January 29 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.

 

Midnight Beauty Grapes

Midnight Beauty grapes are known for their full-bodied sweetness as well as being large, crisp, juicy, seedless grapes.  As they are high in antioxidants and vitamins, the texture, flavour, and nutritional benefits make these grapes a popular choice among those who love to indulge.  Whether you are enjoying them as a snack on their own or adding them to your cheese boards, desserts, granola & yoghurt bowls, sorbets or smoothies, these black beauties are a taste sensation.  Be sure to look out for these at your local fruit and veg store to enjoy!

 

Saucing Tomatoes

You can make tomato sauce out of numerous kinds of tomato, including Roma, San Marzano, Giant Jersey or Big Mama to name a few, which will give you a really delicious sauce.  These varieties tend to have a firmer, meatier texture and they usually have fewer seeds and less water to deal with which means less prep work and cook time for you, as well as more sauce. You can sauce your tomatoes on the stovetop or if you prefer the easier option with less prep work, is to make tomato sauce in the slow cooker. The process is simple and requires no coring, seeding, or peeling, and great if you don’t want to stand over a hot stove.  Be sure to include your homemade tomato sauce in pasta, salsa, risotto, ragu or even as a dipping sauce.

Elephant Garlic

As suggested by its name, Elephant garlic is a much larger version of regular garlic however, it does have a milder taste.  Elephant garlic can be eaten raw or in cooked applications as it is often treated as a vegetable versus an herb because it is so mild in flavour. Roasting, baking or grilling will enhance its flavour, and its large size makes it perfect for slicing and deep frying to make garlic chips.  Like regular garlic, Elephant garlic is full of healthy nutrients and are an excellent source of vitamins E, C, and A and also contains allicin, which has been known for its antibacterial properties.

 

Figs

Fig season, which is from January to April, is kicking off with our local growers having plenty of these delicious, sweet fruit available.  This diverse fruit can be utilised in so many ways, whether they’re a sweet addition to your next cheese platter, taking centre stage in your next dessert or just zesting up a salad, these South Australian grown figs can’t be beat.  Figs are known as a superfood because, overall, their nutritional value is quite impressive as they have the highest mineral and fibre content of all common fruits, nuts, or vegetables.

 

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.