VEGETABLES
The quality and value or most vegetables is good right now, although heavy rain in QLD and Southern states may have some negative impacts. There have been some issues with Baby Spinach leaves lately due to rain. We are currently trialling smaller / cheaper 100g packs of salad leaves – your feedback is welcome.
Asparagus – Australian season over – currently unavailable
Beans – Hand picked in punnet – excellent quality
Broccoli – Very good quality
Brussels Sprouts – In punnet – excellent quality
Cabbages – Locally grown – very good quality
Capsicums – Queensland season. Very good quality and value
Carrots – Premium quality, tender and sweet. It’s always best to store carrots in a plastic bag or tupperware, to prevent them from drying out and turning limp.
Caulitflower – Victorian season. Excellent quality and value
Corn – Local season – excellent quality and value
Cucumbers – Locally grown. Excellent quality
Lettuce – Supply and quality of baby spinach, roquette, mixed leaf and Iceberg should be very good this week
Potatoes – Very good quality for all varieties
Snowpeas / Sugarsnap – In punnets – excellent quality
Sweet potatoes – Very good quality and value
Tomatoes – Rain in QLD has led to a shortage of Romas. Supply of round tomatoes has also been affected.
Zucchini – Locally grown – excellent quality and value
FRUIT
Apples – New season Granny Smith have arrived in the market – very good quality however they tend to be quite tart early in the season. We will be buying new season Sassy this week – fresh off the trees, crisp and juicy, similar to a Fuji but sweeter. The new season for Pink Lady’s won’t start for another few weeks at least, so all fruit in the market and shops was picked last year. Quality is good, however we are finding some signs of deteriorating quality
Avocados – Hass are in season. Excellent quality
Bananas – Very good quality and value
Berries – All varieties are a little scarce and prices are up. Quality is very good
Cherries – Tasmanian season is over now
Grapes – Green seedless grapes are in season – very good quality and value. We are also buying seedless black grapes this week. Crimson will start next week
Kiwifruit – New Zealand season is over for both green and gold. Currently unavailable
Lemons and Limes – Supply of Lemons is gradually improving. Limes are excellent value
Mandarins – New season will commence around April
Mangoes – QLD season for Kensingrton Pride is over. There are other varieties which we will avoid buying due to inconsistent quality
Oranges – Valencias are coming to towards the end of their season. Quality remains good. New season Navels will commence in the next month or so.
Passionfruit – Quality is very good buy prices are up
Pears – New season Williams pears have commenced. Slightly floury in texture compared to a Packam, however flavour is very good
Pineapples – Supply has improved. Quality is very good
Rockmelons – Very good quality and value
Stonefruit – Season is gradually nearing its end, however quality remains good. This week we will be buying (depending on an availability) : Yellow Peaches, White Nectarines, and Red Plums. Quality and flavour are very good
Strawberries – The Victorian season. Quality is currently very good, market price is above average. The best way to extend the life of berries is to remove them from their punnet and place on paper towel in the fridge. Only wash them just prior to eating.
Watermelon – Very good quality and value
When unpacking your produce, it should be handled as carefully as possible to minimise damage and bruising. Vegetables will store best in plastic bags or tupperware to prevent them from drying out in the fridge – especially for carrots and broccoli. Most fruits will generally stay fresher in the fridge. To maximise flavour, tomatoes should not be refrigerated