Dave's Market Update
In Fruit
“The options in fruit are so plentiful, I hardly know where to start. Let’s start with melons. The weather is perfect for them. All our stores have superb quality seedless watermelon at great prices, especially for whole melons. As well, superb eating Queensland rock melons are on special and available in all our stores.
Grapes are fantastic and this week we will be changing to the Menindee seedless variety. Tons of delicious berries; blueberries are cheaper this week and raspberries continue to be a bargain.
Passionfruit and figs (both loose and in punnets) are both easing back as supply of these two increases and they are copping downward price pressure from the abundant supplies of stone fruit which are now eating really well. These include peaches and nectarines, and the imperfects are great value in these two lines.
Other excellent stone fruit options are lychees (the best of these is yet to come), apricots (my recommendation is to pay the extra for the premium grade). And of course, the magnificent cherries that are enjoying possibly the best season I can remember.
Papaya has fallen in price and the avocados just seem to get better every week. The pick of the week however has to be the Honey Gold mangoes. This week KPs are not as good, we are between areas, and to my taste you can’t go past the Honey Golds.
In Veg
Incredibly good week for nearly all fruit and veg, we really are spoilt for choice this week. As well, we have our Xmas trees in all stores. Don’t forget they are a living tree and in this weather, they should be watered daily to still look their best on Christmas day.
Great choices on tomatoes, from inexpensive new season absolutely premium gourmets to fabulous (my favourite) Heirlooms to Cherry Truss on the cheapest ticket for 6 years. Cucumbers of all types are still great value and lettuce still very reasonable. So, enjoy an inexpensive salad today, the weather is perfect for that!
As well mushrooms, corn ( try the bi-colour cobs in a pre-pack), they are fantastic to eat and imperfect kumera and zucchini are all plentiful and top quality.”
- David Harris
Dave's Pick of the Week
“A question I am frequently asked is “What do you think is the best variety of mango?”. There is no set answer because different mangoes mature at slightly different times.
Last week, I would have said it’s a KP from Katherine. Not so this week, those KPs are now slightly past their best. It’s a bit early for Queensland fruit, they are about but not quite ripe yet. There is no doubt in my mind the best fruit this week is the Honey Gold from the Northern Territory.
Loose on our stacks, we have extra-large premium fruit, they are magnificent. They look dear, but it is such large piece of fruit with a relatively small seed, that per kilo of flesh, what you’re buying is quite reasonable. As well, we have mixed sizes of slightly skin blemished fruit in our imperfect offer.. they are enormous value.Honey Golds have a real orange golden coloured skin and very few strings, so are great in salads and smoothies. They have plenty of life in this early stage of the season and will store well.”- David Harris
HOW TO PICK
Use your nose - look for a fragrant tropical fruity aroma. Ripe mangoes should have a full colour and will give slightly to the touch. Avoid very soft or bruised fruit.
HOW TO STORE
Unripe mangoes should be stored out of direct sun at room temperature for a few days until ripe. Once ripe, a mango should last in your fruit bowl for a few days. Never refrigerate unripe mangoes and don't store them in plastic bags as they need to breathe.
Shop Honey Gold Mangoes
Honey Gold Mangoes are known for their bold, intense sweet flavour and firm fibreless juicy flesh. Honey Gold mangoes also have a smaller seed than other varieties – so there's more flesh to eat. It makes for a delicious snack or perfect addition to salads, trifles, cakes or smoothies. They're a great source of vitamins A and C, with dietary fibre and some vitamins B1, B6 and potassium.
Shop Now
