Autumn temperatures have finally arrived in many parts of Queensland, so we farewell stone fruit like nectarines and peaches and welcome new season apples, pears, mandarins and figs.
For school holiday snacking, grapes, bananas, and plums are our go-to fruits, with the plum season expected to last for another eight weeks. Pineapples, pawpaw and persimmons all are well supplied and make a nice addition to fruit salads or breakfast bowls with muesli and yoghurt.
Shepard avocados are abundant: to test for ripeness, remember that you need to test for softness around the stem as this variety always remains green. Quinces and pomegranates are two less common fruits currently on the shelves and they lend themselves to many beautiful sweet dishes. For a simple and heartwarming dessert, try roasting quinces with additions like star anise, honey, cloves, vanilla bean, orange rind, and cinnamon.
Poor weather down south has impacted on berry supplies, so expect higher prices for strawberries and blueberries until other regions start producing.
In vegies, the great news this week is that both broccoli and cauliflower and back in supply from local producers. Queensland growers are also delivering good supplies of beans, eggplant, cucumber, cabbages, ginger, sweet potato, chillies, lettuce, cherry tomatoes and zucchini.
Bundaberg-grown capsicums are fantastic buying at the moment both in terms of price and quality — stock up and use fresh, stir-fried, or roasted for sauces and dips like muhammara, the Syrian dip with walnuts and pomegranate molasses. The Bundaberg tomato season is getting started, so we’re expecting a steady supply of tomatoes varieties over the coming weeks. Leeks, snow peas, corn, brussels sprouts and squash are also in good supply.
This week’s top picks are the new season apples like Pink Lady and Jazz, which are eating beautifully at the moment. Also look out for the Ambrosia variety, a sweet tasting apple that has minimal tartness and is most like a Gala. As temperatures cool, use new season apples in classic recipes like pies and tarts; for a twist, add ingredients like pecans, cranberries, ginger, different nuts and dried fruits, or a sauce like salted caramel.
You can buy the best of what the season has to offer at your nearest Your Local Fruit Shop. Go to www.yourlocalfruitshop.com.au to locate your closest store. Check out the Your Local Fruit Shop Facebook page for the latest news from your local fresh produce experts at https://www.facebook.com/yourlocalfruitshop.
Brisbane Produce Market
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