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Over the past few weeks, we’ve had cheap Gala’s, very cheap Granny Smith – and this week, it’s the turn of Pink Lady apples to go ex-dividend (a technical term for ‘taking a price drop’). They’ll be $2.50 a kg, and keeping a close eye on the volumes coming into the market, they may drop a little further next week. Mind you, they lack a bit of colour – but they more than make up in the flavour department. Your kids – and you – will demolish them in a heartbeat.
Market action
Strawberry Extravaganza: 500g jumbo punnets $3.94
Victorian strawberries are starting to come onto the market in such big numbers, some growers have started packing them in jumbo 500g punnets. They’re working on the theory that once you’ve got them sitting in your fridge, they’ll get eaten. And at $3.94 a punnet, we doubt if they’ll spend much time in the fridge. Our theory? Strawberries are better off inside your tummy than inside a punnet.
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In Fruit
The start of the stone fruit season is one of the highlights in the fruit season: soon we’ll have apricots, cherries, plums – and of course peaches and nectarines. They have actually been around on the market for 3 or 4 weeks, but they’re only now starting to taste really good.
The fruit has a mixed source: most is still from Queensland but there are some early peaches from Maroota in the Hawkesbury.
And because we’ve waited a few weeks, supply is up – and we expect the fruit to sell for under $7 a Kg. However, the peaches and nectarines could be either white or yellow, or a mix: supply is not yet reliable enough to specify a colour.
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How to preserve lemons
There are many ways to keep lemons until the season starts again in about April: freezing, dehydrating, zesting – but preserving them in salt is by far the most flavoursome method. It is commonly used in North-African cooking to counterbalance the sweet fruit like dates and raisins used in stews. What you end up using for cooking is the preserved rind which has been softened by the curing process.
Preserving lemons is easy, but it’s important to sterilize your jars: boil in water for 20 minutes, but the easier method is to heat them in the oven to between 70 and 90 degrees Celsius for 30 minutes. Make sure you include the lids.
You need 4 Tbsp of salt for every 6-8 lemons. Thoroughly wash the lemons in cold water and pat them dry. Cut off both ends, and then slice a cross lengthwise to about 1-2 cm from the bottom (see pic). Open up the lemon and sprinkle generously with salt.
Put the lemons into the jar once by one, making sure to pack them tightly. Use a wooden spoon to push them down and release their juices. For extra flavour, add peppercorns, whole coriander, cumin, bay leaves or cinnamon sticks.
Once packed, add remaining salt to the jar. If the lemons are not submerged in juice, top off with freshly squeezed lemon juice. They must be fully submerged, or you risk mould growth on the exposed parts.
Put the jars in a cool, dark spot for 2-3 weeks before moving them into the fridge where they’ll keep for up to 12 months.
Once the preserved lemons are ready to use, remove any flesh and pith – leaving just the softened rind. Rinse off any remaining salt, and it’s ready for cooking. Check out these Moroccan Recipes or these Maggie Beer recipes, and be amazed by the flavour!
https://www.thespruceeats.com/moroccan-recipes-with-preserved-lemon-2394296
https://www.maggiebeer.com.au/recipes/ingredient+preserved-lemons
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Sweet potatoes: the healthiest $1 you’ll spend this week
Box Divvy sweet potatoes ain’t expensive at the worst of times, but right now – at the best of times – there’s a bit of a glut, and we expect them to sell at $1 a kg next week.
You may not think this over too much, but here’s the thing: few vegetables are as nutritious as sweet potatoes.
For starters, 1 cup of sweet potatoes delivers about 100% of your daily vitamin A needs – important for eye health and strengthening our immune system. This is largely on account of the beta-carotene (in the orange colour, similar to carrots) which the body converts to vitamin A.
Did you know that vitamin A is a fat-soluble nutrient? This means that it must be consumed along with a source of dietary fat such as meat, fish, dairy or oil.
There is more to sweet potatoes than vitamin A: think dietary fibre (gut health), potassium, manganese and a host of other essential trace elements.
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Vegetables
Plenty of value across most vegetables this week: lettuce, cucumber, eggplant, carrots & beets, brassicas, beans & peas, leafy greens, herbs, potatoes, onions, pumpkins and even tomatoes are all well-priced if not downright cheap. There are a few exceptions: although ‘cheaper’ than last week, corn is still expensive; red capsicums will be very scarce for a few weeks; new season red onions are up; and butternut pumpkin remains a little dear.
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We are ready for pick up!!!!
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Best value in fruit this week:
• Good value: for bananas, kiwi, mangoes, mandarins, oranges, lemons, pears, berries, apples and (just) pineapples
• Best left alone for a few weeks: watermelon, rockmelon, passionfruit, limes
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Mango prices are holding up 🤔, but we’re still expecting them come down to $2.50 a piece next week. From the growers’ own forecast, it appears that they’ve been able to flatten the peak – by delaying picking and shipments – to try and avoid over-supply. The market is rigged 😱 shock horror! Ok, we can’t blame them for trying to maximise their returns: farming is uncertain business at the best of times, and they may well have a couple of bad years ahead of them. In which case have some cash in reserve may well make the difference between surviving and throwing in the towel.
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Market action - In Fruit
There is life yet in the apple market – especially now that the stone fruit season has started – well, sort of… Apple growers don’t want to be left with loads of fruit, and the first to move are the Royal Gala apples: down to $2.75/Kg this week. With their characteristic tiger stripe, they still look – and taste – great!
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Broad beans fundraiser for Paul Calleja
We told you last week how Paul Calleja from Warragamba was recuperating from a suspected heart-attack, and that we would donate $5 of every box of broad beans sold to help him cover his medical bill.
So, you collectively bought 26 boxes: not a bad start! We can build on this, so we’re going to continue for another week – and check the score then.
How do you eat broad beans? Remove the beans from their pods, remove the skin with a sharp knife, and cook for a few minutes in butter, onion, garlic, bacon or ham – and some cream. Salt & pepper to taste, and eat with your favourite pasta.
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Belicious Christmas Gift Bundles
Not to be outdone: chef Bel will be offering her gift-wrapped Christmas bundles again this year. A selection of her sauces and spice mixes, bundled and gift-wrapped in small, medium and large bundles. They will include this year’s new introductions such as Butter Chicken and Italiano.
What’s more: some spice mixes will also be bundled with a few of Handlers’ whole cuts and Pyrmont Seafood, just to add to the festivities.
More details will be available by early November.
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Market action
In Fruit
We hope you enjoyed last week’s mangoes… there’ll be lots more this week. They’re still about the same size and price: we’ve been told that the growers are trying to hold back supply a little which will put a floor under the price. Of course, this will only work for so long: eventually the fruit needs to come off the tree and shipped to the markets. So we’re just sitting back and watching…
Most fruit is good value this week, in particular:
• Bananas are now $2.95 a Kg, and will drop further during October
• Afourer mandarins still $2 a kg – in fact, all citrus is still cheap. This will change in November though…lemons will go from 50c to $2 each once the local season is finished!
• Watermelon is still $1.50 a Kg
• Kiwi, pears and apples are still excellent value – but the season’s end is not far off. That can mean only one thing: stone fruit is also not very far off!
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Cream of Asparagus Soup
This classic French soup is simple and make-ahead friendly, and a perfect choice for entertaining when asparagus is in season.
Before you start, considering cutting the tips off some of your asparagus stalks and blanching them separately—it'll make a brilliant garnish for each serving.
To make the soup, simply sauté onions and asparagus in butter, add chicken stock, simmer until tender, and puree into a smooth, silky soup with crème fraîche or heavy cream. Just before serving, rewarm the soup and monter au beurre—that is, stir in a bit of cold butter to make the soup extra silky and rich.
Because yes, it's true: everything is better with butter.
https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/cream-of-asparagus-soup-creme-dasperges-104746
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Vegetables
Loads of action in the vegie department:
• Most Peas and Beans are in abundance this time of year, from green beans ($3.26/kg) to snowpeas ($6.32/Kg) to broad beans ($6.90/Kg) and… fresh peas! The pea season is short – just 5-6 weeks – with most pea pods shipped to the cannery or factory to be snap-frozen, but the best pods go to the market. And whilst we don’t mind some mushy peas with our pies, there’s nothing like freshly shucked peas, quickly sauteed in a bit of stock with garlic, perhaps a little bacon, cream and served with some spring lamb cutlets, your favourite pasta and crusty bread. Now that’s spring!
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VEGAN CREAMY SPRING PEA ASPARAGUS PASTA
This vegan creamy spring pea asparagus pasta is oh-so-satisfying and packed with fresh spring feel-good ingredients. A simple, garlicky vegan cauliflower-cashew alfredo sauce is tossed with sautéed asparagus and peas to create a rich, veggie-dotted sauce. The sauce is then tossed with heaps of warm fettuccine. A sprinkle of vegan parmesan cheese is the finishing touch in this seasonal dish.
https://www.blissfulbasil.com/vegan-creamy-spring-pea-asparagus-pasta/#wprm-recipe-container-28926
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Orange Blossom Honey: we’re coming full circle
When Andrew from Sydney Bee Rescue (aka Snives Hives) gave us a sample of Orange Blossom Honey, we were bowled over: the flavour was so intense and sweet, yet refreshingly citrusy. We finished the jar in no time.
When we heard the back story, we were even more surprised: the hives are mostly in Central Mangrove and Kulnura, which have citrus orchards dotted all over – and we should know, as we get oranges from Tony Pirottino and Paul Vella in Kulnura. When the orange trees are in blossom, the bees go wild and won’t feed off anything else. Andrew then keeps the frames and honey separate from the rest of the honey and bottles it as Orange Blossom Honey.
It’s available as long as stocks last. The 500g glass jar costs $12.
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Dark Chocolate Beet Brownies
Incredibly moist and chocolatey, you would never know that they're loaded up with beets! These beet brownies are easy to make and will be a hit for any brownie lover.
https://pinchandswirl.com/fudgy-dark-chocolate-beet-brownies/
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