Hot Shots - July 12, 2024
Charmaine Yam

I've always found joy in the little things and the simple moments. While big celebrations and gatherings have their charm, it's the small, intimate experiences that create the most cherished memories. These moments bring happiness, and even the less joyful ones fade quickly, leaving room for more delightful memories.

Some of the small moments I enjoy at Discovery are walking through the department stations and coolers first thing in the morning. As I pass by the QC Department, the well-used printer hums with delight as Douglas, a long-standing member of the QC team, prepares Quality Control Reports and incoming logs for today’s fresh arrivals. He smiles and greets me with a wonderful "Good morning!" and asks about last night's dinner.

Heading into the tropical cooler, I see our Warehouse Operations Manager Cindy mapping inventory, organizing cooler space, and planning for incoming shipments. I don’t know how she does it, but she always manages to squeeze in every bit of needed space, even when it seems impossible. They say it's good planning, but I think it's MPA (Magical Pallet Awareness), a skill gained over years of pallet shenanigans.

As I approach the sorting department, music fills the air, setting the groove for the day. Mariama, our AM Sorting team member, meticulously sets out all the LotCoding Labeling Guns, neatly arranged on a stainless-steel table, freshly treated with cleaning solution, ready to be wiped down and checked for any damage.

In the depths of the coolers, I see our Maintenance team member Lisa gathering corner boards and strapping, while the floor vacuum sucks up pooling water to ensure no one trips or falls. There are no urgent matters at hand this morning, so I burst into an internal rendition of "Food! Glorious food!" Okay, maybe not singing out loud, but yes, that's what happens in my head. You're welcome!

Let’s see what I have uncovered this week:

Sugar cane from **EEOH** - wildcrafted in Fiji

Carter looked over at me with a quizzical brow and said, "We have sugarcane in the house?" Without hesitation, I flew into the warehouse, rolled up my sleeves, and grabbed the heaviest cleaver I could find in our kitchen. I peeled and chopped the sugarcane, preparing it for our tasting table. Brody, our buyer, mentioned that during his travels, he met a dude who was chewing on sugarcane. The man called it "nature's toothbrush" and shared some wild stories. While some of our staff said it tasted delicious, others thought it tasted like cardboard haha.

Clamshells of blueberries from **Twin Rivers**

Golden Rainier cherries from **Stemilt**

Pickling cucumbers from **Secrest** - product of BC

Rainbow cherry tomatoes from **A&A Organics**

Cauliflower from Lina’s Garden - product of BC

White warba potatoes from **Fraserland** - product of BC

Sweet baby broccolini from **Blue House Organics** - product of BC

If you didn’t know, it’s peony season! My love for these flowers began when I was about 12 years old. I used to help out at my auntie’s flower shop for some pocket money, often assisting her in unloading buckets of flowers she picked up at auction. One day, she pulled out bundles of yellow and pink flowers. At first glance, they didn’t look like much, and I had seen and prepped so many types of flowers at the shop. But as she cut off the plastic sleeves, the gigantic, petaled peonies were revealed like a stunning chandelier. Smiling from ear to ear, I asked my Auntie Maria, “What are those called?” She replied, “The yellow ones are Lemon Chiffon and the pink ones are Coral Sunset.”

From that moment on, every year when peonies come into season, my Aunt Maria would text me, “I have peonies for you!” To this day, I still smile with delight whenever I see them.

This weekend, I’ll be taking her out to lunch and giving her an unnecessarily long hug, whispering, “I love you and thank you for this.” It’s been a busy week, and I’m looking forward to sharing this small moment of appreciation with her.

Thank you for reading along, and I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!
- The Compliance Officer

Hot Shots - July 20, 2024

Discover More