7 - 13 OCTOBER 2024 Update Sydney Market that includes availability and price of seasonal fruits, vegetables and flowers. Also includes recipe suggestions.
FRUITS
Warmer weather in the Northern Territory signals that the fragrant, luscious mango season is here. Starting this week, we will see a steady supply of quality mangoes on the shelves. Brimming with vitamins, calcium and a rich source of fibre and potassium, mangoes are an all-time favourite. Depending on variety and size, Kensington Pride and R2E2 mangoes are available for $3-$7 each.
Supercharge your breakfast with blueberries with these easy-serving suggestions
• Layer blueberries with muesli, toasted coconut and vanilla yoghurt
• Sprinkle blueberries over pancakes with fresh ricotta and a drizzle of maple syrup
• Add a handful of blueberries to your favourite breakfast smoothie
• Team blueberries with strawberries, papaya and oranges in a delicious fruit salad.
Brimming with beneficial antioxidants, sweet, plump Australian-grown fresh blueberries are the ideal low-kilojoule snack at $3-$5, depending on punnet and berry size.
Naturally sweet and refreshing, Queensland-grown rockmelons are in season and available for $4-$7 each, depending on size. Rockmelons make an ideal snack or sensational dessert for the diet-conscious. Enjoy melon 'al' natural or combine it with passionfruit, ginger, tropical fruits, or berries to create heavenly desserts. Or opt for a classic pairing of peeled and sliced rockmelon with prosciutto.
Fragrant and fleshy yellow and white peaches and nectarines from the NSW North Coast around Alstonville and Stuarts Point are now available. We need the weather to warm up before we can see more sweetness and size in the fruit.
Fragrant and succulent strawberries are now coming from Western Australia and Queensland. Strawberries are highly perishable and should be used within 1-2 days of purchasing for optimum quality; they are available for $4-$6 a punnet.
Did you know one banana provides over a third of your daily vitamin C requirements? Smooth and creamy Queensland bananas are $3-$4 a kilo. For a tropical breakfast, team sliced bananas with sliced papaya and pineapple. Drizzle with lime juice and serve with thick natural yoghurt and toasted coconut.
Late-season blood oranges are still available at $4-$6 a kilo. Add segments to salads and juice the juice in salad dressings, or savour the refreshing juice to quench your thirst.
Tropical tasting papaya from Far North Queensland, available for $3-$6 a kilo. Look for a fragrant aroma as a sign of sweet flavour.
VEGETABLES
Whether you're grilling, roasting, blanching, or tossing it in a stir-fry, asparagus adds a deliciously crisp and vibrant touch to any dish. Quality Australian asparagus is at its best right now, and prices are very reasonable. Pick up several bunches, as they're only $1.50-$2.50 a bunch.
Versatile and affordable zucchini are in good supply at your local greengrocers. Add mild-tasting zucchini to spaghetti Bolognese, frittata, meatloaf, pasta dishes, muffins, cakes, burger patties, or a char-grilled zucchini, rocket, and prosciutto salad. Zucchinis are $3-$6 a kilo, depending on size.
Premium-quality Lebanese cucumbers cost $2-$4 a kilo. Whip up a fresh and tasty cucumber, garlic, and yogurt dip to serve with lamb or chicken.
Radish's crisp texture and mild mustard flavour add delicious flavour and texture to spring salads. Pick up a bunch for $2.50-$4, depending on the variety. Choose from classic round and red, elongated red and white radishes or bunches of mixed-coloured radishes. Try this tasty lettuce, cucumber, radish, and chicken salad.
Crispy bean sprouts add crunch and flavour to all sorts of dishes. Choose firm white bean sprouts with small yellow tips. Avoid brownish ones. Refrigerate sprouts in an airtight container and eat within 2 days. Rinse in cold water just before use. At $2.50-$3 for a 150-gram bag, beans sprouts are a bargain. Here are three serving ideas.
- Top a spicy laksa or other Asian-inspired soups with bean sprouts.
- Toss bean sprouts through any stir-fries just before serving.
- Add bean sprouts to Pad Thai or fried rice.
Versatile eggplant is a good value. Roast a tray of diced eggplant, red onion and sliced garlic to add to salads. Depending on how the eggplants were grown in a field or glasshouse, prices will range from $3-$7 a kilo.
If pumpkin carving is an activity that you are planning on doing for Halloween this 31st October, then the good news is that Halloween pumpkins are now available at your local greengrocer, but be quick as these pumpkins fly off the shelf quicker than a witch's broomstick. Pumpkins are retailing at around $3.50- $4 a kilo.
Add a bunch of fragrant coriander to your shopping list. Use the leaves to make Asian-style curries, stir-fries, dumpling mixes, salads, soups, and laksa. Use the stems and roots for curry pastes. Coriander is $2-$3 a bunch and is packed with flavour. Try this quick idea: Mix a tub of thick natural yoghurt with 1 cup of chopped coriander leaves, a chopped red chilli, and two finely sliced green onions. Season and serve with barbecued fish and steamed rice.
Select bunches of healthy and mild-tasting bok choy this week. They are as cheap as $1.50-$2.50, served steamed or stir-fried.
Fennel's crunchy texture and mild aniseed flavour add vibrancy to spring salads. It has virtually no fat and few kilojoules and is refreshing raw or cooked. Pop a bulb of fennel on your shopping list to enjoy with char-grilled tomato, salmon, and fennel salad. Large fennel bulbs are $2.50-$3 a bulb.
Versatile and mild-tasting English spinach is delicious and can be enjoyed raw or cooked; add to green smoothies, salads, frittatas and scrabbled eggs. This week, spinach bunches are good value at $1-$2.50. Try this blend English spinach with cashews, tahini, lemon juice and garlic to create a delicious, healthy dip.
FLOWERS
Spring flowers are abundant and varied. It’s time to enjoy Australian peonies, boronia, lilac, guelder rose (snowball), chincherinchee, branch artichokes, red and white waratahs, king protea, sweet peas, stock, snapdragons, Queen Anne’s lace, flannel flowers, daisies, tulips, ranunculus, freesias, stock, iris, lavender, kangaroo paw, tiger lilies, poppies, bird of paradise, gerbera and delphinium.
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 2024-10-09 09:42:43
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