IN FRUIT
There are two fantastic things happening with fruit this week. Firstly, new season Queensland strawberries are now underway, look for Queensland on the label. These berries will be in full swing next weekend and onwards, they are just fantastic to eat!!! Kiwi Gold, my pick of the week is the other fantastic product. There are a number of different varieties of gold kiwi but only one kiwi gold. Look for the Zespri sticker, they are fantastic. They don’t keep as well as green kiwi so don’t overbuy, and keep them in the fridge. Best eaten in a fairly firm condition.
Old fashioned paw paw which you don’t see much of is oversupplied in the market this week and prices have tumbled. Avocados are great value again this week, and Aussie navels are now good to eat. It takes a couple of good frosts to get navels eating right and the record mild May did not deliver this. Now they are good to eat, still a bit pale in appearance but good to eat. Crimson and Black America grapes continue to be good eating and great value. Whole seedless melon is good value, and if you are into Quinces (I love them with my cereal) this week and the next couple of weeks is when they will be at their best and cheapest. Slow cooked overnight is the way to go with these.
IN VEGETABLECouple of different things to consider. All tomatoes are dear. However, for a bit more money we have a fabulous eating tomato, we call them Marmande. They are a large wrinkly tomato sold with the calix still attached to the tomato and should be eaten fully ripe. Coriander and continental parsley are both well priced essential ingredients in many dishes and can be used as a herb, a spice or a vegetable. Both are at their best right now and the price is great. As with last week, English Spinach, Italian beans and Leeks all remain well priced. Two staple winter vegetables that are much cheaper this week are cauliflowers and broccoli. To try something really different look for old fashioned chokoes, lots of ways to cook these, surprisingly popular in Asian cookbooks.
