Capsicums, cabbage and potatoes are plentiful in the first month of autumn, but it’s time to say a fond farewell to summer fruits, such as mangoes, peaches and nectarines. Instead, pick up a bunch of red or white grapes.
“There are a huge variety of grapes at the moment,” says Pat Senserrick, owner of Senserrick’s Fruit and Flowers in Keilor, Melbourne. “We get more and more every year … as far as fruit goes, they are probably the best value.”
Grapes can be found for $4 to $5 a kilo. On hot days eat them straight from the fridge, but as the weather cools, try them savoury in Nik Sharma’s roast grape, cheese and walnut salad.
New season apples are about to hit shelves in great number. “We should have everything – pink ladies, Granny Smiths, galas, and jazz apples,” says Senserrick.
Try eating apples in Benjamina Ebuehi’s recipe for apple, spelt and almond cake, or for a dessert with whiffs of winter, try Phil Wood’s sticky toffee apple cake.
While Senserrick says “a lot of the nice stone fruit is about to be finished” you can still pick up good quality blood plums.
With only a “smattering” of southern state mangoes left, they’ve now climbed up to $3.50 each, says Senserrick. “They don’t look as pretty, but they certainly taste OK.”
On the other hand, bananas are B-grade at best, says the grocer, as the potassium-packed snack is suffering from a recent bout of damaged crops.
Berries too are going up in price with raspberries, blackberries and blueberries all about $4 a punnet. Quality strawberries are also slightly harder to come by.
Top of the crops
Tomatoes, capsicums, potatoes and leafy greens are abundant at Sun’s Fresh Farm in western Sydney. Owner Meng Sun says crops are faring well despite the changeable weather. “There are lots of different varieties of spinach coming into season.”
Make the most of those potatoes in a comforting bowl of Rosie Birkett’s cacio e pepe potato gratin or Nigel Slater’s baked autumn vegetables with eggplant cream.
“Capsicums are very cheap,” says Senserrick. Red and green are about $4 a kilo in supermarkets. Make a main course of them by stuffing with pork, tomatoes and breadcrumbs.
Cabbage is another highlight, says Senserrick, “so you can make your kimchi”. Cabbage and wombok are about $7 a head in supermarkets, and they stretch a long way. Try making a jar of kimchi to turn into kimchi pancake or a French dauphinoise, or lahanodolmades (Greek cabbage rolls stuffed with meat and rice).
Senserrick says growers are also keeping a close eye on the progress of Tropical Cyclone Alfred, as it has the potential to disrupt planting season, which can impact prices.
Soup season is here
Broccoli and cauliflower have all gone up in price to about $7.50 a kilo and $6 a head respectively. But Senserrick says it won’t be long before they bounce back.
Corn, celery and pumpkin are better buys in March, heralding the beginning of soup season. A bunch of celery is about $4 in supermarkets, and makes for a soothing soup with thyme and parsley.
Senserrick says avocados are still on the expensive side – with Hass avocados $3.50 each in supermarkets. “They keep telling me it’s about to get better,” he says. Continue to keep an eye out for green-skinned Shepards, which are a better buy at some grocers.
Tomatoes are also tightening in price. Truss tomatoes are more expensive than the rest, up to $8 a kilo, but despite a light crop there are still enough roma and gourmet tomatoes (about $6 a kilo) to make sauces. They’re also the perfect accompaniment in Alice Zaslavksy’s smashed green falafel flatbreads.
Buy:
Apples
Cabbage
Capsicum
Celery
Corn
Grapes
Herbs
Pears
Pumpkin
Plums
Potatoes
Spinach
Watch:
Avocados
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Lettuce
Tomatoes
Avoid:
Beans
Cucumbers
Peaches
Nectarines
