Mango
You know summer has well and truly arrived when the mangos start appearing at the market. Bowen and Kensington Prides are the first to come into season and they will be followed by other varieties like the R2E2 and Nam Doc Mai. When choosing a mango, skin colour is not always the best indicator of ripeness. The best way to test if the fruit is ripe is by smell and/or giving it a gentle squeeze. If it gives a little, it’s ready. You can buy green mangos, just leave them in the fruit bowl at room temperature for several days and they will gradually ripen. Once ripe store in the fridge. Find mangos at the Everest Farm stall, Rainbow Fruit Flats or Picone Exotics.
Dragonfruit
The popular pink -skinned dragonfruit variety is now coming into season locally. The pink-skinned variety comes with two flesh colours – white flesh with black seeds or the striking magenta coloured flesh with black seeds. Both have a mild, delicate and refreshing taste that’s a little like a blend of kiwi, pear and watermelon. Dragonfruit look fantastic diced in a fruit salad, or simply chill, cut in half, add a squeeze of lime, scoop out the flesh and enjoy. Find dragonfruit at Picone Exotics and Rainbow Fruit Flats.
Sandpaper figs
Smaller than more commonly available figs, these dark red native figs are super sweet, caramel-y and delicious. As the name suggests, they come form the sandpaper fig tree, which is native to the east coast of Australia. Grower John Picone of Picone Exotics says the rough leaves mean picking the fruit can be quite difficult (and sometimes painful) but the flavour of fruit makes it worthwhile. Like other figs, sandpaper figs are delicious eaten fresh as they are, or with a soft cheese like brie. You can also use them in a salad – rocket, walnuts, goats’ cheese and figs is a classic combination. John’s other figs are also in season now, including the honey flavoured Napolitana.
Rockmelon
Another summer favourite, rockmelon is now in season. High in Vitamin A and Vitamin C, it’s a delicious for breakfast or in fruit salad. Rockmelon is also great in smoothies or used in sorbet, or try it in a savoury salad with leafy greens and nuts, goats’ cheese and chicken. Find rockmelon at Will Everest’s stall at New Brighton Farmers Market.
Button Squash
Bright yellow and shaped like a UFO, button squash are one of the most eye-catching summer vegetables. The classic way to cook them is to steam whole, then cut up and add seasonings, but there are lots of other ways of preparing them. The big ones are good sliced into a stir-fry, or you can stuff with onion, breadcrumbs or rice, cheese and bacon and bake. The little ones are especially good barbecued on skewers with other veggies. Available from Jumping Red Ant and Everest Farm.
Watermelon
Chill and cut into slices for the kids, blend into a smoothie, or whiz it into some healthy home made ice blocks. For something a little more sophisticated, try watermelon in a salad – chop up into cubes and add cucumber, goats cheese or feta and mint and a vinegary dressing for the perfect accompaniment to seafood. Find watermelon at Everest Farm.
Plums
Costanzo Apples will have fresh plums from Stanthorpe at the markets for the next couple of weeks.
Sweet Corn
Because it’s locally grown, the corn at the markets is super fresh, and full of the sugars that make it so sweet. Eat it the day you buy it for maximum sweetness. Find sweet corn at the Everest Farm stall.
Basil
Fragrant summer basil is perfect in pesto, sprinkled fresh on pizza, or in salads. Look for fresh basil at The Gourmet Salad Hut.
Sprouts
If the New Year has got you feeling like a detox and craving all things fresh, clean, and green, try adding some sprouts to your diet. Sprinkle on salads, sandwiches, stir fries or soups for extra flavour texture and nutrition, add them to green juices, or enjoy them on their own dressed with some olive oil and salt and pepper. You’ll find big range of sprouts from Sproutlovers at Denise Latham’s lettuce stall including mung bean, lentil and chickpea sprouts, while the Energetic Greens stall has soil grown sprouts such including broccoli, radish, wheat grass and barley grass.
Tomatoes
Tomatoes are super sweet at the moment. Available from Coopers Shoot Tomatoes or Jumping Red Ant.
Capsicum
Delicious eaten fresh or stuffed and roasted. Capsicums available from Coopers Shoot Tomatoes, Jumping Red Ant and Everest Farm.
Passionfruit
Jumping Red Ant and Everest Farm have sweet new season passionfruit.
