16 - 22 JANUARY 2023
FRUIT
Celebrate Chinese New Year with longans. Also known as dragon’s eyes, Longans are sold in clusters still attached to branches longans and have a sweet, jelly-like flesh similar to a lychee. They retail this week at $10-$20 a kilo.
Succulent, refreshing lychees are $16-$50 a kilo. Try lychees wrapped with prosciutto and grilled or team lychees & mangoes in lime syrup for a sweet treat. Limes are $3-$6 a kilo. Mangoes are a little firmer this week due to the rain in Queensland; they will retail at $3-$5 each.
Try something new - Keep an eye out for the delicious red-fleshed nectarines that are now in season; the colour and flavour are delightful. Don’t miss out on the flavoursome white and yellow-fleshed peaches and nectarines; they are great eating and good value at $ $3-$8 a kilo, depending on the size.
Hands up if you have tried doughnut peaches and nectarines, both in season. These low-acid stone fruits are tasty and retail at $3-$10 a kilo, depending on size.
Pop a few limes in your trolley this week for 40¢-$1, depending on size. Look for bulk buy specials to save extra, as limes are available for around $3-$4 a kilo. Squeeze lime juice over seafood, use in marinades, whip up a tangy lime butter or drizzle a little juice into dishes to reduce richness.
Take advantage of late-season cherries; they are firm, sweet, and flavoursome. Besides making a delicious snack, cherries are ideal for creating a tasty relish or adding chopped cherries to muffin or pancake mixtures. Cherries are $10-$50 a kilo, depending on size. While most of the cherries are 26-28mms in size, some are Jumbo sized at 34-36mm. The bigger the cherry, the higher the price.
Crisp, crunchy, naturally sweet, new season Sunraysia grown grapes are superb eating. Grapes are available in red, green and black-skinned varieties; most are seedless and retail at $7 to $25 a kilo, depending on the variety.
The best buy in berries this week is antioxidant-rich blueberries. A standard punnet is $1.50-$3, and jumbo-sized berries or a larger punnet sells for up to $6.
It’s a good week for tomato specials. Plump, full-flavoured tomatoes are $2-$6 a punnet or kilo, depending on the variety. Team tomatoes with basil, chives, garlic, salt and pepper, and serve with crusty bread.
Late summer yields a plentiful supply of tangy–sweet passionfruit. Choose heavy fruit for its size; a slightly wrinkled appearance is quite acceptable. Passionfruit are 50¢-$1.50 each depending on the variety. Look for bulk buy specials at your local greengrocer.
VEGETABLES
Fire up your wok and celebrate Chinese New Year with a few Asian-inspired meals. Bok Choy and Choy sum are mild-tasting leafy greens that add fabulous nutrition and texture to a stir fry. Best of all, they are only $1.50-$2 a bunch.
Late summer to early autumn is the best time to enjoy locally grown choy, also known as water spinach, kang kong or water convolvulus. This tasty leafy green vegetable is ideal for adding to a stir-fry or a steamboat. At $1.50-$2.50 a bunch, it is a bargain.
Snake beans are ideal for adding to Asian-inspired dishes, including quick and easy stir-fries. Flavours like garlic, ginger, tomatoes and fresh herbs complement snakes. Expect to pay $3-$4 a bunch. Alternative ultra-fresh green beans are $7-10 kilos for hand-picked beans and $3-$5 a kilo for machine harvested.
Chinese cabbage, also known as Wombok, has crisp, light green to white leaves with a mild flavour. Shred leaves finely and stir-fry with noodles or use leaves in a salad. Chinese cabbage is $2-$4 ahead. This Bok choy & chicken chow mein recipe is a great mid-week meal.
Zucchinis are $3-$6 a kilo. Add grated zucchini to cakes, pasta sauces and meatloaf or thinly slice lengthwise and add to a salad. Barbecued zucchini adds a lovely taste and texture to salads like this delicious Char-grilled zucchini, rocket & prosciutto salad.
Kale - This super-nutritious leafy green offers so much goodness. Crisp and crunchy kale is rich in beneficial antioxidants, vitamins and iron. Toss the trimmed leaves into stir-fries and green smoothies. Finely shred kale to add to salad bowls. Kale is a top buy at $1-$3 a bunch.
Eggplants are $3-$6 a kilo. Fresh, young eggplants only require salting if you intend deep-frying. Cut eggplant into 1 cm slices, brush with olive oil and grill until soft and golden. Use in a vegetable lasagne or add to a pizza topping.
Iceberg lettuce is a classic salad ingredient easily embellished with a tasty salad dressing. Expect to pay $2-$3 a head this week.
Kumara has gorgeous orange flesh with a creamy texture. Delicious roasted in the oven or an air fryer with spices, like grated ginger, coriander or cumin. Small kumara tubers are thrifty at $1-$2 a kilo, and large tubers will be $3-$4 a kilo.
FLOWERS
This week the demand for red and gold-coloured flowers increases due to Lunar New Year. There is a stunning selection of quality flowers available this week. Select from lotus pods, hydrangeas, foliage teatree, flowering gum, sunflowers, roses, bottle brush, banksia, dahlia, snapdragons, pink oriental lilies, zinnia, tuberoses, sunflowers, celosia, calla lilies, Singapore orchids and pineapple lilies. Exotic flowers like water lilies, heleconia, ginger beehive flowers, crab claw and strelitzia.
Prices quoted in this report are only relevant for the week of the report. All prices are estimates only as prices vary depending on variety, size and quality of produce and the trading area. For further information please contact Sue Dodd, Marketing Consultant on 0438725453.
Published On 2023-01-16 15:34:10
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