The Root of the Matter

Ralph Waldo Emerson once said that the “beautiful rests on the foundations of the necessary” and nothing could be truer for the workhorses of the culinary world: root vegetables. Despite their functionality and often crude appearance, root vegies are a core ingredient of cuisines worldwide due to their flavour, affordability and nutritional value.
Winter is the peak season for most root vegetables, here we showcase a range of varieties that are at their peak over the winter months and offer that little something special.

POTATOES

Speaking of tatties, these varieties start in Autumn and are well on their way to peak flavour and supply in the winter months.

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BURBANK aka Idaho

When: All year, best Mar - Dec

How: The chip potato! Though also good for baking and roasting

KENNEBEC

When: All year, best Jan - Oct

How: Starchy so make great chips but also good mashed, boiled, baked or fried

DESIREE:  

When: All year, best Jan - Oct

How: One of our best sellers, desiree are an all rounder. They hold their shape well, suffer minimal discolouration after cooking and are incredibly versatile, avoid frying.

ROYAL BLUE:

When: All year, best Feb - Aug

How: All rounder- good cooking variety (roast, mash, chip, salad)


CELERIAC: aka Celery root

celeriac

Availability: Mar - Sept

Appearance: creamy brown solid tuber

Flesh: white

Flavour: rich texture with slightly nutty flavour - cross between celery and parsley

Selection: choose medium size roots that are firm, if the leaves are still attached look for healthy plump stalks

Preparation: Don’t wash until ready to use and peel tough outer layer. Cooked they can be chipped, boiled, steamed, mashed you name it. Raw they are often grated in salads (lemon will stop discolouration once cut)

Nutritional value: good dietary fiber and Vitamin C


KOHLRABI

GreenKohlrabi (2)

Availability: Best Jun - Aug

Appearance: swollen stem at the base of blue/green leaves, stem can be purple-red/light green-white

Flesh: pale green - creamy white and crispy

Flavour: slightly sweeter than broccoli stems or cabbage heart. White tends to be slightly softer and milder, while red is larger and has a stronger aroma and flavour

Selection: buy medium size (larger = woodier). Look for crisp, good colour

Preparation: The stems have two distinct fibrous layers, these are generally peeled prior to cooking or serving raw. To get the most value and nutrients, cook whole with skin on then peel after cooking. Otherwise, use much like a turnip- lovely raw in salads or roasted/sautéed. The leaves can also be used as a substitute to Kale.

Nutritional value: Very good source of Vitamin C and potassium


LOTUS ROOT: aka renkon

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Availability: Usually available all year

Appearance:  root (rhizome) with reddish brown skin

Flesh: slightly crunchy, white flesh with air holes running the length of the root

Flavour: sweet, crisp (maintains texture when cooked)

Selection: firm, plump and juicy with no soft spots. The darker the root the older it is

Preparation: Peel and go. Can be eaten raw (like celery or carrot) on a platter or in salads. When cooking, it is recommended to blanch prior to avoid discolouration. Steam, caramelise, stew, candy or use in a curry or soup

Nutritional value: dietary fiber, Vitamin C, minerals- copper, iron, zinc, magnesium


HORSERADISH

horseradish-marketfresh

Availability: All year but at its best Autumn/Winter

Appearance: white, tapered root

Flesh: white

Flavour: spicy, pungent nose burn- similar to wasabi or mustard (which are in the family)

Selection: avoid shriveled or dry roots with soft or green spots

Preparation: fresh roots aren’t pungent but (similar to wasabi) the process of cutting, grating or grinding causes its cells to breakdown and undergo a chemical reaction. This reaction releases oils which provide the pungent aroma and taste. Once prepared, fresh horseradish should be used quickly or it will lose its potency (if left exposed it can also develop a bitter taste)

Nutritional value: antibacterial (good for colds) source of potassium, calcium and magnesium


SALSIFY: Black & White

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Availability: Best Autumn/Winter

Appearance: long, slim root with bark like skin (black or white) and creamy-white flesh

Flavour: creamy, earthy taste that some compare to an oyster or artichoke

Preparation: wear gloves to avoid staining hands, peel then coat with lemon to prevent browning (having said that it is often easier just to peel after boiling, then prepare as desired).

Health Benefits: particularly good for diabetics, it is a good source of fibre, manganese, potassium, riboflavin, Vit B6 & C


JICAMA: aka Yam Bean

Availability: All Year

Appearance: tan coloured tuber

Flesh: white and crunchy

Flavour: crisp and sweet (cross between an apple and a potato)- high water content

Selection: medium size, firm with dry roots

Preparation: Use like apple or pear in salads (grated/chopped) as it won’t discolour. Can be used like a water chestnut in asian dishes or chopped into stews or soups.

Nutritional value: very good source of Potassium, dietary fibre and Vitamin C


Did you know that Simon George & Sons has online ordering?

Contact us to get started or find out more.


From Paddock to Port

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For the fast growing cruise liner industry - fresh, premium produce is at the heart of the luxury experience it offers passengers.


Australians are changing the way we experience the world, in recent years more and more Aussies are choosing to go cruising both abroad and at home. According to a report from Cruise Lines International Association, the number of Australians weighing anchor on domestic cruises increased by a remarkable 40% in 2015, while globally our cruising numbers jumped by 15%.  

Without a doubt, the fine dining experience on an ocean cruise is fundamental to its appeal. Passengers often name fine dining, amazing destinations and value for money as the reasons they choose to cruise. With this and the recent rise in domestic cruising numbers, Australian chefs and producers are being presented with both a unique opportunity to showcase local flavours and a unique set of procurement challenges.

Simon George & Sons has established a strong relationship with the cruise liner industry, having supplied to the sector for over 50 years. From our experience, the produce supplied to cruise liners needs to meet two equally important criteria - firstly it needs to be exceptionally fresh as it may need to last up to 10 - 12 days on the cruise, secondly it must reflect the premium nature of the experience and therefore it has to be of consistently high quality at every port, while still being cost-efficient.

The scale of Simon George & Sons operations across Australia, our market knowledge and the quality of our service has helped our cruise liner clients to meet these challenges. As we move into the back end of 2016, we look forward to continuing to support them with the best produce from paddock to port.


Celebrating 20 years of Golf & Giving

Simon George & Sons was proud to co-host the Mater Charity Golf Day in May.


We just wanted to say a heartfelt thank you to all who attended the 2016 Mater Charity Golf Day in May.

Not only was it a great day of golf, your generosity helped us to raise nearly $50,000 for a new pregnancy assessment centre, the first of its kind in Australia.

Simon George & Sons has co-hosted the Mater Charity Golf Day for the last 20 years. Since beginning our relationship with the Mater in 1996, we have raised more than $1 million dollars to assist them in the delivery of key projects and facilities for the community.