As the leaves start to turn, the fruit and vegetables that line grocers’ shelves in Australia are changing too. Dean Lamb, the owner of Watts Fresh in Kyneton, Victoria says now “is the best time of the year for produce”.
By the end of April, all apples will be in peak season, from the popular pink ladies to jazz and kanzi at about $4.90 a kilo. So even if you’ve had your apple a day, there’s still room for Nigel Slater’s spiced rice pudding topped with apples cooked in a dash of maple syrup for dessert.
Other apple varieties to look for, says Lamb, are ambrosia, bravo and missile (a small, sweet and crunchy variety perfect for kids).
If you want to branch out, pears are another go-to this month, coming in cheaper than apples at about $3.50 to $4 a kilo. “We can sell packhams every day of the week, but the other varieties have a really good flavour profile,” says Lamb.
Look for gold and brown nashis, corellas, beurre bosc, lemon bergamot and red angel pears, which are known for their buttery texture. Make the most of the autumn harvest with these 10 pear recipes, or if you have excess of time and fruit, make Kylee Newton’s recipe for chocolate and pickled pear frangipane tart (pictured above).
With cooler weather also comes citrus season: pomelos and Japanese kumquats are available now; navels are expected back in the fruit bowl later in the month; and you’ll have to wait a little while longer for blood oranges.
Lamb recommends shoppers step outside their comfort zone and buy persimmons.
“They’re not loved enough in Australia. A lot of European and Asian customers know persimmons and enjoy them,” says Lamb. “They’re in peak season in April … Right now they’re between $5.99 to $10 a kilo depending on quality.”
Whether you choose the firm or soft variety, cut them into wedges and eat them fresh. The latter can be simmered into a compote to spoon over Yotam Ottolenghi’s Welsh pancakes, or make them into a versatile salsa.
He also says shoppers may be turned off bananas at the moment due to the fruit’s softer skin being more susceptible to bruising after humidity and rain in Queensland. Inside, however, they continue to be good quality and remain about $4.50 a kilo.
Figs are also ripe for eating, says Josh Brooks-Duncan, co-founder of Farmers Pick, and have improved with the cooler weather; and grapes (choose red over green) will be around for another month.
The price of berries will start to rise (strawberries are already starting to feel the cold and have a shorter shelf-life) and late-season stone fruit is well on its way out. Plums, however, are holding on and can be found for about $4 a kilo in supermarkets.
Gourd vibes
The star of veggie boxes this month is the humble pumpkin. In supermarkets, jap, Kent and butternut pumpkins range from $1.50 to $3.50 a kilo, and varieties such as red warty thing are also worth seeking out.
Make pumpkin pilaf or pumpkin pisto (Spanish stew topped with an egg), or Nigel Slater’s roast pumpkin dressed with peanuts, cherry tomatoes and pomegranate molasses.
Potatoes and sweet potatoes are also good buys (between $3 and $4.50 a kilo respectively) and perfect for a sticky roast sweet potato or these hearty cheese and pickle roast potatoes.
Large, flat mushrooms (about $11 a kilo) are also in season – use them in Nigel Slater’s vegan main of stuffed mushrooms with chickpeas and tahini. Eggplant ($6.90 a kilo), celery ($3.50 a bunch) and zucchini are also safe bets.
Red light, green light
At Farmers Pick, snow peas with marked skin have been rescued recently but are still good for eating. But other greens have suffered in the rough weather and humidity in the north.
Supplies of red, green and wombok cabbages have been affected too. “They’re very hard to find at the moment so I’d probably steer clear of those for April,” Brooks-Duncan says.
Lettuce is readily available and baby spinach is in strong supply, but brassicas including cauliflower and broccoli remain expensive. If you must get your floret fix, cauliflower is the cheaper of the two at about $5.50 a head and likely to improve towards the end of April.
For the next few weeks, opt for roma and gourmet tomatoes (others cost about $5.50 a kilo) before the Victorian season wraps up. Prices may rise ahead of the Queensland season, which runs from May to December.
Capsicums continue to be expensive – Lamb says they are “like a rollercoaster” – but brussels sprouts are coming into their own. While still about $16 a kilo, they should halve in price over the course of the month, making way for Nigel Slater’s miso-toasted sprouts.
Buy:
Apples
Avocado
Bananas
Beans
Cauliflower
Celery
Citrus
Cucumber
Dragon fruit
Eggplant
Figs
Grapes
Kale
Lemons
Limes
Mushrooms
Onion
Pears
Potato
Pumpkin
Snow peas
Spinach
Sweet potato
Tomatoes
Watermelon
Zucchini
Watch:
Broccoli
Brussel sprouts
Cabbage
Strawberries
Avoid:
Asparagus
Blueberries
Capsicums
Honeydew (in short supply)
Rock melon (in short supply)
Silverbeet (weather affected)
Stone fruit
Sweetcorn
