19 - 25 August 2019
VEGETABLES
The delicate aniseed flavour and crunchy texture of fennel complement fish, chicken, lamb, pears and citrus. For a quick entrée or salad, combine shredded fennel with shaved parmesan, crisp slices of pear and watercress. At $1-$2 a bulb fennel is a great buy.
Stock up on basic like carrots are 70¢-$2.50 a kilo or brown onions $1-$2 a kilo.
Golden buttered beans are a seasonally thrifty buy this week at $4-$5 a kilo. Try this kumara, bean & rocket salad.
Make the most of locally grown artichokes at $1.50-$2 a head.
Toss a few bunches of Asian leafy greens into a steamer this week, they are good at value, quick to cook and nutritious. Bok choy, pak choy, choy sum and gai lum are selling for $1.50-$2 a bunch.
Early supplies of Australian grown asparagus are now available at your local greengrocer. Imported asparagus from Peru is also available. This week asparagus will be retailing at $3.50-$4 a bunch with prices expected to drop over the next month, as the harvest is in full swing.
With its reddish maroon coloured leaves, radicchio looks like lettuce however it is a member of the chicory family. Its mildly bitter taste is delicious enjoyed in salads but heads for radicchio can also be cut into wedges and lightly sautéed and served with grated cheese. Add colour to your meals this week with vibrant coloured radicchio, available for $3-$4 a head. Try this Radicchio, fennel, pear & blue cheese salad.
Premium quality large snow-white cauliflowers are a bargain at $2-$3 a head. Cut a head of cauliflower into large slices (to make cauliflower steaks) Pan fry or roast until tender.
Zucchini may be mild tasting however its extremely versatile and suitable for combining with a myriad of flavours to creating scrumptious meals. Pick up a kilo of zucchini this week and whip up a delicious zucchini based meal this week. Zucchini are $2-$5 a kilo.
Look after your eyes and enjoy spinach and silverbeet for $2-$3 a bunch or kale at $1.50-$2 a bunch, which are good sources of lutein also known as the eye vitamin. Its role as an antioxidant is to protect the lens and retina from the absorption of harmful blue - UV light and to mop up free radicals produced through oxidative stress in the eye area.
Ginger is a choice buy this week at $8-$15 a kilo. Storing ginger correctly optimise the natural juiciness, flavour and crispness of fresh ginger. Place freshly-scrubbed and dried unpeeled ginger into airtight jars,cover with Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry.
FRUIT
Avocados contain 14 vitamins and minerals including vitamins B1, B2, B3, C and E and despite their creamy texture, avocadoes provide valuable fibre? Pick up a Hass avocado this week for $1.50-$3 each, depending on size and quality.
The sweet memorable fragrances of fresh strawberries are at their best at this time of year, so while strawberries are in peak supply its time to sniff out a bargain, expect to pay $1.50-$3 a punnet. For maximum flavour, wash strawberries just before hulling (removing stalk).
Kon Fruit also sold as Sumo are large mandarins, resemble a large tangelo in shape, with a thick, wrinkly rind this fruit is easy to peel, seedless and ultra-flavoursome and juicy. Expect to pay $6-$8 a kilo, enjoy now as the season is short.
Sweet eating and aromatic small, North Territory rockmelons are a thrifty buy at $2-$5 each, depending on size.
Early supplies of Kensington Pride mangoes from the Northern Territory are a bargain at $4-$7 each. Supplies of large, antioxidant-rich blueberries from Caboolture and Coffs Harbour are delicious eating and $3 -$6 a punnet. Did you know that purples foods like blueberries can protect your brain health.
Make the most of late winter lemons. Juice and lemon zest add flavour to marinades, cakes, steamed puddings or make your own preserved lemon. Select lemons that feel heavy for their size, this indicates good juice content. Lemons are $3-$6 a kilo. Whip up an easy lemon curd in 15 minutes or this lemon delicious pudding is a tasty treat.
FLOWERS
You are spoiled for choice this week as there is a superb selection of quality flowers available from your florist in spring, look for daffodils, jonquils, blossom, lavender, wheat, anemone, violets, hellebores, freesia, daphne, sweet william, sea holly, sunflowers, stock, sweetpeas, poppies, protea, lavender, protea, kale, orchids, blushing bride, lilies, lisianthus, roses, tulips, forget me knots or purple iris.
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, Retail Support Manager on tel 0438 725 453.
Published On 2019-08-19 17:25:00
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