Channel 7 News team on the Brisbane Markets trading floor during the Paniyiri Greek Festival promotion.

Personalities from Radio 4BC and Channel 7 dropped into the Brisbane Markets this morning to wish the Greek community “Yassou” and promote Paniyiri Greek Festival Weekend, starting on Saturday, 18 May.

There was flag waving, bouzouki music, Greek dancing and  a line up of Brisbane Markets community characters interviewed with a 5.30am start, to make sure the radio station’s breakfast listeners received the full flavour of the morning.

The event was an opportunity to learn more about the Brisbane Markets commercial kitchen, boasting the biggest fresh fruit and vegetable pantry in South East Queensland, and the History Collection Room, with a live cross from within its walls.

Paniyiri is an annual event, held at Musgrave Park and the Greek Club, in Edmondstone Street, South Brisbane. 

The Saturday 18 May to Sunday, 19 May event will include dance, food, wine, music, art, cultural lectures, fireworks, cooking demonstrations, plate smashing, church displays, fashion and eating competitions.

Quinces

There is an abundance of fresh fruit and vegetables for the picking this week with prices falling on many kitchen favourites as supply outstrips demand.

Watch for bargains on quality Asian vegetables, beans, beetroot, broccoli, brussels sprouts, carrots, celery, eggplant, snowpeas, silverbeet, sweet corn, zucchini, and all hard lines, including pumpkins, potatoes, onions and sweet potato.

Capsicums have eased in price and improved in quality. Be prepared to see them sold under a variety of names including peppers, sweet peppers, bell peppers and even Hungarian paprika.

New season English spinach has made it to the shelves and is reasonable in price.  However, squash, leeks, parsnip and mainly imported asparagus are firmly priced to expensive.

Salad ingredients are top quality and cheap this week including hass and shepard avocados, all lettuce and mixed salad leaf varieties, a wide range of tomatoes, shallots and even cucumbers.

Its quince time of year with this acidic, seasonal fruit too astringent to be eaten raw, but its aromatic flavour is delicious cooked with apples and pears, or used to make quince jam.

Other seasonal fruit includes great quality and bargain priced apples, imperial mandarins, grapes, navel and valencia oranges, kiwifruit, seedless watermelon and pears.

Cavendish bananas are of a reasonable price but you will pay more for lady fingers.  All berries are firmly priced but expect to see bargains ahead with a bountiful strawberry season expected.

Lemons and rockmelons are of mixed quality and price. Figs, limes, papaws and pineapples are reasonably priced. Passionfruit is expensive.

Try something new with sweet flavoured, thin green/yellow skinned guava; oval, dull green feijoa with their whitish layer of granular flesh and translucent jelly like pulp; and the deep yellow or red/purple leathery skinned pomegranates that contain hundreds of juicy sweet crimson seeds covered by red, gelatine like flesh.

Many vegetable favourites are more affordable with onions, potato, sweet potato, carrots, sweet corn, silverbeet and pumpkin at bargain prices.

Quality has remained high as prices have become more reasonable on Asian vegetables and beetroot. However asparagus is expensive.  Other crops that are still firm on the wallet include broccoli, cabbage, capsicum and cauliflower.

Beans, eggplant and zucchinis are of mixed quality and price. Look for beans that have young, firm, straight pods with good colour (green, yellow or purple). They should snap crisply.

There are two types of avocados to choose from right now with the thin skinned green shepard variety making way for the pebbly darker skinned hass variety, both at reasonable prices.

After weeks of high prices, all lettuce varieties are the cheapest they have been for some time. Cucumbers are also cheap, most tomato varieties are reasonable in price and quality, fresh herbs are also affordable.

Great tasting, cheap grapes are the buy of the week, with other seasonal fruit at their best in taste and price including imperial mandarins, kiwifruit, seedless watermelon, navel and valencia oranges, pears and all apple varieties. Remember to store your apples in the refrigerator.

Cavendish bananas are at good prices but the lady finger variety will cost more.  Other firmly priced fruit include grapefruit, once expensive passionfruit that have eased to a firm price, custard apples and persimmons.

There are some mixed quality lemons and rockmelon about.  All berries, including strawberries, raspberries and blueberries remain expensive.

Roasting up onions, pumpkin, sweet potato and potatoes could be one of the cheapest meals on the menu at the moment with these hard lines extraordinarily cheap.

Add quality but cheap broccoli, carrots, silverbeet and celery and keep your eye on cauliflower prices that will drop in price dramatically over the coming week for some bargain meals.

However, asparagus is expensive.  Expect to pay more than usual for beans, capsicums, swedes, turnips and sweet corn. Asian vegetables, beetroot, brussels sprouts and zucchini are reasonably priced while garlic is of mixed price and quality.

Green leafy iceberg and cos lettuce have crashed back to bargain prices, and can be teamed with cheap cucumber and shallots. New season hass avocados are also plentiful and cheap.

Tomatoes are starting to rise in price so look for firm, well formed, bright fruit that is of uniform colour, and free from blemishes. Remember to ripen them at room temperature.

Grapes are still a great buy, although they will firm in price through the week. The best seasonal buys are great quality Australian kiwifruit, imperial mandarins, all apple varieties, seedless watermelon and late plums, which will fade in quality in the days ahead.

You will pay more for bananas and rockmelon while berries, including strawberries, raspberries and blueberries, are firming to become expensive.

Pineapples, lemons and limes are of good quality and reasonably priced.

Valencia oranges are still good eating but their navel cousins are improving rapidly and are of medium price. Choose firm, glossy oranges that are heavy for their size, which is indicative of good juice content. Also remember that oranges with a partially green peel are just as juicy and sweet.

However, survey findings released today by Brisbane Produce Market showed a staggering 93 per cent of children were eating less than the recommended daily allowance of vegetables and over a quarter (26 per cent) were not eating enough fruit each day.

Despite this revelation almost half of the parents questioned through the Brisbane Produce Market Healthy Eating Survey were well aware of the Government’s recommended number of five serves of vegetables and two serves of fruit per day.

Parents cited their child’s food preferences as the key factor preventing them from preparing healthy meals. Some 45 per cent said pleasing fussy eaters was the biggest barrier to preparing healthy lunchbox meals with almost half of the parents surveyed always or often including pre-packaged foods such as muesli bars and chips to keep their kids happy.

Surprisingly, less than a quarter of parents named the perceived cost of healthy eating as a notable barrier, although 41 per cent said information around healthy eating on a budget would help them prepare healthier meals.

The findings were released to mark the launch of Brisbane Produce Market’s book Healthy Lunchboxes – for kids of all ages, an initiative devised to complement its Kids Education Program and help parents create tasty, affordable meals for their families. Brisbane Produce Market spokesperson, Vikki Leng, said the survey unearthed some interesting facts around healthy eating.

“It is encouraging to see that three-quarters of parents make their child’s lunches on a daily basis,” she said.

“However, while healthier options such as water, fresh fruit, sandwiches, wraps and bread rolls are often included in packed lunches, less than half of the parents (45 per cent) always or often included fresh vegetables such as salads, sandwich fillings and vegie sticks. This indicates there is definitely room for including more fresh vegetables in the lunchbox and helping their children reach their daily recommended serves.

“This could be down to a number of factors such as their child’s food preferences, cost or convenience. Providing affordable, delicious recipes that can be pulled together in just minutes is part of Brisbane Produce Market’s commitment to helping parents feed their families healthy food.”

Dietitian and nutritionist, Maree Ferguson of Dietitian Connection, worked with Brisbane Produce Market to help create the Healthy Lunchboxes book. She said it was understandable parents wanted to give children food they enjoyed but that healthy food doesn’t mean compromising on taste.

“Healthy Lunchboxes includes 10 sample lunchbox combinations that contain foods from the five food groups. Each lunchbox is based on fresh produce that not only offers good value for money but is great for our health too,” she said.

“We also know it’s important that meals are quick and easy to prepare. This is why Brisbane Produce Market has created the Healthy Lunchboxes book – to show parents how easy it is to make healthy, delicious meals for the whole family.”

Healthy Kids Ambassador for Brisbane Produce Market’s Kids Education Program, Ben Hannant, said he applauded the initiative and hoped it would encourage more parents to cook healthy family meals.
“As a father, I realise the importance of shaping good eating habits for life,” he said.

“Healthy Lunchboxes is a brilliant book that will empower parents to improve the eating habits of both themselves and their families.

“We enjoy preparing healthy snacks and meals, such as those featured in Healthy Lunchboxes, together as a family.”

Healthy Lunchboxes is available now from local greengrocers in South East Queensland. While the RRP is $14.95, many greengrocers will be offering the book at a special introductory price. For more information and to find your nearest greengrocer please visit www.brisbanemarkets.com.au.

ENDS

* Source: QLD Health – The Health of Queenslanders 2012

For more information or interviews please contact Kate Ward at Ignite PR & Marketing on 07 3368 1650 or kate@ignitepr.com.au

Unfortunately we wish to advise that the Twilight market will now close. It is with regret that we make this decision to close our beloved little market for good.
The last trading Twilight market was on Wednesday 24th April 2013.

We welcome our valued customers to visit us at our other markets;
 Saturday Fresh Market
 Sunday Discovery Market
 Eagle Farm Sunday Market

Williams Pears

Prices remain firm on most vegetable categories, and while you may have to pay a bit more than usual now, new season crops are expected to bolster stocks and reduce prices within a fortnight.

The exceptions are potatoes, onions, sweet potatoes and pumpkin that are of good quality and already cheap.

However, Asian vegetables, asparagus, beans, beetroot and sweet corn are firm in price. Cabbage, cauliflower and parsnips are expensive.  Broccoli has eased to a reasonable price. Carrots, leeks and silverbeet are also value for money.

Look for cheap celery and snowpeas.  Capsicums and zucchinis are of mixed quality and price.

Its avocado season, with shepard and hass varieties both good quality and cheap. They team well with bargain priced salad mix, cucumbers and shallots. However, expect to pay more for cos and iceberg lettuce varieties and tomatoes.

Apples are in full season, cheap and taste sensational at this time of year, particularly if they are kept in the refrigerator and not your fruit bowl. 

Other sensational seasonal fruit includes bargain priced grapes, imperial mandarins, limes, valencia oranges, pears figs, mostly Australian grown kiwifruit and pears.

Bananas have firmed to a medium price but blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, custard apples, grapefruit, papaw and passionfruit are expensive.

Seedless watermelon has eased in price to become value for money, along with rockmelons and lemons.

Chinese cabbage, celery, Asian vegetables, carrots and zucchini are reasonably priced.

However, stocks of both cabbage and cauliflower have dwindled making both expensive. Beetroot, beans, capsicums, sugar loaf cabbage, eggplant, turnips and sweet corn remain firm.

There are still some cheap, top quality vegetables to cook with, including potato, pumpkin, onions and sweet potato. Store your potatoes and sweet potato in a cool, dry, dark place, that is well ventilated, and not in the refrigerator.

Tomatoes and avocados are a great mix, particularly since prices have eased making both an affordable combination, along with well priced cucumbers and shallots for a healthy salad.

Salad mix is cheap but iceberg and cos lettuce are expensive. Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator to keep them fresh and to help store them longer.

Queensland imperial mandarins are the glamour fruit of the week with the mandies now settling into their season and producing some tasty morsels at reduced prices.  Other citrus is not as cheap with lemons firmly priced, limes reasonable and imported navel oranges of mixed quality and price. Look for some cheap Australian valencia oranges.

All berries, watermelon and passionfruit are expensive. Bananas and custard apples have firmed in price. So choose some great tasting seasonal fruit to save your pocket including all varieties of grapes, plums, pears and all apple varieties, with the once pricey Pink Lady easing to affordable.

Look for the egg-sized, brown, fuzzy green kiwifruit, with its emerald centre and the sweeter slightly lighter bronze skin coloured gold kiwifruit at your greengrocer, with both Australian grown varieties reasonably priced. The fruit is an excellent source of vitamin C and its pulp contains an enzyme that is an effective meat tenderiser.

 Rockmelon, papaw, pineapple and persimmons are of quality and reasonably priced.

Spend $20 or more at participating stallholders to go into the draw to win any of the below prizes! Once the purchase has been made, complete an entry form and place in the competition barrel located at our information booths. It’s that easy! All winners must be on site to redeem their prize.

The competition commences Saturday 20th April at 6am and will be drawn on Saturday 11th May. Please note this competition only applies to our Saturday Fresh Market.

Prizes include:

Taco Modern – $40  voucher

Princess Charlotte Seafood – $50 voucher

Food & Wine Concepts – hamper

Mt Egmont Pavlova – Heart Shaped Pavlova

The Cupcake Stall – 4 pack of regular sized cupcakes

Maleny Cheese – Prize pack

Flowerlovers – $50 boxed arrangement

DC Plants – Tray of assorted herbs

Flossy Fairy Candy – Birthday Pack (1.5hr of unlimited fairy floss sticks for 25 people)

Tony’s Italian – Cheese & meat platter

AU Gourmet – 2 Family breakfast for 4

Bradley Williams – Nut Pack

Fruit & Veg Healthy Lifestyle – $30 voucher

Gourmet Calamari – 2 Calamari baskets with sauce

Quality Gourmet – Hamper basket of dips & sauces

The Greek Yoghurt Company – $20 voucher

German Wurst Haus – Selection of pre-packaged sausages

Tasty Bites – $20 voucher

M & V Seafood – Voucher

Alchemy – Bottle of flavoured syrup

CT Fine Foods – Pasta hamper

Seafood Direct – $25 gift voucher

Black Sheep Coffee – 500g retail coffee beans

R & D Treccase – 2 x $25 gift voucher

Last month’s rains, that affected planting around the state, have left a supply gap resulting in higher prices on some of our most popular vegetable lines until stocks catch up with the demand.

Prices have firmed on asparagus, handpicked beans, broccoli, celery, eggplant, fennel, zucchini and sweet corn. Once bargain-priced carrots have firmed to a medium price while cauliflower has firmed to become expensive. Capsicums are of mixed quality and price.

However, hard lines are still at bargain prices, with the cooler autumn nights perfect for cooking up potato, pumpkin, onions and sweet potato, which are in ample supply.

Machine picked beans are also affordable, so choose young, firm, straight pods with good colour (green, yellow or purple). Good beans should snap crisply.

Quality herbs are selling for reasonable prices.

The pebbly skinned hass avocados have joined smooth green-skinned shepards on the greengrocer shelves with both varieties affordable. Tomatoes are also stable in price and quality.

Choose mesclun or mixed leaf salads over cos or iceberg lettuce varieties, which are expected to stay expensive for some weeks.  Shallots are reasonably priced.

Fruit is still a great people pleaser with most apple varieties (with the exception of pink ladies), pears, custard apples, persimmons and plums cheap and of excellent quality.

New season navels have yet to make an impact on the taste buds but there are still some sweet valencia oranges on the market. Imperial mandarins are tasting better and dropping in price, lemons and limes are reasonable and grapefruit is expensive.

Other value fruit includes cavendish and lady finger bananas, kiwifruit (with most now sourced from Australia), rockmelon, yellow and red papaw and pineapples.

Seedless watermelon has risen in price. Raspberries and blueberries are expensive while strawberries are of mixed quality, with erratic prices from rock bottom to expensive.