Fruit and vegetables Save housekeeping money on sprouts

Press, 9 May 1980, Page 2

Fruit and vegetables Save housekeeping money on sprouts

Brussels sprouts were oversupplied on Christchurch produce markets yesterday morning, and prices were low. Bags of about 6kg sold from $1 to $3, most coming from Oamaru, though there were a few local sprouts. Supplies are expected to be cleared from market floors today. Other varieties of green vegetables were also plentiful yesterday morning as the recent weather has brought many, on about a month before their normal harvest time. In many casess the demand could not match supply and prices were low. Bottlers, picklers, and people with freezers should be taking advantage of the present prices. For freezing vegetables with the minimum of fuss just rinse and bag in quantities enough for one meal. This saves the trouble of individual freezing then bagging, as the whole frozen lump can be heated as required. Cauliflowers have been abundant for the last three weeks, bags of about eight selling between 80c and $2.60 yesterday morning. Bags of about eight cabbages sold from 50c to $l.BO. Both these vegetables are retailing at the low end of their price scales.

At one of the markets, courgettes and kumara were the only vegetables in real demand. Courgettes sold to $l3 a half-caae. Kumara have been a bit scarce as the wet weather in growing areas has caused concern more over getting

long, and so the airport security patrol will be significantly increased. An officer will be on constant: watch in the security surveillance tower and will

he in radio contact with airport patrol cars. The perimeter parking lots have a combined capacity of 11,000 cars. Whodunnit?

IN RESPONSE to Wednesday’s item about the goat in the telephone box in Greymouth, an Ahaura reader has written to tell us of another strange happening on the West Coast recently. About a fortnight ago, she says, two locals visiting an empty new house awaiting its new occupants at Totara Flat discovered a steer inside. How it got there will remain a mystery, it seems. But the animal had been shut up for a while and had left its calling cards all over the floor. It had even taken chunks of plaster out of the hall wall. But all is now repaired for the new occupants who, like the other locals, wom> der where the steer came from and how it got inside. Outsmarted?

ADVERTISING agencies, with all their creative people, always seem to think up nifty slogans, says an Avonhead reader. “But someone else is always ready to outsmart them. This was brought home to me when I followed a Mini into town this morning. On the back window was a sticker with the familiar Air New Zealand koru symbol and the slogan, “Nobody does it •— dearer.”:

[them out of the ground and into storage rather than freighting them to the South Island. Also, there is little incentive to send them as the North Island kumara market is healthy and

freight costs are about $3 a case. However, more supplies are expected in Christchurch soon.

Potatoes, onions, and pumpkin were plentiful at the markets yesterday. Recent fine weather has helped digging, and good supplies of Ham Hardies are coming in. Com was still available, fetching from $1.50 to $4 a case of cobs. Yams from Oamaru, Waimate, and local areas are coming on the markets in greater quantities as their season gets going, and bags or half-cases sold from $5 to $7.70.

Salad vegetables such as spring onions, radishes, and lettuces were in good supply yesterday morning. Tomatoes dropped in price from earlier in the week, and cartons sold between $2 and $7.20 for hot-house

fruit. Tomatoes from Auckland fetched $7 for 7kg. Celery was also down a bit in price, cases selling from $1.50 to $3.60. However, cucumbers are getting near ,the end of their season and hot house telegraphs sold between 50c and 90c each-

island bananas were auctioned at one of the markets yesterday morning, fetching front $lO to $11.40 a case. Their set price is $13.90 a case. Another shipment of Ecuadorean bananas (set price per case is $13.40) is due in next Friday but may not be released until the following week as a spell in the ripener may be necessary.

Feijoas, tamarillos, and kiwifruit were available at the markets yesterday morning. Tamarillos sold from $7 to $ll a half-case. Kiwifruit from the North Island and a few from Nelson sold from $4.50 to $5.50 a quarter-case and from $l2 to $l5 a halfcase. This week’s recipe BRUSSELS SPROUTS AND CROUTONS 750 g brussels sprouts 1 small onion 1 or 2 cloves garlic 25g butter 2 thick slices bread 50g butter slat and pepper Lemon juice.

Method: Wash and trim sprouts. Cook in boiling, salted water for eight to 12 minutes depending on size. Drain well. Peel onion and garlic and chop finely. Melt the first measure of butter and cook the onion and garlic until soft. Dice the bread into Icm cubes. Melt the second measure of butter and fry the croutons until golden and crisp on all sides. Mix the sprouts with the onion and garlic and heat through. Season well with salt and pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice; Serve garnished with the croutons.