9 - 15 NOV 2020


FRUIT

FruitIt’s time to sink your teeth into a ripe goldened-flesged or white-fleshed peach and nectarine from the North Coast of NSW, Peats Ridge (Hawkesbury area), South Australia and Victoria are now available at your local greengrocer. Prices are ranging from $4-$15 a kilo, depending on size, variety and flesh colour.

Apricots season is short but sweet and early supplies of new season apricots are now available at your local greengrocer. The best eating apricots are bright in colour and firm to touch. Make the most of these versatile fruits they are delicious char-grilled, poached, stewed or baked. Apricots are $10-$20 kilo, depending on size and the variety.

Irresistible mangoes are sweet and tangy. Kensington Pride mangoes are in short supply until the Mareeba harvest commences. Add sliced mango to a Thai inspired prawn salad, or team with blueberries to make a healthy and satisfying mango & blueberry smooth. Select from Kensington Pride, Calypso and R2E@ mango varieties, prices are ranging from $2.50-$5 a kilo, depending on variety and size.

Despite the fact that they have a creamy texture, bananas contain no fat at all. Bananas make an ideal snack and perfect for a smoothie. When bananas start to develop a brown freckled appearance on the dulling yellow skin, this indicates that they are at prime ripeness and all the starch content has changed to sugar, so they are at their sweetest. Enjoy Aussie grown bananas this week for $2-$3 a kilo.

Versatile limes have a rich tangy flavour, are less acidic than lemons but still provide a generous boost of vitamin C. As supplies increase, lime prices are easing. Sold by the kilo or individually limes are $5-$8 a kilo or around 50¢-$1 each, depending on size. Limes are the perfect pairing in this lime syrup coconut cake or this lime-marinated fish with cucumber & avocado salad.

Add the crowning glamour of Aussie pineapples to your fruit bowl and meals this week for $2.90-$4 each, depending on size and variety. Sweet and tangy pineapples would work well in sweet and savoury dishes. Add pineapple to a curry, pizza topping or try this delicious cake Byron Bay banana, pineapple & macadamia cake.

Naturally sweet and irresistible strawberries ($2-$5 a punnet or $8-$10 for large fruit on plates), blueberries ($2-$3 a punnet) and raspberries ($2.50-$5 a punnet) and blackberries season has also started, expect to pay $4 a punnet.

Refreshing and flavoursome orange-fleshed rockmelon is a thrifty buy at $2-$4 each, depending on size. Serve rockmelons with feta cheese or haloumi in a salad it’s a tasty combination. Try this rockmelon ‘carpaccio’ & haloumi salad. It will work equally as well with golden rind and super sweet Candy melons now in season and also $2-$4 each.

Pop a few punnets of cherry tomatoes in the trolley this week for $2.50-$3 a punnet. Delicious raw in a salad or enjoy the rich sweetness that cherries tomato brings to a pasta dish with this easy to make cherry tomato, chilli & tuna spaghetti.

Add quality Truss tomatoes to your shopping list, as they are $4-$6 a kilo. For maximum flavour ripen tomatoes to a rich red colour by storing at room temperature.

Bursting with vitamin C, papaya is a delicious Australian-grown tropical fruit is a seasonal favourite however prices are up a touch as supplies are currently reduced. Papaya flesh continues to ripen once picked. Leave for a few days at room temperature to allow the skin to lose its greenish tinge. Ripe fruit has a golden yellow skin and will yield to gentle pressure around the stem. Once cut, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. It’s best eaten within 2 days. Papaya is $3-$7 a kilo.

VEGETABLES

VegetablesPremium handpicked green beans from Gympie have a 5-7 days shelf life and are a good buy at $6-$10 a kilo. Alternatively, the machine harvested green beans are $4-$6 a kilo and best used within 2-3 days of purchasing for maximum quality.

Victorian grown celery is good value at $3-$4 a bunch, depending on size. Celery adds a refreshing crunch to this rainbow veggie & chickpea salad with avocado dressing.

For value, taste and versatility fresh asparagus is a winner, its delicate nutty flavour can be enjoyed raw or cooked, hot or cold and Aussie spears team deliciously with veal, pasta, seafood, prosciutto, chicken and steak. This premium quality vegetable is top of my list at $1.50-$2.50 a bunch, look for multi-buy specials.

With their delicate peppery or mustard-like flavour fresh, crisp radishes are ideal for adding a boost of flavour and colour to a spring salad. Red radishes are retailing at $2-$3 a bunch or try the oval shaped French radish or mixed coloured bunch radishes $3-$4 a bunch.

Refreshing and crunchy Lebanese cucumbers are a bargain at $2.50-$3.50 a bunch.

Sweet flavoured and low GI, kumara is delicious roasting and served hot or cold in a salad. Kumara is top value at $2-$4 a kilo.

Pick up a large bunch of green onions this week for only $1.50-$2 a bunch. Add green onions to salads, scrambled eggs, pasta dishes or sandwich fillings for a delicate onion flavour. Did you know that if you are following a FODMAP diet or you are sensitive to onions, using the green tops of green onions is a fabulous onion substitute?

The peppery flavour of watercress combines deliciously with walnuts, cucumber and sliced nectarines to make a flavoursome salad. Team watercress with chicken in a salad; it also is ideal for stir-frying. Rich in vitamin C, watercress is a versatile salad green and a bargain at $2.50-$3 a bunch.

New potatoes (sometimes sold as chat potatoes) are $3-$4 a kilo. Take your potatoes to a new flavour level, by adding the flavours of lemon, mint & feta to your potatoes.

Carrots are a thrifty and versatile vegetable that can be enjoyed raw or cooking. If served or microwaved carrots are your go-to veggie side dish try this fresh idea to add a burst of flavour to your carrots Sweet-glazed carrots with currants. One kilo bags of carrots are retailing at $1.50-$2. Or pick your own from the stack for $2-$2.50 a kilo.

FLOWERS

FlowersThis week I recommended the stunning peonies in white, blood red, soft pink and coral as they are only available for a short time. It is also a good time to enjoy seasonal favourites like Oriental lilies, waratah, roses, achilleas, artichoke flowers, crab claws, queen Anne’s lace, iris, pincushions, hydrangeas, gerbera, king proteas, spider orchids, billy buttons, tulips 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, Retail Support Manager on tel 0438 725 453


Published On 2020-11-09 16:21:00

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