What’s In Season
What’s In Season
In the last month, Queensland has been inundated with an unprecedented 5 meters of rain, wreaking havoc on fruit and vegetable growers statewide. This deluge has particularly devastated banana crops. Additionally, an unexpected heat wave in South Australia has also dealt a significant blow to growers there.
The produce supply has been severely affected, leaving New South Wales and Victoria as the primary growing regions. Consequently, prices, especially for vegetables, have surged.
FRUIT
APPLES & PEARS: All apples are new in season except for Pink Ladies. There are some great organic apples available (we love red ladies, as they're the perfect snack size—crunchy and delicious). Lots of pears are available: Corella, Buerre Bosc, Williams, Papples, and Nashi pears.
TROPICAL: Watermelons are great value and are eating well. Rockmelons are scarce. Try candy melons (think honeydew taste with a touch of rockmelon good looks, plus extra pizzazz and tropical notes).
MANGO: Last week for mangoes - enjoy them now or wait many months for your next good mango! There are a few spots on some fruit, but still amazing. Keits and Honey Golds (with HG's always our pick).
GRAPES: Lots of varieties are eating well. Autumn Kings are our best on ground again this week. One of our picks is Jack’s Salute. For something different, try elongated black sapphires.
EXOTIC: Lots of great autumn exotics in season- Aussie pomegranates, persimmons, quinces and custard apples. We also love mangosteens, guavas and achacha.
TRY: Yuzu lemons. We absolutely love this gorgeous Japanese variety of lemons. The juice is sweeter than a regular lemon and more complex (suggest using the zest also). It's not a cheap lemon, but it's special. We have prickly pear available this week. This cactus fruit is frequently used in Mexican cooking. Puree, strain, and use as a juice for prickly pear margarita or eat raw!
PASSIONFRUIT: Eating really well at the moment.
BERRIES: Strawberries are eating well. Raspberries are good value. Blueberries are scarce. Blackberries are available.
STONEFRUIT: Very late season for stonefruit. Plums are the only stonefruit that is still holding up.
CITRUS: Lemons and limes are very good. Finger limes, new-season grapefruit, and pomelo are available. Aussie Valencias are the only Aussie oranges available; navels are still approximately one month away.
FIGS: Good value and eating.
BANANAS: All the rain in QLD has hit bananas, reducing supply and impacting prices and quality.
VEGETABLES
AVOCADOES: Hass season is ending soon. Reid and Shepherds are available.
SCARCE: Tomatoes, cabbage, peas, and Brussels sprouts.
BEANS & PEAS: Snake beans and round beans are pretty good.
ASPARAGUS: Aussie asparagus is still available.
RECOMMEND/DECENT VALUE: Carrots, cucumbers, cauliflower, broccoli, eggplant.
GARLIC: Aussie in season.
POTATOES: There are many varieties available. They don't look the prettiest, but the flavour is still good. SA is a big growing region for potatoes, and a heat wave when potatoes develop their protective skins has meant that the outsides are a bit ugly. Sweet potatoes are good value.
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