The Foodies' Diary is an annual release dedicated to seasonal produce information, recipes, wine matches and all you'll need to keep up to date with major food and wine festivals, produce markets and farmers markets around Australia. The popularity of the diary usually means it sells out by Christnas and the current edition is no exception. The next Foodies Diary wil be released in September 2010. Published by Hardie Grant Books and SBS. ($29.95). To keep you in the seasonal mode simple lists are included below on what produce to look for on a month by month basis. There's also information, buying tips and recipes on the SBS Food website.
Australia is uniquely placed in the world with a vast range of different climatic zones, all producing ingredients at different times of the year. From the coolest in Tasmania and Victoria through to the tropical north in Western Australia, Northern Territory and Queensland. Our lists reflect this array of climates and list the ingredients which are at their peak of flavour, ripeness, quality and value each month. Note - please respect the copyright of this information, if you would like to reproduce it anywhere else contact via email.
September - Early spring - fruit apple - lady williams, cumquat, grapefruit, lemon, mandarins -ellendale - murcot, oranges - blood - seville, papaya, pawpaw, pineapple - smooth leaf, tangelo. September - Early spring - vegetables
artichoke, asian greens - bok choy - choy sum - gai laan - wonga bok, asparagus - green - purple, avocados - fuerte - hass - sharwill, beans - broad - green, broccoli, cabbage, carrot, cauliflower garlic, ginger, leek, lettuce, mushrooms - morel, onions - salad - spring, peas, potato, pumpkin, silverbeet, spinach. October - mid spring - fruit
berries - strawberry, cumquat, grapefruit - pink - yellow, lemon, loquat, mango, orange - valencia, papaya, pawpaw, Pineapples - smooth - rough leaf, starfruit. October - mid spring - vegetables
artichoke, asian greens - bok choy - choy sum - gai laan - wonga bok, asparagus -green - white - purple, avocados - fuerte - hass - sharwill, beans - broad - green, broccoli, choko, cucumber, garlic, lettuce, onions - salad - spring, peas, silverbeet, spinach, watercress.
November - late spring - fruit banana, berries - strawberry, cherry, grapefruit, loquat, lychee, mango, melons - honeydew - rockmelon - watermelon, orange - valencia, papaya, pawpaw, pineapples - smooth - rough leaf, starfruit. November - late spring - vegetables
artichoke, asparagus, avocado - hass, beans, choko, cucumber, lettuce, onions - salad - spring, peas - green - snow - sugar snap, spinach, sweetcorn, tomato, watercress, zucchini flowers. December - early summer - fruit
apricot, banana, berries - gooseberry - loganberry - raspberry - strawberry, cherry, currants - black currant - red currant, lemon, lychee, mango, melon - honeydew - rockmelon - watermelon, orange - valencia, passionfruit, pineapples - smooth - rough leaf, rambutan, starfruit.
December - early summer - vegetables asparagus, avocado - hass, beans - green - snake, capsicum, celery, choko, cucumber, eggplant, lettuce, onion - salad - spring, peas - green - snow - sugar snap, radish, squash, sweetcorn, tomato, watercress, zucchini, zucchini flowers. January - mid summer - fruit
apricot, banana, berries - blackberry - blueberry - boysenberry - gooseberry - loganberry - mulberry - raspberry - strawberry, cherry - morello (sour), currants - red currant - black currant, lemons, lychee, mango, mangosteen, melons - honeydew - rockmelon - watermelon, nectarine, passionfruit, peach, pineapple - smooth leaf, plum, prickly pear, rambutan, starfruit, tamarillo. January - mid summer - vegetables
asparagus, avocado - reed, beans - butter - green - snake, capsicum, celery, choko, cucumber, eggplant, lettuce, okra, onions - salad - spring, peas - green - snow - sugar snap, radish, squash, sweetcorn, tomato, zucchini, zucchini flowers.
February - late summer - fruit apple - aba, banana, berries - blackberry - blueberry - boysenberry - loganberry - raspberry - strawberry, fig, grapes - cardinal - muscat - sultana - waltham cross, guava, kiwifruit, lemon, lychee, mango, mangosteen, melons - honeydew - rockmelon - watermelon, nectarine, orange - valencia, passionfruit, peach, pears - howell - red sensation - williams, plums, prickly pear, rambutan, rhubarb, starfruit, tamarillo. February - late summer - vegetables
avocado - reed, beans - borlotti - butter - green - snake, capsicum, celery, chilli, choko, cucumber, daikon, eggplant, leek, lettuce, okra, onions - brown - salad - spring, peas - green - snow - sugar snap, radish, squash, sweetcorn, tomato, zucchini, zucchini flowers. March - early autumn - fruit
apples - aba, cox's orange pippins - gala - jonagold - jonathan - mutso, banana, berries -
raspberry - strawberry, breadfruit, feijoa, figs, grapes - cardinal - currant - muscat - purple
cornichon - sultana - waltham cross, guava, kiwifruit, lemon, limes, mango, mangosteen, melons -
honeydew - rockmelon, nashi, nectarine, nuts - almond - chestnut - hazelnut - pistachio - walnut,
orange - valencia, papaya, passionfruit, peach, pears - beurre bosc - howell - josephine -
packham - red sensation - williams, persimmon, plums, pomegranate, rambutan, rhubarb, tamarillo.
March - early autumn - vegetables asian greens - bok choy - choy sum - gai laan - wonga bok, avocados - fuerte - shepard, beans - borlotti - butter - green - snake, capsicum, celery, chilli, cucumber, daikon, eggplant, leek, lettuce, okra, olive, onions - brown - red - spring, peas, potato, pumpkin, shallot, silverbeet, spinach, squash, sweetcorn, sweet potato, tomato, zucchini. April - mid autumn - fruit
apples aba, bonza - braeburn - cox's orange pippins - fuji - gala - golden delicious - granny smith - jonagold - jonathan - mutso - red delicious - snow, banana, cumquat, custard apple, feijoa, figs, grapes - muscat - purple cornichon - sultana - waltham cross, guava, kiwifruit, lemons. limes, mandarin - imperial, nashi, nuts - almond - chestnut - hazelnut - peanut - pistachio - walnut, orange - valencia, papaya, passionfruit, pears - beurre bosc - howell - josephine - packham - red sensation - williams, persimmon, plums, pomegranate, quince, rhubarb.
April - mid autumn - vegetables asian greens - bok choy - choy sum - gai laan - wonga bok, avocado - fuerte, beans - green - snake, beetroot, broccoli, brussels sprout, cabbage, capsicum, carrots, celery, chilli, cucumber, daikon, eggplant, fennel, garlic, ginger, leek, lettuce, mushrooms - wild - field - pine - slippery jacks, okra, olives, onions - brown - spring, parsnip, peas, potato, pumpkin, shallot, silverbeet, spinach, squash, sweet potato, swede, tomato, turnip, zucchini. May - late autumn - fruit
apples - bonza - braeburn - cox's orange pippins - fuji - gala - golden delicious - granny smith - jonagold - jonathan - mutso - pink lady - red delicious - snow - sundowner, banana, cumquat, custard apple, feijoa, grapes - purple cornichon - waltham cross, kiwifruit, lemons, limes, mandarin - imperial, melon - champagne, nuts - chestnut - hazelnut - peanut - walnut, pears - howell - josephine - packham - red sensation - williams, persimmon, quince, rhubarb.
May - late autumn - vegetables asian greens - bok choy, - choy sum - gai laan - wonga bok, avocados - fuerte - sharwill, beetroot, broccoli, brussels sprout, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celeriac, celery, daikon, eggplant, fennel, garlic, ginger, horseradish, leeks, lettuce, mushrooms - wild - field - pine - slippery jacks, okra, olives, onions - brown - spring, parsnip, peas, potato, pumpkin, shallots, silverbeet, spinach, squash, swede, sweet potato, taro, tomato, turnip, witlof, zucchini. June - early winter - fruit
apples - bonza - braeburn - cox's orange pippins - fuji - gala - golden delicious - granny smith - jonagold - jonathan - lady williams - mutso - pink lady - red delicious - snow - sundowner, custard apple, grapefruit, kiwifruit, lemons, limes, mandarin - ellendale, melons -champagne, nashi, nuts - chestnut - hazelnut - walnut, oranges - navel, pears - beurre bosc - josephine - packham, persimmon, pomelo, quince, rhubarb. June - early winter- vegetables
asian greens - bok choy - choy sum - gai laan - wonga bok, avocados - fuerte - sharwill, beetroot, broccoli, brussels sprout, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celeriac, celery, fennel, garlic, ginger, horseradish, jerusalem artichokes, kale, kohlrabi, leeks, okra, olives, onions, parsnip, peas, potato, pumpkin, shallot, silverbeet, spinach, swede, sweet potato, turnip, witlof.
July - mid winter - fruit apples -bonza - braeburn - fuji - golden delicious - lady williams - pink lady - red delicious - snow - sundowner, cumquat, custard apple, grapefruit, lemons, limes, mandarin - ellendale - imperial, melons - champagne, nashi, oranges - navel, papaya, pineapple, pomelo, rhubarb, tangelo. July - mid winter- vegetables
asian greens - bok choy -choy sum - gai laan - wonga bok, avocados - fuerte - hass - sharwill, beetroot, broccoli, brussels sprout, cabbage, carrot, cauliflower, celeriac, celery, fennel, garlic, ginger, horseradish, jerusalem artichoke, kale, kohlrabi, leeks, okra, olives, onions, parsnip, potato, pumpkin, shallot, silverbeet, spinach, swede, sweet potato, turnip, witlof. August - late winter - fruit
apples - fuji - lady williams - sundowner, cumquat, custard apple, grapefruit - yellow - pink, lemons, limes, mandarins - ellendale - imperial - murcot, nashi, oranges - blood - navel, pawpaw, pineapple - smooth leaf, pomelo, rhubarb, tangelo. August - late winter- vegetables
asian greens - bok choy - choy sum - gai laan - wonga bok, avocados - fuerte - hass - sharwill,
beetroot, broccoli, brussels sprout, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celeriac, celery, fennel,
garlic, ginger, horseradish, jerusalem artichoke, kohlrabi, leeks, okra, olives, onions, parsnip,
potato, pumpkin, shallot, silverbeet, spinach, swede, sweet potato, turnip, witlof.
(C) - Allan Campion & Michele Curtis