MANGO PRICES ARE ABOUT TO DROP: YOUR NOVEMBER SEASONAL PRODUCE GUIDE
Good news for anyone who measures summer in mango cheeks: the price of Australia's favourite fruit is tipped to fall over the coming weeks.
That is the headline from a new November seasonal produce guide published by the ABC, which rounds up what growers and greengrocers say is best value right now.
It also lines up with the October commodity update from Bendigo Bank Agribusiness, which, as The GC Minute reports, expects mango prices to ease as northern Australia's harvest picks up and more fruit reaches shops.
So if you have been wincing at the price of a single mango, it may pay to hold off just a little longer.
Mangoes: which ones to buy
According to the ABC, the first mangoes of the season came from the Northern Territory in early spring.
Supply is now shifting to Queensland, and prices are expected to become more affordable over the next couple of weeks.
Alan Li, from Fruits on Coventry at South Melbourne Market, told the ABC that Kensington Pride is the pick for eating fresh.
He recommends R2E2 for salads, because its flesh is firmer and holds its shape.
Try mango blended into a lassi, diced into a summer salad, or simply eaten over the sink, which is the most Australian way of all.
Berries, cherries and stone fruit
Victorian strawberries are becoming cheaper, the ABC reports.
Raspberries, blackberries and mulberries are also coming into season this month.
Cherries are already in stores, but growers describe them as a volatile crop because badly timed rain or hail can wipe out a harvest.
Josh Ball, co-founder of home delivery grocer Farmers Pick, told the ABC many cherries are rejected simply for cosmetic reasons.
If you spot slightly imperfect fruit at a good price, it is well worth a look.
Nectarines, peaches and apricots from the Goulburn Valley and northern Victoria are expected later in November.
In a good summer, stone fruit prices can fall sharply, so keep an eye out as December approaches.
Seasonal produce: the best vegetables right now
Asparagus is still good quality and good value into November, though the season will start winding down soon.
Hamish Franklin, a buyer at Georgie's Harvest at South Melbourne Market, suggests choosing thicker spears for a deeper, richer flavour.
Broad beans have a short season and are expected to last until about the end of the month, so enjoy them while you can.
Corn is reasonably priced and should get cheaper as more arrives.
Zucchini supply is set to increase across southern Australia over the next few weeks.
Broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage grow all year, but a run of sunny days can lead to a surge in supply and lower prices.
Garden peas, snow peas, fresh garlic and avocados round out the list.
Easy ways to cook it
The beauty of spring and early summer produce is that it needs very little done to it.
Melbourne cook and writer Phoebe Thorburn told the ABC this produce is easy to eat close to its natural form.
Char corn cobs on a griddle pan, then slice off the kernels for salads and salsas.
Sauté thin coins of zucchini in olive oil and butter, then add peas or asparagus and season well.
Toss baby asparagus through a warm potato salad with a tangy vinaigrette.
Fold mango and haloumi into tacos with a fresh cucumber and avocado salsa.
And for a weekend centrepiece, roast a whole cauliflower with spices and cheese.
Smart shopping tips
Buying what is in season usually means fresher, tastier and cheaper food, as Ball points out.
Prices at smaller and independent grocers can change quickly, so it is worth checking a few places.
Markets are often at their best early in the morning, before the most popular fruit sells out.
If berries are cheap, freeze a few punnets on a tray for smoothies and desserts later.
And when mango prices finally dip, buy a tray to share, because they never last long in a family kitchen.
