Brisbane Market Report 284

Brisbane Produce Report – 15 October

  October 15, 2021  adonaldson

Wet weather, warmer temperatures, and the arrival of stone fruit show that summer is on its way at the Brisbane Produce Market.

Yellow and white nectarines and peaches are making their first appearance in the Markets. Grown in Kumbia, these fruits are at the very start of their season and already looking great – expect supplies to grow as the season progresses.

Sweet and juicy Kensington Pride mangoes, handpicked from Northern Territory, are plentiful. With an orange skin and a pink blush, these Aussie favourites are great on their own, but you can try throwing them on the barbie, top your ice cream, or blend and freeze them to enjoy as ice blocks.

Apples, avocados, pawpaws and many varieties of pears such as Packham, Josephine, Beurre Bosc, and Corella from Victoria are well-supplied. Plump blueberries from Queensland and New South Wales are in abundant supply, while strawberries and raspberries are in adequate supply. For a pick me up snack, try chocolate coated berries. Simply pick your favourite berries, coat them in melted chocolate sauce and freeze until solid. Enjoy with rosé or a glass of bubbly.

Filling lunchboxes? Pineapples from Yeppoon and rockmelons from Gumlu are two of our top picks, along with seedless watermelons. Lime and passionfruit are both short and priced at a premium, but the quality and price of bananas is improving. For an easy-make wholesome dessert, fry bananas in butter until caramelised, and serve with coconut ice-cream, caramel, coconut flakes, roasted macadamias, and fresh mint.

Several veggies are fantastic buying this week including green beans, beetroot, broccoli, cauliflower, and baby carrots. Asparagus is also enjoying a bumper season, with an abundance of stock arriving from Victoria. Cucumber prices are coming down this week, and we’re also seeing a good supply of local zucchini, cherry tomatoes, and broad beans.

Large crisp heads of iceberg lettuce are bountiful along with kale, spinach, silverbeet and spring onions. Leafy greens are highly nutritious, and apart from adding colour and texture to just about any meal, they’re also an easy way to boost your daily vegetable intake. Try serving a handful of leafy greens with every meal. Red capsicums, cabbage and corn are short, while pumpkin supplies are stable.

Red radish is in plentiful supply from Gatton – try it raw in salads or roast with garlic to bring out their natural sweetness. Another veg that is in good supply from Gatton is bok choy. Bok choy is the perfect partner for authentic Asian flavours. Use large leaves in soups and the longer stems for stir-frying.

This week’s top pick is the mighty mushroom, in good supply from Lockyer Valley and Stapylton. An absolute powerhouse in terms of nutrients and flavour, mushrooms have an earthy flavour that makes a great meat substitute for those wanting to move to a more plant-based diet. They’re also the only non-animal source of B12 – and if you put them in the sun for an hour, they’ll start producing vitamin D! In Australia, the most commonly produced variety is the white button mushrooms, but other varieties such as cups, Swiss brown, flats and portabello are also readily available. To store mushrooms, keep them away from excess humidity – wrap them in paper towels in brown paper bags in the fridge.

Brisbane Produce Market

Posted by Brisbane Produce Market