5 - 11 February 2024 update Sydney Market that includes availability and price of seasonal fruits, vegetables and flowers. Also includes recipe suggestions.
FRUITS:
Mark the Lunar New Year, (the Year of the Dragon), with the exotic addition of fleshy, juicy dragonfruit to your summer fruit salad. Explore the intriguing contrast between the two main varieties: one featuring white flesh adorned with tiny black seeds, and the other boasting vibrant crimson flesh dotted with edible black seeds. Queensland-grown dragonfruit is $7-$15 a kilo, depending on flesh colour.
Enjoy the delightful sweetness, juiciness, and crispness of Australian grapes. With over 20 varieties in season, explore unique types such as Autumn Crisp, Cotton Candy, Ivory, Sapphire and Sweet Joy. The red-skinned Ralli Seedless grapes, known for their crunch and sweetness, make an ideal addition to school lunch boxes. Prices range from $4 to $20 per kilo, catering to various budget preferences.
Delight in a burst of summer sweetness with fresh, plump figs. Add them to salads, desserts, or paired with savoury dishes. It’s time to make the most of figs from your local greengrocer at 50c-$1.50 each, depending on size and quality.
Exquisite lychees are a popular choice for the Lunar New Year. Super juicy and refreshing. Lychee season is almost finished, so enjoy them now before they are out of season; expect to pay $20-$50 a kilo. Try this scrumptious lychee, cucumber & duck noodle salad.
Try the late-season Keitt, Pearl, Palmer, Honey Gold, R2E2 and Calypso mangoes. Spice things up with a mango salsa or bake delicious mango muffins. Depending on variety and size, each mango is just $2-$6 each. Your local green may also be offering multi-buy specials.
Sun-ripened golden and white-fleshed peaches and nectarines are at their prime. Brimming with flavour, peaches and nectarines are $4-$12 a kilo, depending on flesh colour and size.
Bananas are naturally sweet and a storehouse of carbohydrates, vitamins and fibre. The ever-popular Cavendish variety is a great all-rounder at $2-4$ a kilo, whilst the smaller, sweeter Ladyfinger is perfect for snacking and fruit salads at $5-$7 a kilo.
Add a refreshing melon to your shopping list. Hailing originally from Spain, the Piel de Sapo melons boast an oval shape, dense, juicy, pale yellowish-green flesh, and a distinctive extra-thick, ridged, mottled green and yellow rind. Grab your super sweet melon for $5-$7 each. Indulge in freshness and health with this Piel de Sapo melon paired with serrano ham & burrata.
Nature’s superfood, sweet, nutrient-packed blueberries are one of the healthiest snack foods. Low in kilojoules, blueberries are high in antioxidants and support brain health. Blueberries are $2-$8 a punnet, depending on fruit and punnet size.
Freshly harvested– new season Royal Gala apples from Bilpin, Batlow, Stanthorpe and Victoria are a crunchy treat. This sweet apple has a dense, juicy white flesh and is super crisp. Depending on the size and quality, Royal Gala apples are $4-$7 a kilo.
Fresh from Shepparton in Victoria, the new season's William's pears are sweet, juicy and good value at $3-$4 per kilo. Enhance your salads with flavourful pear slices; they pair exceptionally well with rocket, parmesan, and toasted walnuts or pinenuts salad or try a tasty combination of pear, grape & chicken chopped.
VEGETABLES
Delicious roasted, baked or fried eggplant adds the smoky flavour to salads or pizza toppings or uses layers of sliced grilled eggplant instead of pasta in lasagne. Eggplants are $3-$7 a kilo, the thriftiest buy will be the field grown eggplant. Try this tasty and easy roasted eggplant, herb & feta salad.
Slender snake beans are sold by the bunch and are in peak season from late summer until early autumn. They’re quite flexible, although they feel firm. Chop beans into bite-sized pieces and add to Asian-style stir-fries, curries and salads. To retain crispness and flavour, rapidly cook the beans. Snake beans are a bargain at $1.50-$3 a bunch.
Fire up the wok and usher in the Lunar New Year with a touch of Asian flair in your dishes. Explore the value-packed goodness of bok choy, a mild-tasting leafy green perfect for adding flavour and texture to your stir-fries, priced at just $1.50-$3 per bunch. Give it a shot in this soy & ginger wok-fried greens with roasted salmon.
Summer radishes add a pleasant, peppery flavour to salads and crudités. Newer radish varieties include the watermelon radish, French radish and multi-coloured mixed bunches. Fabulous for making salads colourful and exciting. Radishes are available for $2.50-$3.
Look for specials on Victorian-grown asparagus. This late-season flush doesn't last long, so snap them up while they are Aussie grown; expect to pay $3-$4 a bunch, which is around half the price of previous weeks. Use asparagus as soon as possible, as current weather conditions reduce shelf life.
Savour the goodness of freshly harvested corn from both the Cowra area and Queensland, now available for just $1-$2 per cob. Naturally sweet and delicious corn is a tasty addition to salads and a fabulous addition to fritters.
Versatile carrots have a superb flavour and are rich in vitamin A. Expect to pay $1.50-$3 a kilo.
There are plenty of locally grown zucchinis around this week, so prices are down to $4-$7 a kilo, depending on size.
Victorian-grown celery is a thrifty buy at $3-$4 ahead. Store unwashed celery in an air-tight container in the fridge for maximum shelf life.
FLOWERS
Consider tropical flowers like Bird of Paradise and Heliconias. They love the humidity. Natives like banksias and proteas have a long vase life. Softer classics in season in February include gerbera, zinnia, Iris, David Auston roses, tuberoses, coloured roses, flamingo celosia, sunflowers, dahlias, celosia, daisies, lavender, hydrangea, lisianthus and Oriental lilies are simply gorgeous. This week, red and gold flowers will be very popular for the Lunar New Year.
Please note that the prices quoted in this report only apply for the current week and are subject to variation based on product variety, size, quality, and the trading area. For more information, please feel free to contact Sue Dodd, Marketing Consultant, at 0438725453
Published On 2024-02-05 15:45:00
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