BUYER'S GUIDE: 29/11/11 - 05/12/11
As your eyes at the markets, here’s this week’s seasonal update from our buyers:
BEST BUYS:
FRUIT:
Cavendish Bananas- large (QLD)
Plums (NSW)
R2E2 Mangoes (QLD)
Rockmelon (QLD)
Watermelon (QLD)
VEGETABLES:
Chat Potato - small (SA)
Cherry truss tomatoes (NSW)
Medium tomatoes (QLD)
New Season: Portabello Mushroom (NSW)
Telegraph Cucumber (QLD)
SOMETHING DIFFERENT:
Dragon Fruit (QLD)
Lychee (QLD)
Mangosteen (Imported)
Rambutan (QLD)
Red Currants (VIC)
Edible Flowers (VIC)
Popcorn Sprouts (VIC)
New Season: Heirloom Tomatoes (NSW)
Roma - Baby truss tomatoes (NSW)
Spring Onions (NSW)
SORRY NOT THIS WEEK:
END OF SEASON:
Mandarin
Red Tamarillo
SHORT SUPPLY:
Asparagus - No2
Lotus Root
NOT AVAILABLE:
Winter Melon
BUYER'S GUIDE: 22/11/11 - 28/11/11
As your eyes at the markets, here’s this week’s seasonal update from our buyers:
BEST BUYS:
FRUIT:
Red delicious apples - small (NSW)
Cavendish Bananas (QLD)
Honeydew Melon (QLD)
Mango (NT)
Nectarine (NSW)
VEGETABLES:
Green Bean (QLD)
New Season: Lebanese Cucumber (NSW)
Iceberg Lettuce (NSW)
Pontiac Potato (NSW)
New Season: Red Cherry Tomatoes (NSW)
SOMETHING DIFFERENT:
Assorted Micro-herbs (VIC)
Blackberries (NSW)
Cherries (NSW- Ronn's)
Chestnuts (VIC)
Dragon Fruit (QLD)
Edible Flowers (VIC)
Lychees (QLD)
New Season: Heirloom Tomatoes (NSW)
Popcorn Sprouts (VIC)
Rambutan (QLD)
SORRY NOT THIS WEEK:
SHORT SUPPLY:
Green Cooking Papaya
Lotus Root
NOT AVAILABLE:
Gold Kiwifruit
Winter Melon
BUYER'S GUIDE - 15/11/11-21/11/11
As your eyes at the markets, here's this week's seasonal update from our buyers:
BEST BUYS:
FRUIT:
Cavendish Bananas (QLD)
Cherries (NSW)
Mango (NT)
Peach (NSW)
Blueberries (QLD)
VEGETABLES:
Broccolini (VIC)
Red Capsicum (QLD)
Eggplant (QLD)
Rhubarb (NSW)
Yellow Squash (QLD)
SOMETHING DIFFERENT:
Dragon Fruit
Green mangoes
Habanero Chillies
Hawaiian Sweet Potato
Micro Herbs
Plums
Rambutan
SORRY NOT THIS WEEK:
SHORT SUPPLY:
Small Granny Smith apples
Lotus Root
Purple Basil
NOT AVAILABLE:
Borlotti Beans
Yellow Zucchini
TRUE LOCAL
Q: With the urban sprawl of Sydney, do we have truly local produce available?
The Crave, Sydney International Food Festival is well and truly underway with Sydneysiders (and travelling foodies) basking in the glow of World Class chefs and the latest food trends. Despite its international focus, the festival keeps some things close to home. The 100 mile meal challenge, is a series of events that throw down the gauntlet to Sydney chefs, challenging them to host an event where their menu is made up entirely of locally grown produce. There are over twenty 100 mile meal events being held this year, with sustainability champion Jared Ingersoll from Cotton Duck going so far as to host a 10 mile waddle.
Outside of the Crave Festival, Sydney chefs are increasingly requesting local produce; actively embracing the market culture and the benefits of using seasonal ingredients with low food miles. A prime example is the redesign of Café Opera at the Intercontinental Hotel, where Executive Head Chef Tamas Pamer and Executive Sous Chef Julien Pouteau took on the challenge of using seasonal, locally produced ingredients in their signature buffet.
Simon George & Sons works closely with Sydney producers and has a strong offering of local produce this Spring, much of which is grown within 50 miles of Sydney, never mind 100! To prepare your palate for the 100 Mile Meals series, here is a snapshot of some of our best produce from close to home:
SOMETHING DIFFERENT
Exotic Mushrooms- Oyster (white, pink, yellow), Nameko, Enoki, Gold Enoki, Porcini, Shimeji, Shitake, Swiss Brown, Woodear
Heirloom Carrots- Purple, White, Yellow
Carrots- Golfball, Dutch
Beetroot- Standard, Baby Beetroot, Baby Goldne Beetroot
Edible Flowers- Season about to start
Asian Veges- Most ranges
Zucchini Flowers
PANTRY STAPLES
Tomatoes- Truss, Cherry Truss, Roma
Hydroponic Lettuce- Baby Cos
Lettuce- Cos, Iceberg
Garden Vegetables- Shallots, Spring Onions, Radish etc
Herbs- Basil, Rosemary, Parsley, Thyme etc
Sprouts and Shoots- Bean Sprouts
Cucumber- Telegraph, Lebanese
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Silverbeet
English Spinach
Strawberries
Chicory/Witlof
Rhubarb
Lemons
Eggs
Get into the spirit of 100 Mile Meals with your own local produce menu. Contact Simon George & Sons for more information on this season’s best local produce.
A: Yes. Greater Sydney produces 7% of the state’s total agriculture and 12% of its total vegetables. The Sydney region overall produces 90% of the fresh Asian vegetables consumed in the state and 80% of its fresh mushrooms (Ecos Magazine). In 05/06, the Hawkesbury produced $61 million worth of veges, fruit and eggs, Penrith $32 million, Liverpool 19million, Camden $17milion and Campbelltown $3.4 million (Metropolitan Plan for Sydney 2036). Now that’s true local.
MAKE FRIENDS WITH SALAD
Q: What makes a salad, a salad?
Simon George & Sons knows how to make friends with salad. Our new range of ‘fine’ salad mixes from Victorian supplier, Hussey & Co offer chefs a convenient salad base that is tender, colourful and packed full of flavour. The finer leaves make it possible to deliver a salad with the full complement of flavours and a gourmet look, no matter how small the serving.
FINE ASIAN MIX: (Mizuna, Mibuna, Tatsoi)
The Asian Mix is a fantastic staple for the kitchen. The Japanese leaves deliver mild mustard, peppery flavours while the Tatsoi adds a creamy texture. Many chefs customize this mix by tossing through various hydroponics.
FINE MESCLUN MIX: (Red and Green lettuce lines, little mustard and curly leaves)
At only 5 or 6 cm, the leaves in this mix enable you to offer a full salad experience in one handful. With up to 16 varieties this mix is a flavour hit.
FINE SWISS CHARD:
At it’s peak over the next two months, the fine chard mix is delicious, colourful and fresh.
SNOW PEA TENDRILS:
These tendrils have a stunningly delicate appearance and a lovely crunchy texture. Boasting a subtle pea flavour, they can be used in either a salad mix or to dress a dish
ARUGULA ROCKET:
While many chefs opt for the stronger heat of Wild Rocket, Arugula is fast gaining popularity with those seeking a milder pepper hit, tender leaves and a softer look on the plate
According to history, it’s the dressing. The word ‘salad’ originally derived from the Latin ‘salata’ or salted things, which refers to the practice of eating raw vegetables dressed with salt, oil and/or vinegar.
MARKET TOURS
Q: Where does the fresh fruit and vegetable in Sydney come from?
There is no better way to get inspired by fresh produce, than to brave the early morning hustle and bustle of Sydney Markets with an experienced buyer as your guide. With an estimated 2.5 million tonnes of fresh fruit and vegetables sold through Sydney Produce Market and Sydney Growers Market annually, knowing the who, what, where and why of the markets, is the key to serving up quality produce all year round.
After more than 35 years navigating produce markets around Australia, Simon George & Sons Director, Damian George is a more than qualified host. Damian’s broad product knowledge and relationships with the wholesalers, makes for a morning packed full of information, banter and fresh flavours.
The Market Tour kicks off at the largest Flower market in Australia before moving on to the functional mayhem of the Produce and Growers Markets. Here you get to see first hand the vast range of produce on display and learn the characteristics that buyers look for in their stock. These unique insights can successfully give you the edge on the competition, whether it be a reminder that purple carrots exist or what not to buy that week. To complete the experience, the tour wraps up at Scala Café, where a good breakfast and a hot coffee sets the perfect tone for the day ahead.
A: The Sydney Markets are the main source for the fruit and vegetables in supermarkets, restaurants, greengrocers, exporters and food processors in Sydney. Approximately 120 Wholesalers, 394 Produce Growers, 172 Flower Growers-Sellers and over 160 supporting businesses are located on site at Flemington. The combined sales from the Produce and Growers markets reach an impressive $3 billion annually.
THE BIG CHILL
Q: What was the first refrigerated vehicle for transporting fresh food on land?
At Simon George & Sons we keep our cool in our new fleet of refrigerated delivery vehicles. Custom built by Hino and Therma Truck, the fleet’s cutting-edge design makes it possible for Simon George & Sons to deliver the freshest produce safely and reliably every time.
The bespoke Therma Truck bodies are made of the highest quality materials, going over and above standard product handling requirements. Moulded fibreglass panels with a polyurethane foam core insulate the vehicle and aid temperature recovery, ensuring the last delivery of the day is as fresh as the first. The panels are seamless, easily cleaned and fitted with load restraints; making the trucks efficient, hygienic and secure.
To help us improve our service, a state of the art tracking system has been installed in all Simon George & Sons vehicles. The system allows us to provide instant feedback on the location of deliveries, monitor potential delays and streamline delivery routes to better serve our clients. The upshot, no more 'Car 54, where are you?’!
Simon George & Sons strives to deliver the highest quality product and reliable service to our business partners. We are committed to offering an innovative approach to fruit and veg that that will benefit both our clients and the industry as a whole... while we stay cool!
A: Refrigerated railroad cars. In 1867, J.B. Sutherland of Detroit, Michigan patented the refrigerator car, designed with ice tanks at either end of the car it had ventilator flaps near the floor which created a draft of cold air through the car.