NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
    • The Great NZ Road Trip
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • Deloitte Fast 50
    • Generate wealth weekly
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Eat Well / Food News

Produce report: March 6

Bite
By Suzanne Dale

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save
    Share this article

Red kumara from Dargaville, parsnips and brussels sprouts are all plentiful this week. It may be officially autumn but we are not ready to turn this trio into heavy mashes and purees just yet — at least not while the weather is playing ball. Try those baby sprouts shaved into a salad or in this speedy curry with black beans for a tasty night away from meat.

Best veg buys include round beans, tomatoes and cucumbers — telegraph and Lebanese — both lovely in fresh, Asian-style pickles.

There's still a mountain of summer stonefruit out there, including an appearance by that great latecomer — the Black Boy peach. Actually around six varieties of red-fleshed peaches are known as the Black Boy which originated in France a couple of hundred years ago. A natural mutation of white-fleshed peaches, they are known in France as peche de vigne, or vineyard peach. A scarce treat, red-fleshed peaches are seen in very few places of the world and many of us remember them from our childhood, often bottled by an elderly relative. Sweet and fragrant when eaten fresh, they are a juicy delight once that furriness has been rubbed away or the skin peeled. You'll find Black Boys for sale at Farro Fresh or at your local farmers' market.

The displays of new-season apples grow by the week. Super-crunchy Sweet Tango from Hawke's Bay joins Beauty, Genesis and Royal Gala varieties already in store. Pick up a pear or two as well to poach for breakfast or to slice to add to a cheeseboard.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Look out for greengage plums and smooth skinned baby kiwiberries. However, it is sweet, local rockmelons that are our fruit pick. They are big and juicy but you've got to be quick as the season ends later in the month. Watermelons are also still plentiful (again, not for much longer) and, depending on where you live, you may be doing a double-take with the arrival of those with canary yellow flesh. Not cheap, the yellow watermelons are stunning, however, in a cocktail and can be used anywhere you would use the more familiar red ones.

New-season local limes are also appearing so you may have noticed the prices drop slightly. Limes will get cheaper as the season (March to September) progresses. The Tahitian (or Bearss) lime is most commonly grown in New Zealand and is nearly seedless and sweeter than other types which include the Mexican (key) lime and Southeast Asia's kaffir limes. It is the leaves and rind of the kaffir, of course, which are most used; the limes themselves being too dry for juice.

Commercially, limes are picked green but are actually yellow once fully ripe. If you want a more acidic, tart taste then a green lime is what you want. Otherwise choose yellowish green ones which will be juicier. It can be tricky knowing when to harvest your own so the best bet is to gently twist a lime from the tree and cut it open. Too little juice means it is still unripe.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest Recipes

Why Kiwis are cooking their stir-fries wrong - and how to fix it
Food News

Why Kiwis are cooking their stir-fries wrong - and how to fix it

09 Oct 09:00 PM
8 easy tricks to replace tonight's takeaway... that are cheaper and more delicious
Food News

8 easy tricks to replace tonight's takeaway... that are cheaper and more delicious

02 Oct 08:00 PM
Why Kiwis are cooking their sausages wrong – and how to fix it
Food News

Why Kiwis are cooking their sausages wrong – and how to fix it

25 Sep 09:00 PM
What expiry dates really mean – and other simple tricks to save money on groceries
Food News

What expiry dates really mean – and other simple tricks to save money on groceries

18 Sep 09:39 PM
Why your winter meals need these flavour-boosting tricks
Food News

Why your winter meals need these flavour-boosting tricks

22 Aug 11:00 PM
Why tinned tomatoes are the unsung hero of your pantry
Food News

Why tinned tomatoes are the unsung hero of your pantry

16 Aug 02:00 AM

Latest Food News

Why Kiwis are cooking their stir-fries wrong - and how to fix it
Food News

Why Kiwis are cooking their stir-fries wrong - and how to fix it

09 Oct 09:00 PM
8 easy tricks to replace tonight's takeaway... that are cheaper and more delicious
Food News

8 easy tricks to replace tonight's takeaway... that are cheaper and more delicious

02 Oct 08:00 PM
Why Kiwis are cooking their sausages wrong – and how to fix it
Food News

Why Kiwis are cooking their sausages wrong – and how to fix it

25 Sep 09:00 PM
What expiry dates really mean – and other simple tricks to save money on groceries
Food News

What expiry dates really mean – and other simple tricks to save money on groceries

18 Sep 09:39 PM
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Food News

Why Kiwis are cooking their stir-fries wrong - and how to fix it
Food News

Why Kiwis are cooking their stir-fries wrong - and how to fix it

One dish. One problem. One fix.

09 Oct 09:00 PM
8 easy tricks to replace tonight's takeaway... that are cheaper and more delicious
Food News

8 easy tricks to replace tonight's takeaway... that are cheaper and more delicious

02 Oct 08:00 PM
Why Kiwis are cooking their sausages wrong – and how to fix it
Food News

Why Kiwis are cooking their sausages wrong – and how to fix it

25 Sep 09:00 PM


Poor sight leaving kids vulnerable
Sponsored

Poor sight leaving kids vulnerable

22 Sep 01:23 AM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP