Brisbane Market Report 222

Brisbane Produce Report – 24 July

  July 24, 2020  strump

This week at the Brisbane Produce Market we are seeing a range of seasonal fresh fruit and vegetables available for you to create everything from hearty soups to hot pies.

In peak supply are Sunshine Coast strawberries – wash and eat straight from the punnet or add to your favourite home-baked goodies. Delicious in cakes, crumbles, muffins and puddings, now is the time to cook with this rosy fruit. Stock up on hass avocados, blueberries, pears and pineapples as they are well supplied. Raspberries and bananas are in slow supply.

Have you spotted a mango in your local fruit shop? New-season kensington pride have just started to arrive from the Northern Territory with their renowned flavour and a firm red flesh similar to R2E2.

Pink lady and granny smith are the best value apple varieties while imperial mandarins from Gayndah, honey murcott from Gin Gin and limes from Dimbulah are fantastic quality and well-priced. Both navel and blood oranges are ultra-juicy and eating beautifully – use their vibrantly-coloured juice in drinks and desserts or add sliced segments to salads. Other great buys include pomegranate, pawpaw, rockmelons, watermelon, kiwifruit and tangelos.

In veggies, local Queensland producers are delivering plenty of value options this week. Handpicked beans from Gympie and broccolini from Lockyer Valley are the best of the greens right now. For some extra goodness, sauté them with garlic, chillies and olive oil. For a zesty flavour and creamy touch, sprinkle with lemon zest and feta cheese. Sweet-eating red capsicums, cauliflower, zucchini and Lebanese eggplant are top buys this week. Sweet potatoes from Bundaberg, radish from New South Wales and fennel from Victoria are great winter additions to your shopping basket too.

Take your beef stew to the next level by adding carrots, potatoes and a burst of flavour from ginger and lemongrass as they are in good supply. Top-quality globe artichokes are in season – select the ones that feel plump and heavy for their size and the leaves should ‘squeak’ when the bud is gently squeezed. Boil trimmed globe artichokes until tender, slice and combine them with diced tomatoes, parsley, pepper and olive oil to serve with crusty bread.

Other in-season vegetables to look out for this week include cherry tomatoes, peas, rhubarb, shallots, spring onions, leeks, kale, parsnips, and red and green cabbage.

This week’s top pick is blueberries. Store blueberries covered in your fridge and do not wash them until you are ready to use them. Choose blueberries that are plump, firm and uniform in colour. Did you know? Blueberries have a light blue to silver coating or dusted look known as the ‘bloom’ that acts as a natural protective coating to protect them from the sun and does not affect the quality of the fruit. Luscious blueberries are a perfect accompaniment to creamy dairy products. They can be eaten fresh, tossed through breakfast muesli or added to desserts. For a dessert night, try blueberry tart with sugar-dusted blueberries enclosed in golden pastry and served with lashings of double cream.

Brisbane Market Report

Posted by Brisbane Produce Market