The unseasonal warmth has seen an abundance of fresh produce on the Brisbane Produce Market trading floor with early fruit and bulk arrivals of quality vegetables resulting in some family meal favourites selling for greatly reduced prices.
You will pick up some of the best priced broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, leeks, snow peas, sweet corn, zucchini and sweet potatoes seen this year, with only cabbage firmer in price this week.
Beans have reduced in price. Choose ones that are crisp and firm, avoiding any with signs of discolouration or soft spots. They store best in a plastic bag in the refrigerator and will last even longer if you slip a paper towel around them to absorb the moisture.
Beetroot, brussels sprouts, capsicum, celery, field grown eggplant, fennel, parsnips, squash, mushrooms, onions, potatoes and pumpkin are also value-for-money.
The first of the Australian asparagus is expensive.
In the salad aisle, tomatoes are eating well and considered cheap and can be teamed with reasonably priced lettuce, mixed leaf salad, eshallots and Lebanese cucumbers.
Continental cucumbers will cost you more and avocados are also firmly priced.
Most herbs are available but basil is in short supply and will cost you more.
Strawberries are cheap and in abundance, as are bananas, blueberries and pawpaw, with the red variety the best eating over the yellow pawpaw.
There are also reasonably priced honey murcott mandarins, New Zealand kiwifruit, pears, pineapples, blood and cara cara oranges and passionfruit on Your Local Fruit Shop’s shelves.
Lemons, limes and navels have risen in value and are firmly priced as are all melons.
There are two markets for grapes with cheap, end of season Australian offerings on the shelves along with mixed quality USA ones which are expensive.
The first of the Australian low chill stonefruit has arrived, which is a different variety from the peaches and nectarines eaten later in the season from the growing regions with cooler climates.
Brisbane Produce Market