Marketfresh Report Week Ending 12th December

Golden Honeydew and Candy melon are in season and eating deliciously. Super sweet, these to melons have an attractive yellow coloured rind – but vary on the inside Honeydew has a creamy coloured flesh and Candy melons resemble a pale rockmelon.

Packed with healthy goodness, tropical-tasting papaya from the Mossman area of Far North Queensland is a bargain this week

Exotic and flavoursome, fresh lychees are a sweet summer sensation—store unpeeled lychees in a sealed plastic bag in the fridge.

New-season Flame, Midnight Beauty and Menindee Seedless grapes are firm and bursting with flavour. Pick up a plump bunch of sweet and crunchy grapes

This week, versatile celery is a bargain. Add celery to stir-fries, salads or team in a classic partnership with carrot and onion and add flavour to a risotto or sauce.

Tomato prices remain firm due to Queensland’s wet weather impacting supply. The best buy is Cherry and grape tomatoes sold by the punnet

Bean sprouts are delicious and add texture and flavour to stir fried dishes

Sensational Queensland mangoes are a summer treat; choose from Kensington Pride, Calypso and R2E2.

Enjoy new season cherries. Numerous varieties are available throughout the cherry season, each with its unique combination of flavour, colour, and flesh firmness.

Picked ripe and ready to eat, pineapples do not ripen after harvesting. Choose firm pineapples that feel heavy for their size with a sweet tropical aroma.

A rich source of many nutrients, kale is packed with vitamins C, E and K, plus folate and beta-carotene. This crinkly-leafed green also provides iron and calcium. Strip leaves from the stems and chop, then toss in a hot pan with olive oil, crushed garlic, chopped red chilli and a scattering of currants. Heat until the kale wilts, then serve warm.

Dutch carrots are dainty in size, thin-skinned and extra sweet in flavour. Roasting carrots intensifies their sweetness

Shorter and thicker in shape with greyish green skin, Lebanese zucchini are ideal for stuffing and can be used similarly to the popular dark green variety.

New-season yellow and white-fleshed nectarines and peaches are from the NSW North Coast, the Hawkesbury and Swan Hill. Some varieties of nectarines develop an attract speckle on the skin; this indicates that the fruit is high in sugar and will be sweet eating.

Put ultra-juicy limes on the shopping list. Add lime juice and zest to zing to drinks, marinades, sauces, and salad dressings. Drizzle over spicy noodles, fresh seafood, or whip up a batch of tangy lime curd and serve with a biscotti.

Smooth, creamy and rich potassium, bananas are the storehouse of sustained energy

For value, taste and versatility, fresh asparagus is a winner; its delicate nutty flavour can be enjoyed raw or cooked, hot or cold and Aussie spears team deliciously with veal, pasta, seafood, prosciutto, chicken and steak.

Telegraph cucumbers are the thriftiest buy

There are many ways to enjoy eggplant, roasted, grilled, barbecued or added to a curry. Layer cooked eggplant slices with a rich tomato passata and mozzarella cheese and bake until warm and bubbly.