20 - 26 November 2017

FRUIT

Kensington Pride mangoes (also known as Bowen mangoes), R2E2 and the highly blushed calypso variety all have a rich tropical aroma and yield to gentle pressure when ripe. Sniff out a flavoursome tropical treat this week for $1-$4 each, depending on size. Fruit is now coming from Bowen, Mareeba and Townsville. For a quick dessert whip up a Mango cheesecake in a glass.

Irresistible, new season peaches and nectarines are fragrant, juicy and bursting with flavour. Both white and yellow flesh peaches and nectarines are available at your local greengrocers for $4-$14 a kilo, depending. A delicious and easy dessert is to roast stonefruit.

One of the delights of late spring and summer is Australian grown cherries. Loved for their succulent texture, sweet flavour and glamorous glossy looks, juicy cherries can be firm or soft fleshed and vary in sweetness, depending on which variety is on offer. Cherries are $7-$25 a kilo, depending on size and variety.

There are good supplies of sweet eating berries. Fragrant strawberries are a top buy at $1-$4 a punnet (depending on variety and size), blueberries are attractively priced at $2-$4 a punnet, divine tasting raspberries are $4-$8 a punnet and glossy blackberries are $4-$5 a punnet.

Golden-fleshed apricots are scrumptious eaten fresh or cook. Add apricots to savoury or sweet dishes turn them into homemade jam, spicy apricot chutney or poach apricots in a vanilla syrup to serves as a dessert or for breakfast. Apricots are $5-$15 a kilo.

New season plums from the North Coast are flavoursome. Select from yellow and red fleshed varieties this week with fruit available for $7-$14 a kilo.

Quality rockmelons are super sweet and delicious eating this week and only $3-$5 each, depending on size.

VEGETABLES

The thriftiest items at your local greengrocers this week is cucumbers. Lebanese cucumbers are $1-$2 a kilo and Telegraph cucumbers 40¢-$1 each. It’s a great week to whip a home-made Tzatziki dip, to serve with lamb kebabs.

For value, taste and versatility fresh asparagus is a winner; its delicate nutty flavour can be enjoyed raw or cooked. Asparagus is a top buy at $1-$2 a bunch. Buy crisp asparagus spears with tightly-closed tips. Choose bunches with even-sized spears that require the same cooking time.

Glossy purple-black skinned eggplants have a tender texture and subtle flavour. Delicious sautéed, baked, grilled or barbecued, eggplants absorb flavours so work well with flavours like tomato, garlic and basil. Premium glasshouse grown eggplant are firm and tasty, expect to pay $3-5 a kilo for field grown eggplant and $6-$8 a kilo for glasshouse.

Versatile celery is a bargain this week at $3-$4 a bunch. Add crunch to stir-fries and salads with celery. Cos and Iceberg lettuce are a thrifty buy this week at $2-$2.50 a head.

Machine harvested green beans are a bargain at $3-$4 a kilo. Handpicked beans are $10-$14 a kilo.

Asian leafy greens are quick to cook, versatile and super nutritious. Add them to your favourite stir-fry for only $1-$1.50 a bunch.

Mild tasting zucchinis are this week’s bargain. With supplies currently coming from several growing regions the prices have dropped to $2-$4 a kilo. Whip up a Char-grilled zucchini, rocket & prosciutto salad or team zucchini with asparagus in a frittata or quiche.

FLOWERS

This week I recommended hydrangeas (white, blue, pinks and mauve), there is a fabulous selection of peonies, dahlia have started, bouvardia, Christmas bells, Oriental lilies, achilleas, agapanthus (white and purple), David Austin roses, delphinium, buddleia, sunflowers, artichoke flowers, crab claws, king proteas, spider orchids, Canterbury bells, leucadendron and lisianthus.

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 tel 0438 725 453.

Published On 2017-11-21 15:35:00