What's in Season?

Seaosonal produce is not only cheap, but also available in abundance and is at its peak nutritional value, so dig in!

Fennel
Early supplies of fennel from Werribee are now available. Fennel’s delicate aniseed flavour is a scrumptious addition to stir fries, pasta dishes and salads.

Asian Greens
Pak choy, Bok choy, Kang kong, Gai lum and button mushrooms are in plentiful supply and the quality is superb. Leafy Asian greens can be picked up for $1-$1.50 a bunch so no excuse to avoid great health!

Pumpkin
Jap, Butternut and Jarrahdale pumpkins are a popular choice. Sauté diced pumpkin in olive oil and add to cooked pasta with chopped walnuts, a sprinkle of fresh thyme and drizzle with lemon juice.

Chestnuts
While most nuts contain 50% fat, chestnuts however contain 2.7%. To bake chestnuts, firstly you need to cut a cross in the outer shell, and then place them in a tray and cook at 200o oven for 15-20 minutes or until shell splits.

Tomato
Warm, dry weather in Victoria and Queensland has produced a bumper crop of tomatoes and prices have dropped. Truss tomatoes have also flourished.

Green beans
Freshly harvested green beans from Gympie and Bundaberg are good quality - hand harvested beans will be dearer than machine harvested types.

Broccoli
Firm, bright green heads of broccoli are a choice buy this week. As a rich source of folate and valuable antioxidants this vegetable offers exceptional all round value.

Apples
Jazz apples are the newest apple on the market. Jazz apples are a cross between Royal Gala and Braeburn. They have a firm, dense flesh and a complex flavor with the acid of Braeburn and the sweet of Royal Gala. Small quantities were harvested in 2008 but a bigger crop is expected this year.

Rockmelon
As rockmelon from the southern states finishes up, the new season Queensland rockmelon is coming into season.

Lemon
Glossy golden, new season lemons are plentiful and are a top buy this week.

Pears
Pears are inexpensive, versatile and with their voluptuous curves and sweet perfume they are very alluring. Select from Petite Corrella pears, elegant Beurre Bosc, the excellent cooking Packham and the last of the Williams pears.

Mandarins
Easy to peel and sweet eating Imperial mandarins from Gayndah and Mundubbera in QLD are bursting with juicy goodness.

Quince
Fill your fruit bowl with quince. This aromatic fruit will fill your home with a heavenly scent or you may wish to bake or poach them until they are tender.

Persimmon
Persimmons are a seasonal fruit available from April to July. Eaten when the flesh is soft and resembles apricot jam, persimmons are for many people, an acquired taste

Information from The Food Coach
http://www.thefoodcoach.com.au/