AUTUMN HARVEST
Q: How long is the rain likely to last?
Summer is officially gone and with it go the luscious stonefruits, berries and tomatoes that characterise Sydney’s summer menus. So what can we expect from Autumn 2012?
Sydney’s tropical (read: rainy) summer has taken its toll on local produce (especially ground grown crops- herbs, asian vegetables, tomatoes) however consistent supply from interstate has managed to keep the markets relatively stable. Unfortunately, we are now starting to see poor weather impact interstate products and if the rain continues we can expect to see quality and price issues across the board.
On a positive note all this wet weather has brought the elusive Pine Mushrooms to the markets early, not to mention apple, pears, exotic fruits , cabbage lines and root veg are all looking relatively consistent and are good eating.
AUTUMN FLAVOURS:
APPLES/PEARS/QUINCE:
New season apples, pears and quince are abundant in Autumn with almost all varieties of apple and pear available over the course of the season.
Supply: Expected to be consistent bar a significant storms or hail in the growing regions
Inspiration: Vogue Entertaining + Travel’s Spiced Quince and Pears with baked custard
BEANS:
Beans are a staple of Autumn, with Borlotti, Butter, French, Green, Roman and Snake making an appearance.
Supply: With the rains in QLD/Nth QLD this week the market for beans has turned dramatically with supply very tight and price jumping significantly. With supply directly influenced by the weather we hope to see supply and price improve as the weather clears.
Inspiration: Teage Ezard’s Barbecued ox tongue with southern gold potatoes, snake beans and sticky mustard dressing recipe
CABBAGE:
Hitting the markets earlier than usual, cabbage lines – chinese wombok, red cabbage, Tuscan cabbage – fill the gap left by the slowing lettuce lines.
Supply: Hardier than other ground grown crops, supply should remain consistent. However excessive rain or flooding may cause splitting and as a result supply issues
Inspiration: Jacques Reymond’s Spatchcock & Buttered Cabbage with verjus
EXOTIC FRUITS:
Filling the void of the lush mangoes and berries come the passionfruit, custard apples, breadfruit, persimmon, guava and pomegranates & tamarillos
Supply: Some issues with guava supply at the moment but otherwise looking steady for the season ahead
Inspiration: Kim Woodward’s Butter roasted halibut, lobster salad, coriander pasta and passion fruit sauce
NUTS:
Autumn also sees the return of the fresh nuts- with Australian grown pistachios (NOW), almonds (Feb-Mar), Hazelnuts (Feb-Apr), Peanuts (Feb-June) and Chestnuts (Apr- Jul) on the scene!
Supply: When they hit the markets, they hit in force- though they finish all too quickly
Inspiration: Peter Gilmore’s Caramelised Vanilla Brioche French toast
PUMPKIN:
I recently read a quote that said there were four seasons, Spring, Summer, Pumpkin and Winter. With all lines including Butternut on offer in Autumn, who can blame them.
Supply: Sourced locally, pumpkins are traditionally abundant and great eating for the whole season
Inspiration: Rick Stein’s Pumpkin ravioli with sage butter
ROOT VEG:
Autumn sees the root veg come into their own with sweet potatoes, horseradish, turnip, parsnip and spud varieties (Royal Blue, Ruby Lou, Pontiac, Desiree, Burbank, Purple Congo) all coming into their own.
Supply: While supply should remain consistent, root veg are susceptible to splitting and rot with too much rain – so lets hope for some clear skies.
Inspiration: Bar H’s Sashimi of striped trumpeter with mushrooms and ginger, horseradish and soy dressing
More produce highlights for Autumn: Pine Mushrooms, Celeriac, Fennel, Leeks, Spinach and Silverbeet
A: Unfortunately it may last a while yet. The Bureau of Meteorology is predicting a wetter autumn than average for NSW and SA and a slightly drier season for VIC and TAS. There is a silver lining however, with the BOM describing their outlook model as having ‘low skill over South East NSW’ at this time of year! So you never know, blue skies could be just around the corner.
BOIL 'EM, MASH 'EM, STICK 'EM IN A STEW
Q: How do you prolong the shelf life of potatoes?
They may be getting a bad rap from peppy, anti-carb personal trainers the world over at the moment, but the humble ‘taiter’ is still one of the most versatile and cost-effective foods on the market. Yet another successful member of the Nightshade family, potatoes are the world’s largest vegetable crop and fourth largest food crop, with over 330 million tonnes produced worldwide in 2009. While consumption varies per region and the latest fad diet, the average global citizen consumes 33kg of the starchy tuber every year.
There are thousands of potato varieties, hundreds of which are edible, with more being developed all the time. Commercial varieties are categorised and bought in a number of ways; whether they are washed or brushed, size, texture and/or specific variety.
Washed potatoes are efficient, no washing on site means less man hours and a shiny skin on arrival. The washed potatoes sold by Simon George & Sons are mostly Coliban which is a tasty, all rounder which is available in a variety of sizes. Varieties can vary under the ‘washed’ banner and all potatoes can be pre-washed or peeled on request. Meanwhile, the ever faithful Sebago represents for the ‘dirty brushed’ and ‘chipped’ category. Keeping the dirt on the skin helps protect the potato from moisture and light, which prolongs shelf life and balances the effort involved in washing at a later date.
Size matters when it comes to potatoes. Cocktails and Chat potatoes are bought purely on size, not variety. When you buy these sizes, you can expect washed, all-rounders that have white skin and flesh. The main size classifications you will see for spuds include:
- Large
- Medium (Table)
- Small (Chat)- over 70grams but smaller than medium (table)
- Cocktail Chat - under 70grams, usually 2-3cm in diameter
The texture of the spud is determined by the amount of starch in the potato and therefore directly influences its preparation. Textures range from waxy to floury, with all-rounders falling somewhere in-between:
- Waxy- less starch (16-18%) and higher moisture, therefore best for salads, stews, soups or anything where you want the potato to hold shape
- All Rounder: Are neither definitively waxy or floury and therefore tend to be good for most types of cooking.
- Floury/Starchy: higher starch (20-22%) and less moisture. Release starch when boiled or fried, therefore best for baking in skins and mashing as they fluff up beautifully. If you want to whip up freedom fries or a salad with floury varieties, they will need to be soaked first.
As there are so many different types of potatoes available, we have broken them down into something more palatable:
Needless to say we haven’t included every potato in the list above. Other spud favourites that deserve a mention are:
- Waxy: Patrone, Bintje, Ruby Lou
- All Rounder: Golden Delight, Red Rascal, Spunta, Toolangi Delight
- Floury: Russet Burbank, Kennebec
To discuss these and other tasty potato varieties, contact Simon George & Sons on (02) 9519 1411.
A: Potatoes are a demanding lot when it comes to storage. To maximise shelf life and ensure they don’t darken when cooking, they should be stored in a cool (not cold), dry, dark environment with good airflow and no onions! (When onions and potatoes are stored together, they release gases that can cause rot.) Check stock regularly and remove any that are soft, shrivelled or sprouting, like bad apples they will taint the lot.
Also, watch for ‘greening’. To maximise the tubers chance of producing more potato plants, they contain low levels of toxic chemicals (glycoalkaloids) which deter predators from eating the tuber when unearthed. If a potato is exposed to light or damaged, it triggers this protective measure and the production of glycoalkaloids increases. At their most potent in the sprouts, these chemicals can cause anything from food poisoning to death. Green spots on the skin (greening) are a good indicator of light exposure and are therefore a warning sign of toxicity. While all green potatoes won’t kill you, it’s best to toss them.