What's in season in Sydney: October
Posted by kathryn in What's in season
Following some thought I’ve decided to make the regular what’s in season list NSW specific.
I’m moving more and more towards eating primarily local foods and the vastness of this country means sticking to Australian grown produce is not quite enough. Food and produce from the west coast and far north travel thousands of miles getting to Sydney.
Which isn’t quite “local” food really. So from now on each month I’m going to concentrate on what’s being grown and harvested in this state.
While I will make every effort to produce an accurate list, this information is not easily available. I suspect there will be errors and omissions along the way. So please let me know if you have more information or spot a mistake.
For Australian readers from other states – I’d love to know the differences between you and NSW.
Fruit:
- Apples: Fujis and Sundowners from Batlow and Orange still available
- Avocadoes: NSW avocadoes are available – mostly Hass
- Bananas: from Northern NSW
- Blueberries: Coffs Harbour fruit available
- Grapefruit: ruby grapefruit are particularly delicious at the moment
- Lemons
- Mandarins
- Mulberries
- Oranges: navels
- Strawberries: while the NSW strawberry season is just starting most of the cheap punnets in the shops are from Qld and WA. Local strawberries are available from farmers’ markets.
Vegetables
- Artichokes (globe)
- Asian greens
- Beetroot
- Broad beans
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Celery
- Herbs
- Leeks
- Lettuce
- Peas
- Potatoes: chat
- Rhubarb
- Silverbeet
- Snowpeas
- Spinach
- Wild rocket
The monthly what’s in season guide is compiled from a number of sources, including: the Harris Farm Market and Fratelli Fresh market updates; Lettuce Deliver’s weekly shopping guide; the Sydney Markets seasonal guide; updates in Donna Hay and Delicious magazines; a range of books; as well as my own observations of what’s currently available and good value. I sometimes continue to make updates during the month, as fruit and veg availability changes.
Sweet pea photograph by Helen Mary.
08 October, 2008
Comments
I got some fresh peas in their pods in my organic box today. To say that I was VERY excited is an under statement! Hurray for Spring (local) produce.
I’m right behind you Kathryn – local and seasonal is definitely best (tastiest and eco friendly).
Oh yes, bananas are so plentiful nowadays—and they taste beautiful with Weet-Bix in the morning, too.
Pink Lady apples also taste great. :-)
Ooh, you’re lucky to have local bananas! In the NE of the US, the only way to get bananas is to get them shipped in from central America. Other than bananas, I try to eat my veggies as locally as possible (or in the winter, at least as domestically as possible).
Really enjoying asparagus season – though I see its not in the local list! I have made sure to buy Australian made not the cute little ones that have popped up from Thailand though I would dearly love to try them.
I am rediscovering how good they are in stirfries with a bit of chilli.
Christie: fresh peas, how lovely. I haven’t had any so far this season, but aren’t they wonderful. I’m also excited by the idea of fresh broad beans.
Kym: since reading Animal Vegetable Miracle I’ve realised how much I take bananas for granted. To me they’re an every day fruit, not something rare or exotic.
Hi there Lethological Gourmet: Yes we are lucky. The warm climate means bananas are grown all the way up the northern coast of Australia, including northern NSW.
Sue: apparently most Australian asparagus is grown in Victoria – so doesn’t make it onto the local list.
There’s local asparagus available in Central West NSW (and it’s delicious!). Not sure how far it’s travelling from here. though.
That’s good to know Rhonda – I’ll look out for NSW asparagus. My local stores seem to only have the Victorian stuff.
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