What's in Season?

Here's the produce at it's peak in early August, what to look for when buying, and how to eat it!

ZUCCHINI
When buying Zucchini, select glossy, blemish free skin. Avoid zucchini that show any soft spots or signs of withering. Zucchini are an excellent source of vitamin C and are low in sodium.

MANDARINS
Varieties available this month are Imperial, Murcot and Ellendale. Mandarins are a member of the citrus family; they have 8-10 segments, a glossy orange skin, and soft flesh with less pith than oranges. They are easy to peel and have a sweet acidic flavour. They are an excellent source of vitamin C and a useful source of dietary fibre.
Mandarins are best eaten fresh. They also lend themselves to many dishes such as fruit and savoury salads, cakes, desserts, cocktails and meat dishes. They are a wonderful addition to children’s lunch boxes because they are easy to peel and break easily into segments and do not require any cling wrapping.

EGGPLANT
Queensland Eggplant or Aubergine is of excellent quality this month; they are a good source of dietary fibre and contain vitamin C and potassium. There two varieties available -
Long Tom - slender elongated, cucumber shaped
Black Bell - pear shaped When purchasing Eggplant choose fruit which is firm, heavy in comparison to size and has a dark and shiny skin with a fresh green stalk. The skin must have a uniform, rich purple colour, free from scars and cuts.
Eggplant can be fried, baked, boiled, steamed or grilled. They are excellent when stuffed with meat or sautéed in olive oil and cooked with tomato paste. Eggplant Lasagne is a favourite with children and eggplant dip or Baba Ghanoush is a popular, healthy appetizer.

CABBAGE
Savoy - this variety have crinkled leaves and a loosely formed head. They are yellow/green in colour and are slightly sweet in flavour.
Green - also known as domestic cabbage. They have a loosely formed head; the leaves are crumpled, curled and brittle and they do not overlap. They are cream/white/green in colour. Red - has smooth leaves which are a purple/red colour and an oval head. Cabbages are an excellent source of vitamin C and dietary fibre. Cabbage is a very versatile vegetable used raw in salads such as coleslaw, or it may be pickled. When cooking cabbage, smaller pieces will cook faster and the faster it cooks the more flavour and nutrient that are retained.

TAMARILLO
Tamarillos are egg-shape pointed at both ends, with deep red smooth skin and orange/red flesh. The flavour of the tamarillo pulp is like a combination of tomato and passionfruit. Enjoy fresh or halved, seasoned and grilled for 10-15 minutes and served as a vegetable. Use as an ingredient in a stuffing for roast lamb or to make jams, chutneys and sauces.

WITLOF
Red and White Witlof are in good supply this month. Related to the lettuce, endive, artichoke and raddichio. Witlof has narrow, elongated bulbous clusters of leaves 15cm in height and 5cm in diameter. Select fresh, clean leaves that are creamy white to light yellow, with no signs of decay or wilting. Wash in cold water and dry. Trim the base and use leaves whole or sliced uncooked in salads. Witlof can be cooked by steaming, boiling or microwaving.

KIWIFRUIT
Hayward - Green kiwifruit are the size of an egg and have thin, fuzzy brown skin. They have emerald green juicy flesh and have small black, edible seeds dispersed throughout the pulp.
Gold - Gold kiwifruit are similar in size and shape to green kiwifruit, but are hairless and have yellow flesh. They are sweet to taste and have a light tropical flavour. Kiwifruit are an excellent source of vitamin C (one serving of kiwifruit has 240% of the recommended daily intake of vitamin C), and a good source of potassium, folate and dietary fibre. Firm fruit will ripen naturally at room temperature, not in the refrigerator.

PARSNIP
Parsnips are related to carrot, celery and parsley. They have a tapered root similar to carrot and have a creamy/white skin and flesh with a leafy top. Parsnip is an excellent source of vitamin C and is good source of dietary fibre and folic acid.

PEARS
Pears are an excellent source of Vitamin C and a very good source of dietary fibre. Handle pears carefully to avoid bruising and store in the refrigerator crisper for 3-4 days, then mature at room temperature. New season Victorian Pears which are available this month are -
Beurre Bosc - a medium to large dessert variety, the skin is a brown russet colour, fruit is elongated with a long tapering neck and the flesh is white and juicy.
Packham - a medium to large dessert variety, the skin colour is green, changing to a light yellow when ripe and the flesh is white, juicy and sweet.
Corella - squat and conical in shape and light green in colour, the skin has a shiny glow, which may carry a light pinkish blush. The flesh is yellowish and very sweet and juicy.
D'Anjou - maroon-red in colour with yellow mottling more prominent near the base, very juicy with a fine white flesh. Good for eating fresh or in fruit salads.

CELERY
Celery is an excellent source of vitamin C. It is a very good source of dietary fibre potassium, folate, and vitamin B6. Celery grows to a height of 30 to 33cm and is composed of leaf-topped stalks arranged in a conical shape and joined at a common base. The stalks have a crunchy texture and a delicate, but mildly salty, taste. The stalks in the centre are called the heart and is the most tender part.

Information from Market Update