also taste great uncooked in salads when removed from the shell or pod."

Fresh green garbanzos and the "pale, starchy canned or dried product" are "worlds apart in taste, appearance and nutritional value," said Bob Rinker, who handles business development for Califresh.

Mr. Murray has been involved with garbanzo production since 1981. He spent 15 years with Klein Bros. and 10 years with ConAgra Foods, both of which were in the dried garbanzo business. "I left in 2002 to form this company," he said.

ConAgra, which has "since exited the [dried garbanzo] business in California," at one time had five garbanzo facilities in the state. From 1981 to 1999, California garbanzo acreage grew from "just a few acres" to 26,000 acres, Mr. Murray said.

For years we had seen Mexican roadside vendors ... pull plants in the fields" and peddle the fresh garbanzos on-the-vine along the roadsides in Southern California. "We had quite a bit of theft in the early years, and subsequent to that, there was a lot being purchased from farmers" and sold at roadside stands, he said.

Fresh garbanzos on-the-vine are "still a popular item," Mr. Murray continued. "There are a lot of people who want to buy them on-the-vine," primarily people from Mexico who were already familiar with the product.

Because of the demand we saw in Southern California, we felt we could pack the product for the retail grocer" and satisfy some of the existing demand for fresh garbanzos among Hispanic consumers. Rather than market them on the vine, however, Califresh pulls the pods off the plants and cleans and grades them before packing and shipping, making the in-shell product much easier to use, he said.

The traditional consumers of fresh garbanzos have always perceived the product as a seasonal item available locally during a short window. Local crops were picked and sold into local markets, he said.

Because of the familiarity of Mexican immigrants in the United States with fresh garbanzos, they "know the product and they look for it," he said. "We have consumers here who understand the product."

But by producing in different areas, Califresh has been able to make the product available initially for six months, eventually extending that to 12 months a year. "We have managed to accomplish that" by growing the garbanzos in different areas of Mexico and California, said Mr. Rinker.

The crops are planted "sequentially, so you have fresh product that is being harvested thoughout the year," Mr. Murray added.

There is still some seasonality to the crop. "There are times when it is more abundant than other times," he said. At certain times of the year, "we have to plant in certain microclimates" in order to achieve good quality and good yields.

Because of the familiarity of Hispanic consumers with fresh garbanzos, the Califresh marketing focus so far has been on regions of the country that have large Hispanic populations, particularly Southern California and the southwestern United States. The products are now available in many independent ethnic supermarkets as well as in several major retail chains. They were recently introduced to "selected Wal-Mart supercenters in California, Arizona and New Mexico," according to a Califresh press release.

The company offers bilingual merchandising assistance to retailers and recommends displaying the fresh in-shell garbanzos near the tomatillos and chilis to maximize movement.

The fresh in-shell garbanzos are shipped primarily in 15- pound bulk cartons and are also available in eight- and 16-ounce consumer bags. For foodservice, Califresh also offers one-pound packs of individually quick frozen shelled garbanzos, marketed as "shelled green chickpeas."
The IQF peas are sorted by size and color before freezing, "so we have a uniform pack," said Mr. Murray.

 

PMA reports high buyer attendee numbers at 2007 Foodservice Conference & Exposition
July 18, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PRESS CONTACT: Debra Mitchell,             +1 (302) 738-7100        x3008

Newark, Del - The fresh produce and foodservice industries gathered for another successful meeting, boasting more than 100 foodservice operator participants out of 1,500 industry professionals at the Produce Marketing Association's (PMA) 2007 Foodservice Conference & Exposition in Monterey, California, last weekend.

Highlights from the event include:

* More than 1,500 industry professionals, including chefs, grower-shippers, menu developers, distributors, restaurant operators and owners, and suppliers;
* Buyer-focused programming;
* Well-attended food safety sessions;
* Dynamic chef demonstrations by Chef Anthony Bourdain and Chef Walter Scheib; and
* The PMA Education Foundation (PMAEF) golf tournament benefiting the Nucci Scholarship for Culinary Innovation raised $40,000. 
"What a great way to celebrate our 26th year - by satisfying buyers and suppliers alike with a world class event," said Bryan Silbermann, PMA president. "PMA worked hard to develop programming to appeal to buyers and menu developers and the results from this year's event show we have found the right formula."

PMA also held its first annual Product Innovation Contest.  Winners were selected by three voting groups: chefs and operators, students, and attendees.  HMC Marketing - Lunch Bunch won the attendees' votes and Califresh of California won the students' votes as well as the chefs' and operators' votes. Winners were presented their awards at the close of the conference by Bryan Silbermann, PMA president.

In addition, winners will receive a complimentary New Products Showcase spot at the 2007 Fresh Summit International Convention & Exposition, an engraved "Product Innovation Contest Winner" plaque, an announcement on the show floor and publicity in
PMA materials including PMA's website, and Headline News announcement.

Next year's Foodservice Conference & Expo is scheduled for July 25-27, 2008, in Monterey, California. For more information, visit www.pma.com/foodservice.

---
Founded in 1949, PMA is the leading trade association serving more than 2,100 companies representing all segments of the global produce and floral supply chains. Members rely on PMA year round for the business solutions they need to increase sales and consumption, build strong professional relationships and expand their business opportunities.

 

Califresh makes push for fresh garbanzos

By Don Schrack, staff writer Nov.27,2006

Immature green garbanzos are rich in fiber and folic acid, and offer calcium, iron and vitamins A and C, says Morgan Murray, general manager for Califresh of California LLC,Sanger. Murray says Califresh is on track to sell 1.6 million pounds of garbanzos this year.

Garbanzos are the world's most popular, most consumed legume, and if Sanger-based Califresh of California LLC has its way, they will become even more popular across the U.S.

Four-year old Califresh is marketing immature green garbanzos. They're not the blanched, off-white beans that are a staple of salad bars. The thin-skinned pod of the Califresh garbanzo is an inch or more long, about half that size in diameter and contains no more than two peas.
Brian Santigo, director of marketing for Califresh, said the immature garbanzos have been popular for centuries in the Middle East and more recently in Mexico. He said they're mostly eaten as snack food but are also used in salads and other dishes.

Califresh general manager Morgan Murry said the immature garbabzos could also be steamed or, most popular in Mexico, roasted. They are rich in fiber and folic acid, he said, and offer calcium, iron and vitamins A and C. Murray said they're also high in potassium and low in sodium.

Bob Rinker, the company's business development manager, said the company's strategic plan is to focus on the close-to-home markets in the San Joaquin Valley and the Los Angeles area because of the high percentage of first- and second-generation Mexican-American residents.

We want to make it work first in our own back yard," Rinker said.

The plan seems to be working in the valley.

Rick Johnson, director of produce / floral for Food Maxx Stores, a division of Modesto-based Save Mart Supermarkets, said his stores stock the product year round. He said the green garbanzos are very popular with Hispanics, and they seem to be developing a fan base among consumers from other ethnic backgrounds.
If a retailer wants to attract Mexican-American shoppers he should have this product," Santiago said.

Califresh offers the garbanzos in bulk and in 8- and 16-ounce modified atmosphere microwaveable bags. Santiago said bulk fresh garbanzos have a maxium shelf life of about ten days. The bags, he said, have a shelf life of about 21 days.

Rinker said the garbanzos retail for about $1.99 for the smaller bags and about $2.99 for the larger size.

Santiago said Califresh also offers the product in quick frozen bags for foodservice.

Murray said Califresh is on track to sell 1.6 million pounds this year. He said Califresh has contract growers from Bakersfield to Sacramento and in the Salinas Valley. They grow about 6,000 acres.

Murray said the garbanzos are planted in stages in the fall with harvesting beginning in early Spring. When the domestic harvest finishes in early fall, the company imports from Mexico.

The harvest costs can be high, Murray said, and the harvest window is narrow. To keep prices competitive, Murray said the company has designed and built mechanical harvesters.

 

COOKING

Hello, garbanzo, is that you?

Fresh and green, they're chickpeas, all right. And what a delight to finally meet them! By Barbara Hansen, Times Staff Writer Los Angeles Times - Food Section July 13, 2005

The pods are pale green and downy, and the bright beans within are tender and crisp. You can eat them straight out of the shell, or toss them into any number of dishes.

No, they're not edamame. Nor are they favas.

They're fresh garbanzos — and surprise always gives way to delicious delight with these beans.

Put out a bowl of them, pan-roasted or steamed, and they'll disappear in a flash as everyone grabs one after another. Their flavor is distinctive and vibrant, reminiscent of a just-picked pea. Where have they been all our lives?

Until recently, fresh garbanzos have shown up in very limited supply at farmers markets. Now you can find them in several supermarkets in greater abundance.

And it's about time. They're terrific with just a touch of salt. They're great in soups, vegetable sautés and salads.

In short, they're up for just about anything. Chefs around town know this, and they're having fun with them.

Robert Gadsby of Noé in downtown L.A. adds fresh garbanzos to soup, risotto and even a tuna sashimi plate. At Water Grill, David LeFevre's summer plans include making a fresh garbanzo bean cake garnished with garbanzo sprouts, and combining fresh garbanzos, pomegranate seeds and grilled octopus or stuffed calamari. And Suzanne Goin of AOC has grilled salmon topped with a salad of fresh garbanzos, purslane, green onions and lemon.

Chris Kidder, executive chef of Literati II in Brentwood, adds the beans to fritto misto (fried mixed vegetables) and makes a salad of fresh garbanzos, tomato, fennel and black olive bread.

"We wanted to have a summery, light dish incorporating things that were just coming into season, like the garbanzos and tomatoes, with other ingredients we had on hand, like the olive bread," says Kidder. It's a serendipitous dish.

Fresh garbanzos are also hassle-free, especially if you buy them already shelled. Unlike dried beans, they don't require hours of soaking and boiling.

You can find fresh shelled garbanzos, which are also called chickpeas, at Whole Foods stores while they're in season in California, through October. After that, the harvest moves to central Mexico until spring, when the California season begins again, says Morgan Murray, general manager of grower Califresh, based in Sanger.

At farmers markets and Latino markets such as Cardenas and Numero Uno, you'll often find beans still in the shell. They're also available that way at Food 4 Less stores.

If you need to cook a big batch of shucked beans but can get them only in the pods, be sure to give yourself enough time to shell the lot. It's easy work but just takes a little time.

"There is something fun about working with the fresh form of an ingredient that we use so often dried," Goin says, "and they seem very old-school Southern California to me…. I remember driving by fields and fields of them in the summer when I was a kid."

Cooking with fresh garbanzos is just starting to become widespread here, but they have a long history in Mexico and India. Nalin Patel, owner of Maurya Indian restaurant in Beverly Hills, says they're popular in his native Gujarat, where one might eat them roasted in the shell over a wood fire or combined with onion, chile, cilantro, lime juice and salt as an appetizer with drinks.

When Maurya's executive chef, Jayanta Paul, cooks at home, he likes to make fresh garbanzos with mushrooms in a Punjabi-style tomato sauce. It's hearty enough to serve as a main dish, says Paul, who is from Calcutta. Indian bread or rice is a good accompaniment.

For a summer dish, I added fresh garbanzos to Mexican calabacitas, a combination of squash, corn, tomatoes and green chiles. The garbanzos make this colorful dish even more appealing.

Fresh garbanzos are so down-to-earth practical and delicious, it's a wonder we've gone without them for so long.