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Ordering early is the secret to a wilt-free festive feast. Beat the heat, and the last-minute panic, with these expert tips on securing the best produce.
Plenty of potatoes, lots of lettuce and as many mangoes as you can fit in your basket: that’s the Christmas forecast from Australia’s produce purveyors.
In Sydney and Melbourne, provedores are keeping a close eye on the weather and combing wholesale markets for the freshest and best.
“We’ve had a colder than average September, October and November, but it’s all starting to catch up for Christmas,” says Melbourne trader Graham Gee, who owns Happy Apple stores in Ascot Vale, Seddon, Newport and Essendon.
“We’re at the market every day buying the freshest produce, so it has the best home life – people don’t buy it and watch it wilt on Christmas Eve.”
In Sydney, John Velluti runs The Fruit and Veg Company, which home-delivers produce, and Frank’s Fruit Market in Haberfield. He’ll be happy if heatwaves hold off until after the festivities.
“We have hot days forecast between now and Christmas,” he says. “All the hardier produce – eggplants, zucchinis, root vegetables – will be OK. But I hope we can get the leafy veg and herbs out of the ground before it gets too hot.”
Both traders recommend that customers get their orders in early.
“If you have a recipe in mind, the best idea is to let your greengrocer know what you need,” says Gee. “Particularly with berries, edible flowers and specific herbs, it means you’re guaranteed the exact ingredients.”
It’s likely to be the best of the bunch, too. “We always pick the orders first, and they are all wrapped up in cotton wool,” says Velluti.
Potatoes
“There has been talk of shortages but we’ve had good supply,” says Gee. His pick is kipflers for a salad and Dutch creams or brushed sebagos for roasting. “Use the old trick of a little parboil, then tumble them in a strainer to rough them up before you bake them. The rough abrasion gives that crunchiness.”
Sebagos are also good for gratins, frying and chipping, says Velluti. “Whichever you buy, you want them to feel nice and hard, not spongy,” he says.
Carrots
Melbourne Market expects to trade 170 tonnes of carrots in the week leading up to Christmas.
“There will be plenty of mixed bunches with that heirloom flair for roasting or putting in a salad,” says Gee. “Look to the tops for a guide on freshness: you want nice, fresh, vibrant green. A limp top is a giveaway that it’s a bit older.” There’s no need to peel slender Dutch carrots: a quick scrub suffices.
Leaves and lettuces
“You don’t have to be a genius to deal with an iceberg,” says Velluti. “They are pretty straightforward and hardy.” With softer greens, he recommends washing them when you get home, putting them through a salad spinner to ensure they are as dry as possible, then storing them in an airtight container in the fridge. “It’s the water that can make them go slushy,” he says.
Mangoes
“There are plenty in the market,” says Velluti. “We’ll have good quality and reasonably priced.” His customers only want classic Kensington Pride, but Gee also likes the tangy R2E2 hybrid for salads. “The flesh is slightly firmer and it holds a bit,” he says. “Look for bright fruit with good colour and a lovely perfume as it ripens.”
Cherries
“There’s nothing that says Christmas like cherries,” says Gee. “We are starting to see more and more come through. Look for firm, unblemished, dark fruit with a fresh green stem.” Lower-grade cherries are great for compotes. “Throw them in a pan with sugar and water, eat them hot or cold. They are very enjoyable.”
Stone fruit
“Stone fruit is outstanding at the moment,” says Velluti. “Apricots are even tasting like apricots.” Flat peaches are a new arrival in stores up and down the east coast. A Euro summer staple, they were first planted in Australia in 2019 and harvests are increasing each year. Eat them crisp or let them ripen in the fruit bowl for a few days. They can even be frozen and grated.
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