VEGETABLES
Asparagus – Australian season – excellent quality
Beans – Very scarce. Temporarily unavailable
Broccoli – Very good quality, however price is up. Broccolini is very good right now
Brussels Sprouts – Temporarily unavailable. New season should begin in a week or 2
Cabbages – Locally grown – very good quality. Price is up due to recent rain
Capsicums – Both reds and green are very scarce due to recent heavy rain in QLD
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. Very good quality and value
Corn – Victorian season – very good quality
Cucumbers – Locally grown. Excellent quality
Lettuce – Supply and quality of baby spinach, roquette, mixed leaf and Iceberg are very good.
Leeks – In season – excellent quality and value
Onions – Quality and value are very good
Potatoes – Supply has tightened and market prices are up
Snowpeas / Sugarsnap – Both remain very good quality and value, however they are sensitive to warmer weather so supply may become scarce soon.
Sweet potatoes – Currently in short supply
Tomatoes – Good quality and value. The supply of locally grown cherry and grape tomatoes has improved
Zucchini – Locally grown – very good quality, however market price is up
FRUIT
Apples – Al varieties are at the end of their season and prices are up
Avocados – Hass are in season. Excellent quality and value
Bananas – Warmer weather up north has meant increased supplies. Very good quality and value
Berries – Quality of Blueberries is excellent. Raspberries and Blackberries are also very good
Grapes – All varieties are out of season. The new Australian season will commence around December
Kiwifruit – New Zealand season is over for both green and gold
Lemons – Lemons are very good quality and value
Mandarins – Season is over
Mangos – Katherine fruit (Nthn Territory) Quality is excellent
Oranges – New season seedless Valencias have commenced. Excellent quality
Passionfruit – Will be very scarce for the next few weeks. Temporarily unavailable
Pears – Packams are at the end of their season
Pineapples – Good quality, but quite scarce
Rockmelons – Very good qualiy and value
Stonefruit – This week we will be buying Nectarines and Apricots. Cherries will commence in a week or so, and we will start buying Peaches very soon
Strawberries – The Victorian season has commenced. Quality and value are very good.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