The beautiful purple hues of Jacaranda trees blooming over the past few weeks mean that the end of the year is near. It can also mean that we are not far from seeing more varieties of seasonal produce hitting the shelves of your local, independent A better choice! store. The change from spring to summer brings vibrant, fresh, and quality produce, so keep your eyes peeled for these seasonal treats as they begin to make their way from growers, through the Brisbane Markets, to your local fruit and vegetable store!
The pick of the week is Papaya from North Queensland, with the quality excellent right now and the supply fantastic. When selecting your Papaya, choose a well-shaped, smooth, unbruised fruit that is mainly yellow in colour, but be careful when handling, as they bruise easily. If your Papaya is not yet ripe, ripen it at room temperature before storing it in a plastic bag in the fridge, where it should keep for about seven days. Get creative in the kitchen with this refreshing Papaya and Mango salad: Som Tam. This salad is packed with lots of fresh produce that is sure to leave you feeling healthy and bring a spring to your step after eating. Feeling like something a bit more sweet and indulgent? Try these Breakfast Crepes with Papaya and Passionfruit Glaze – this recipe is a perfect way to begin your Saturday morning!
Rockmelon, also from North Queensland is in abundant supply this week. When you are shopping for Rockmelon, choose one that is heavy for its size and has minimal spotting, and ensure it has a sweet and fresh smell. Be sure to add a Rockmelon to your basket this week, as they are not only great value, but also a healthy fruit choice, as they have a high water content and low calorie count.
Yellow Capsicums from Bundaberg are filling up the Brisbane Markets this week. While Yellow Capsicums are not as sweet as the Red Capsicums, they have a fruitier taste and are best used for slicing into salads, stacking on kebab sticks or even just eating raw.
Victorian-grown Green Shallots is also in great supply this week. A Green Shallot should have a small, underdeveloped white bulb with long, hollow green stems. They are perfect for eating raw – as a garnish or added to a stir-fry, soup or casserole to give a touch of freshness.
The ultimate herb, Garlic grown in the Lockyer Valley, never fails to make your dish unforgettable. Available all year round, Garlic provides you with the opportunity to create flavoursome dishes every day. Give this Roasted Jerusalem Artichokes with Roasted Garlic Aioli a try. Shop where you see the A better choice! logo, knowing your local, independent retailer has hand-selected your produce from the Brisbane Markets supplied by growers from all around Australia.
About Brisbane Markets
As Queensland’s only central fruit and vegetable market, the Brisbane Markets is the state’s most important centre for the marketing and distribution of fresh fruit and vegetables. It records an annual trade of over 700 million kilograms of produce valued at more than $2 billion.
An important economic and employment hub, more than 4,500 people work or do business at the markets each day through over 170 businesses. This includes over 45 wholesalers who receive fresh produce from over 7,000 growers and trade five days a week to more than 800 registered buyers.
About Brisbane Markets Limited
Brisbane Markets Limited (BML) is the owner of the Brisbane Markets site and is responsible for its ongoing management and development.
BML provides infrastructure and services to facilitate the marketing of fresh food, flowers and other ancillary products for fruit, vegetable and flower wholesalers, retailers, provedores, secondary wholesalers, food processors, transporters, exporters, industry organisations and market support businesses.
More information can be found on our website: www.brisbanemarkets.com.au.
About A better choice!
The A better choice! retailers are hardworking local family business owners, who are passionate about fruit and vegetables, they are our experts in their field and provide excellent customer service… with a smile.
Here’s the thing: no one can match A better choice! fruit and vegetable retailers for FRESH! Every morning, they hand pick a diverse selection of high-quality fresh fruit and vegetables from the Brisbane Markets, sourced from thousands of Australian farms.
Make your first choice A better choice! with local retailers throughout Southeast Queensland including Brisbane, Ipswich, Toowoomba, Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast and Tweed Heads. Please click on the link to find your local fruit retailer www.abetterchoice.com.au/store-locator/ . By shopping at your local fruit and veg shop, you are making A better choice!
About Brismark
Brismark is a member organisation which represents and serves the needs of the wholesaling sector of the fresh fruit and vegetable industry – in particular, the primary wholesalers that operate out of the Brisbane Markets at Rocklea. Brismark provides industry representation, and a range of financial and business services to support the wholesaling sector of the fresh fruit and vegetable industry and their associated businesses and actively contributes to strengthen the Central Market system. Brismark also oversees the A better choice! retailer program in Queensland.
