16 - 22 DECEMBER 2024 Update Sydney Market that includes availability and price of seasonal fruits, vegetables and flowers. Also includes recipe suggestions.
As we wrap up the final Sydney Market Report for 2024, I want to thank you for your continued support. Your commitment to promoting fresh, seasonal fruit, vegetables, and flowers—and choosing independent greengrocers and florists—means the world to us. Wishing you a joyful and festive Christmas. I look forward to reconnecting in the new year, with the next market report set to arrive on the 6th of January 2025. Warm regards Sue.
FRUITS
White and yellow-fleshed peaches and nectarines are getting sweeter by the day, with fruit sourced from orchards across Victoria, NSW, and South Australia. Available at your local greengrocer for $4-$12 per kilo, peaches and nectarines purchased by the trays are a good idea for better value and longer freshness, as the fruit is handled less.
Sweet and juicy mangoes are plentiful this season and very reasonably priced. Choose firm mangoes with a sweet tropical fragrance, and allow them to ripen at room temperature until the fruit yields to gentle pressure around the stem. Mangoes range from $2.50-$5 each, depending on variety and size. Small trays of mangoes are priced at $12-$20, while large trays range from $25-$40, depending on size and variety. These delicious mangoes are a perfect addition to your Christmas spread.
Glossy, plump cherries are a true Australian summer favourite. With a wide variety of cherries from regions like Young, Orange, South Australia, and Victoria, there's a perfect size, price, and flavour to suit every preference. Enjoy their natural sweetness, craft a cherry tiramisu trifle, roast them for a delightful pairing with turkey or ham or add to salads. The better eating and larger-sized cherries will be $16 to $50 per kilo. Be sure to check for specials on 1-kilo and 2-kilo boxes.
Bursting with juiciness and natural sweetness, fresh lychees are a true summer delight! Store lychees in a sealed plastic bag in the refrigerator to keep them at their best. Pair lychees with juicy mangoes and fragrant mint for a simple and refreshing dessert—pure summer perfection!
Glorious berries are a seasonal delight, most retailing at $3-$6 a punnet. It's a fabulous time to enjoy raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, strawberries and red currants. Buy to use, not store, as they are highly perishable, especially with current weather conditions. Why not whip up a delectable summer berry pudding? It's easy to make, festive, and perfect as a make-ahead Christmas dessert.
Don't forget juicy limes this season to enjoy with seafood or use in your salad dressings. Limes are $10-$14 a kilo or $1-$2 each. Try our Lime cheesecake with summer fruits
Crisp and refreshing, seedless grapes in green, red, and black varieties are the perfect addition to salads or cheese boards, adding flavour and texture. Early season grapes are ranging from $10-$20 a kilo.
Sweet, juicy, and ready to enjoy, watermelon is a quintessential summer treat. Choose a vibrant pink-fleshed cut watermelon or a whole one to create a refreshing dessert of chilled wedges paired with Turkish delight and fresh mint. Whole watermelons are available for just $2-$3 per kilo.
Plump and full of flavour, early new-season figs have arrived and are ready to enjoy from your local greengrocer.
New-season blood plums offer fabulous quality and deep red hues that promise a rich, sweet flavour. Enjoy them freshly sliced into desserts, or use them to make jam for a delightful taste of summer. These vibrant plums are a perfect addition to your seasonal fruit selection, priced between $7 - $15 per kilo.
Summer is the ideal season for enjoying richly flavoured tomatoes. With an incredible variety now in abundance, it's the perfect time to savour the diverse shapes, colours, textures, and flavours they offer. Visit your local greengrocer for the freshest and highest quality selection, including vibrant Medley tomatoes, sweet Truss, bite-sized cherry and grape tomatoes, and soft, flavourful heirloom varieties. Prices range from just $2 a punnet to $10 per kilo, depending on your choice. Try our tomato medley, mozzarella & basil salad
VEGETABLES
For festive salads, choose soft-leaf lettuce varieties like Red Oak Leaf, Mignonette, Butter, or Red Coral, priced at $2.50-$3 each. Larger options like Cos or Iceberg lettuce are available for $3-$3.50 per head. Take your salads to the next level with a zesty homemade lemon and coriander tahini dressing.
Tender, juicy, and refreshing Lebanese cucumbers are $3-$4 per kilo. Telegraph cucumbers are priced at $2.50-$3 each, while baby cucumbers or qakes are available for $3-$5 per punnet. Keep a few crunchy cucumbers on hand for quick and easy party nibbles. Simply slice them and top them with smoked salmon, crème fraîche, a sprig of dill, and a sprinkle of cracked black pepper for a delicious treat.
Golden-fleshed Jap pumpkins from Queensland are a Christmas favourite. Perfect for adding roasted, diced pumpkin to salads or baking a whole stuffed pumpkin for a festive dish. Jap pumpkins are priced at $2-$4 a kilo, The thriftiest way to buy pumpkin is whole.
Desiree, Pontiac, Brushed, Kipfler, and Dutch Cream potatoes are all available at your local greengrocer and are perfect for roasting or making a delicious potato salad.
Enhance your festive cooking with the vibrant flavours of fresh herbs. Sprinkle fresh thyme sprigs over roasted vegetables, or add sage and parsley to meat stuffings for an extra flavour boost. Serve basil leaves, extra virgin olive oil, sliced heirloom tomatoes, and black olives as a delicious side dish. Fresh herbs are available for $2.50-$3.50 a bunch, perfect for elevating your holiday meals.
Don't forget to grab some carrots for Santa's reindeer! They're also perfect for roasting and adding to summery salads. Roasted carrots bring out a naturally sweet flavour, especially when paired with a sprinkle of fresh thyme. Carrots are a thrifty buy at $2-$3 a kilo.
Summer is the time to enjoy eggplants. Great for soaking up flavours, eggplant is delicious roasted, grilled, barbecued or baked. Add eggplant to your festive salads. This week, eggplants are $4-$8 a kilo.
Local sweetcorn has started, so pop a few super fresh sweetcorn cobs on your shopping list as they are 80c-$1 a cob. Use whole cobs or remove kernels for using festive salads and fritters.
FLOWERS
Christmas week brings a high demand for festive foliage in red, white, gold, and green. We encourage you to contact your florist early to secure your order. This week’s spectacular selection includes fresh Christmas Bush, Christmas Bells, holly, spruce, and vibrant potted poinsettias—perfect for adding holiday cheer!
Also, in season sea holly (dyed gold & silver) berzelia, flannel flowers, kangaroo paw, Queen Anne’s lace, chestnut foliage, classic roses and spray roses, buddleia, flowering gum, hydrangea, peonies, gardenia, lisianthus, celosia, gardenia, dahlia, agapanthus, water lilies and lots of colourful gerberas.
Prices in this report are valid for the week of the report and may vary based on variety, size, quality, and trading area. For more information, contact Sue Dodd, Marketing Consultant, at tel 0438 725 453
Published On 2025-01-06 13:27:19
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