January 15 In Season at the Market

Buying and eating in season produce is good for your nutrition and helps the economy, our seasonal updates are here to lend a hand.

Let us inspire you with just a few of the fresh, locally grown produce now in season at the South Australia Produce Market that you will find at your local fruit and veg store.

Green Tomatoes

What are green tomatoes I hear you ask? – they are simply tomatoes that haven’t ripened.  They are safe to eat and they have an uniformly pale green colour, with a firm, crunchy texture and taste more tart and acidic than ripe red tomatoes.  Green tomatoes are perfect to make into chutney, salsa, pickled and can also be included in salads.  In fact, green tomatoes will soften and mellow as they cook, but their crispier texture allows them to hold up well to slicing and frying, something that’s impossible to do well with a soft red tomato.

 

Strawberries

South Australian grown strawberries are steadily flowing into the market and they are not only great in size, but amazing in taste.  They are sweet, juicy and flavoursome which can be enjoyed on their own as a healthy snack or also incorporated in both sweet and savoury dishes.  Be sure to grab these quality South Australian strawberries when next at your local fruit and veg store which are packed full of antioxidants including vitamin C, which can support your immune system.  With back to school just around the corner, they are a great fruit to include in the kids lunchboxes or for the whole family to enjoy.

 

 

Queen Garnett Plums

Queen Garnett plums are a unique variety of plums that are hailed as a “superfood” due to its high antioxidant content.  The flesh of these plums which are rich in colour, are sweet and juicy, with a tart flavour that makes them ideal for jams, jellies, and other desserts.  The season of this delicious fresh fruit is only 6-8 weeks but outside of the harvest, Queen Garnett plums are available for purchase as an ingredient in the form of an extract or an essence.  Be sure to look out for these delicious plums when you are next in your local fruit and veg store and enjoy not only their unique taste but also the health benefits.

 

Apricots

As the last of the South Australian apricots are rolling into the market, be sure to purchase these sweet, tasty and delicious fruit before they disappear.  Apricots are a summer fruit which is best enjoyed between November and February.  They have a golden orange colour, small in size with a velvety skin and chewy flesh with a sweet and slightly tart taste.  Apricots can be enjoyed as a healthy snack on their own, stewed, dried or included in many delicious desserts – who doesn’t love an apricot pie, slice or crumble to name a few!

 

You’ll find the best produce inside your local independent fruit & veg stores. Locate your closest store here.And don’t forget to check out Pick a Local, Pick SA Facebook page for the latest news from your local fresh produce experts.