What’s News at the Market this Week?
New season pears have arrived straight from the Costanzo family Stanthorpe farm – the same wonderful family farm that grows our new season Royal Gala apples.
Crispy sweet Packham pears are universally popular and so juicy when perfectly ripe. They are also pleasant to eat when a little crunchy – in fact some prefer them crunchy. For a quick snack I love to eat a slice of pear with a slice of a firm cheese. 😋
TIP: An unripe Packham pear will take from 3 – 8 days to ripen at room temperature (turning yellow when ripe). Store at room temperature until they give to slight pressure at the stalk end, then refrigerate or EAT!
Ripe pears are best used within three or four days. Also avoid stacking pears on top of each other.
Here are two recipes to inspire you to do something a little new with your pears:
- Jamie Oliver’s How to make Poached Pears and for all our gluten free readers here is my favourite …
- Pear and Chocolate Cake with Almond and Coconut – originally inspired by David Herbert’s Pear, Vanilla and Ginger Cake.
More News at the Market this Week?
Tweed River Pecans – back soon
Jessie McNaught fromTweed River Pecans said that they are “scrambling to get the place ready for harvest because this week the husks began to split on our earlier variety – the Pawnee” – one of several grown at TRP’s. Mowing is a full time job right now but so necessary with harvesting beginning soon. Their new tractor is being prepared for its tree shaking job – you have to see this to believe it so perhaps we can share a video on social media in the coming weeks. Then there is the preparation and packaging. Lots to do at their busiest time of year.
We are all eagerly anticipating TRP’s new season pecans arriving at the market around mid to late April along with Narbey’s Best Avocados and more.
And salivating for pecans prompted me to share this Pear and Ginger Upside Down Cake with Toasted Pecans recipe too.
What’s GREAT at the Market this Week?
Summit Organics has the most delicious black heritage cherry tomatoes. They are sweet and perfect for salads or roasting and serving on a yoghurt base as in Ottolenghi’s recipe Hot Charred Cherry Tomatoes with Cold Yoghurt. Another of my favourites especially while the weather is warm.
And there is more that’s GREAT at the Market this Week?
This warm early start to autumn is a time when we continue to enjoy delicious fresh juices so we are fortunate that Bronwyn at Super Smoothies makes fresh cold pressed juices on request each week. You might ask why cold-pressed?
According to Bronnie, conventional juicers used in most local juice bars or cafés rely on speed and heat to extract the juice. While this process is quick and easy, the friction creates oxidation and separation, destroying much of the nutritional content of the juice. Whereas cold-pressed juices are made by using pressure to extract the juice from fresh fruits and veggies.
Pressure extraction takes longer but with no heat from friction, no nutrients are lost or destroyed. Cold pressed juicing maintains the inherent nutritional value of the fruit and vegies being juiced.
Bronnie and Andrew are both crazy about fresh juice and all its bountiful benefits. Bronnie said that “we want to give people easy access to fresh, cold-pressed, living juice that is full of raw goodness and bursting with enzymes!” How is that for commitment to you and your health?
