Brisbane Market Report 216

Brisbane Produce Report – 5 June

  June 5, 2020   strump

We are spoilt for local choice this week with substantial supplies at the Brisbane Produce Market from both the Lockyer Valley and Bundaberg regions as they enter their peak season.

Apples, packham and corella pears are a great buy this week. They are well priced with outstanding quality and taste. Hass avocados, cavendish bananas and passionfruit continue to be in excellent supplies while pomegranates, nashi and Toowoomba-grown figs are delicious, however, becoming harder to find. It is a great week to add some raspberries to your basket with fresh supplies coming straight out of Caboolture. Some strawberries are coming from Elimbah, whereas blueberry supplies are yet to see an improvement.

We might associate pineapple and watermelon with summer however these popular tropical fruits are in good supply. Stock up on those local lemons and limes as they are plentiful. Looking for a healthy snack? Pick up some navel oranges as they are sweet, juicy and fragrant.

Joining the citrus family this week is the tangelo, a hybrid from mandarin and grapefruit. Tangelos are thin-skinned with a sweet flavour and are usually necked at the base. They can be eaten fresh, added to salads, made into salsas or served alongside grilled fish or chicken.

Queensland-grown vegetables continue to shine on the shelves as we see green and red capsicums from Bowen, zucchini from Bundaberg, and beetroot, broccoli and cauliflower from the Lockyer Valley all in good supply. Other local gems include pumpkins, carrots, sweet potatoes, cherry tomatoes, shallots, sugarloaf cabbage, chilies, wombok, button squash and spring onions.

Unsure of how to use button squash? Simply wash and cook whole, sliced or cut into wedges. This flat, circular, scallop-edged vegetable can be roasted, steamed, barbecued, stir-fried or microwaved.

Leeks, fennel, turnip and parsnips are in good supply whereas eggplants, mushrooms, snow peas, spinach and rhubarb are short. Gympie-grown beans are great quality now, as is the lesser-known celeriac. Celeriac is a root vegetable that can be roasted or mashed. It is best stored in an airtight bag in the crisper of your fridge.  Add crunch to your salads with Lebanese cucumbers and radishes as they are in plentiful supply. In moderate supplies are coriander, Aussie garlic, basil and lemongrass.

This week’s hero is the humble Brussels sprout. Love them or hate them, these lookalike-cabbages taste delicious when cooked and seasoned to perfection.  Roast them with your favourite vegies like potatoes, carrots, parsnips and pumpkin. This way you can have some sprouts and a bit of potato on your fork – that’ll help your taste buds get used to your new favourite sensation! Look for smaller-sized firm sprouts with tightly packed leaves and a vibrant, green colour.

Posted by Brisbane Produce Market