Nectarines, other stonefruit in plentiful supply

Press, 13 February 1986, Page 12

Nectarines, other stonefruit in plentiful supply

Christchurch markets continued to be well stocked with stonefruit this week.

Now is a good time to start bottling or making jams as the markets should be flush with nectarines in the next two weeks.

Cases of nectarines sold for between $5 and $lO, and trays for between $3 and $6. The white-fleshed New Yorker variety which is grown in Canterbury was also popular. It sold for $3.50 a tray.

Stocks of free-stone peaches for bottling available included Eclipse, Giohaven and Deroga. They fetched between $6 and $7 a case. Black Doris plums were also popular, selling for between $6 and $lO a case. They are ideal for making sauces. The red Doris variety was also available, selling for between $4 and $6 a case. The first of the Omega dessert plums become available yesterday, fetching up to $lO a case. Purple King plums sold for up to $22 a case. Apricots, although past their peak, were in adequate supply. Dessert varieties fetched between $8 and $l2 a case. Prices will probably start to rise as supplies diminish in the next few weeks. The first of the new season’s pears, Clapp’s Favourite, were in supply, and are best bought green. A greater choice of eating apples are now stocked, including Gravenstein, Albany Beauty and Oratia Beauty varieties. Retail prices ranged from 84c to $1.14 a kilogram. Small supplies of strawberries and blueberries were the only berryfruit lines still stocked at the markets. Old English greengages were selling up to $lO a case. Rockmelons from Nelson are well flavoured and were selling for between $l6 and $2O. This is probably the cheapest they will sell for at the markets this season. Citrus fruits were less well stocked, although a late variety of sweet-flav-oured mandarin. Encore, from Gisborne, was selling for up to $34 a case. New Zealand grapefruit was also available. Lemons were still in short supply. Varieties from Nelson and Gisborne sold for between $45 and $55 a

case. District grapes were good value for money fetching between $5 and $6 a case. Australian Red Cardinal grapes sold for up to $33 a case. The white seedless Thompson variety sold for $3B a case. ■

Kiwifruit sold from between $8 and $lO a tray. Some supplies of Australian pineapples sold for up to $4O a case. A good variety of vegetables was still available, although some lines were less well stocked than in previous weeks. Lettuce was in better supply this week, fetching up to $8 a case. The demand for salad vegetables such as cucumbers also dropped this week.

A small stock of gherkins was available, fetching up to $3 a kilogram. Gherkins are not as well supplied as last year.

The price of broccoli eased this week to $l2 a case. A large consignment of Chinese cabbage arrived from Blenheim this week, fetching up to $4 a case. Choice Canterbury-grown Chinese cabbage was also available, fetching up to $6 a case. To cook, cut any loose leaves and use the solid white ribs for salads or stir-fries. Pumpkin was plentifully stocked. Popular varieties included buttercup and butternut. Buttercups fetched between $5 and $lO a case, and butternuts up to $2O a case. New season’s grey pumpkins were also available. Red squash fetched up to $6 a bag. The good weather has ensured that the new season’s pumpkins will be of high quality. Sweetcorn grown at Woodend proved popular, selling for between eight and 15c a cob. Corn freezes easily. Simply place cobs complete with husk in a plastic bag and seal. To cook in a mircowave oven, leave com in husks and cook for two to three minutes each, before serving with butter and chopped chives and herbs. Popular cooking varieties of Chippewa and Red King potatoes sold for between $3.50 and $5 a bag. Pickling onions were in short supply, but the demand was high. Some buyers paid up to $l2 a bag.

Today's recipes DESSERT PEACHES Place peach halves or slices in a shallow dish, sprinkle with coconut, a little brown sugar and chopped nuts. Grill until coconut is lightly browned. Serve hot with cream, ice cream or yoghurt. Another delicious simple variation is to sprinkle the peaches with brandy and brown sugar and leave to marinate during the day in a refrigerator. Serve with whipped cream.