Kūmara are in-season and looking great right now. Photo / Babiche Martens
With autumn in the air, it’s time to say goodbye to a few fruit and veges — which happily means picking up a few bargains. And there are some items we’re welcoming back in plentiful stock, too, to help us adjust to a new season.
It’s a transitional time for the produce aisle at the moment; we’re saying goodbye to a number of fruit and veg and welcoming back others.
Courgettes and capsicums are still good buying, with prices expected to rise soon. You can still get great deals on sweetcorn too — be in while it lasts. And on the fruit front, stone fruit such as peaches, nectarines and plums are still loitering, as is watermelon, but their time will soon come to a close.
Feijoas, however, are primed and ready to take their time in the spotlight. And autumn’s apples and pears are gearing up, too, with loads of varieties ready for the picking. This Pork chop with pears and olives recipe would be the perfect trans-seasonal supper.
It’s chilli season right now, so prices should be a bit better than usual but for a truly decent price for these, you’re best to hit the markets (Avondale is a good bet) or specialty grocers. Green beans are good buying at present. And we’re welcoming back kūmara. This Fish pie topped with creamy kūmara mash recipe would go down a treat.
Various pumpkin varieties and root vegetables, such as parsnips, are stacking up too. And it’s great to see lime prices start to drop, now `their season is here. This Roasted parsnips with lime and cumin seeds recipe is a bonus as it puts two in-season ingredients to delicious use.
More exciting still is to see finger limes or “citrus caviar” make an appearance in the supermarket. These citrus fruit native to Australia are elongated in shape, resembling small fingers, hence the name. The pulp inside finger limes is composed of tiny, juice-filled vesicles, similar to caviar, which burst with tangy, citrusy flavour when bitten into. Due to their distinctive texture and taste, finger limes are often prized by chefs and food enthusiasts for their culinary versatility and aesthetic appeal. Pick some up for your next dinner party to impress the guests.
The other exciting little package we spied was kiwiberries — these are a small, smooth-skinned fruit that closely resemble kiwifruit in taste but are about the size of a grape. They belong to the Actinidia genus, which also includes traditional kiwifruit, but unlike their larger relatives, kiwiberries are entirely edible, including the skin. To eat kiwiberries, simply rinse them under water and then pop them into your mouth whole, much like you would eat grapes. Their skin is thin and tender, so there’s no need to peel them. Kiwiberries have a sweet and tangy flavour similar to kiwifruit but are milder in taste and lack the hairy texture of regular kiwis. They make for a convenient and nutritious snack, and can also be used in salads, desserts, or as a garnish for various dishes.