Dave's Market Update
In VEG
“Another good week for vegetables this week. Cucumbers in particular are great value. I can’t remember the last time Teles and Lebs cucumbers were so cheap at this time, the prices are more akin to the spring flush each year than mid-summer.
After months of being scarce, cup mushrooms have plunged in price, it's bargain time at HFM for these. Red caps are easing back, and we have a flush of zucchini flowers in the NSW shops this week.
In FRUIT
As autumn approaches, we start to change our fruit eating habits. This week, we see better areas for new season apples commencing their harvest. The numbers this season are so great that they won’t really be any dearer at this stage. However, anything that falls short of top quality will be virtually unsaleable - so look forward to a year of fantastic apples at reasonable prices.
Pears continue to be very good and very reasonable. Our attention is now also turning to grapes. Again, quality is driving sales. Some of the traditional varieties are struggling, which is very tough on the farmers who have persisted growing these. The newer varieties, particularly in whites, are far sweeter, crispier and dearer! I personally would not buy the older whites except maybe the old-fashioned Sultanas which I still love, it’s an old people’s grape now!
Figs are great as long as they are ripe (figs don’t ripen after they are picked, so if they are hard when you buy them that’s how they will still be in a weeks’ time!).
New season dates are now in store and are terrific eating. Plums just get better and better. There are so many varieties that I find it hard to know what to recommend. This week, our imperfect line is unbelievably cheap. I will start to recommend different varieties each week after this.”
- David Harris
Dave's Pick of the Week
“My pick this week is Lebanese cucumbers.
The most commonly produced vegetable in the world. Annual global production now exceeds 60 million tonnes. We normally promote these in the spring after winter which is always dear for this line. However, this year, we are seeing new crop (superb product) in the height of summer.
Here in Australia, this veg hits its peak for taste and quality in the springtime. They are grown in glasshouses all over the country and become more and more popular every year. The old-fashioned green cucumber that my generation grew up with is very close to being a thing of the past. To get the combination of this quality at this price in mid-summer is not usual. A lot of smaller growers no longer can compete with the major private equity backed massive farms on tomatoes and are now turning their attention to other lines such as these.
So this week - a fantastic vegetable that is great quality, and a great price that is high in antioxidants and vitamins A, C, and K.”
– David Harris
HOW TO PICK
Choose those with bright-green skins and a firm, fresh appearance. Avoid those with soft spots or yellowing colour.
HOW TO STORE
Store in a bag in the vegetable crisper for up to five days.
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*Image used for illustration purposes
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