What’s good to eat fresh and in-season this month? Remembering the best way to save money and taste the best produce is by eating in season. The food doesn’t come from as far in the truck, it’s better for the environment and better for you. Plus you support local farmers, local stores and your community, love that.
Northern Hemisphere
So now the citrus is really going to be perfect. Go for blood oranges, grapefruits, oranges, ugli fruit and limes. Kiwifruit and pineapple are great now too.
Ugli fruit is actually a jamaican tangello, it’s a hybrid between a grapefruit and a tangerine. It’s name comes from the fact that the skin usually looks really unsightly. It has rough, wrinkled, greenish-yellow skin, wrapped loosely around the orange pulpy citrus inside. The light green surface blemishes turn orange when the fruit is at its peak ripeness. But don’t be fooled this combination of fruits is really tasty, less seeds than tangerine and no bitterness like grapefruit.
Kale, asparagus, avocado, leeks, potatoes and rutabaga are all in season in March. How about leek and potato soup tonight!?! Try cauliflower and broccoli, particularly the purple sprouting broccoli at the moment.
Nice fish right now are cod, hake, john dory and lemon sole. Use them instead of tilapia in our great Chinese fish recipe.
Down South (hemisphere)
In the south right now the leaves are just starting to turn. This means it’s the perfect time for Mushrooms! Also most nuts (especially pistachios), persimmons, avocado, pomegranate and plums. Apples (Gravenstein, Granny Smith, Golden Delicous and Jonathan in particular), cumquats, figs, feijoas, grapes and pears will all be delicious now.
There are literally thousands of varieties of mushrooms and a great many are edible. They grow in dark, damp places and feed on rotting, decomposing organic matter, and should be collected in autumn, preferably after some rain. They store well for a few days in a paper bag in the fridge, never in plastic, but are at their best eaten on the day they’re picked. Slice them and panfry in a little butter, bake them, stuff them or eat them raw in a salad.
Persimmons are a really delicious fruit. Unfortunately lots of people try to eat them a little to unripe, when they’re still too firm and bitter. Some fruits are fine to eat this way, but persimmons need to be eaten really nice and soft, the flavor is unlike anything else and you will be quickly hooked.
Corn, normal and sweet potato, onions, celery, tomatoes, capsicum and bok choy are all great veggies in season for the beginning of Autumn. Eat fresh and enjoy!
March music!
- “Bicycle” – Memory Tapes
- “When you walk in the room” – Fyfe Dangerfield
- “With no one” – John Frusciante
. Try some roe now, but be responsible with all things fishy. Don’t just think of organic or local fruit and veggies, you want to eat eco-best seafood. If you’re not sure- check
