Healthy Information
100% Dribbilicious
Rich in vitamins A, C and E and a great source of dietary fibre and potassium, Australian peaches, nectarines, plums and apricots are some of the world’s best eating fruit thanks to our leading horticultural practices and warm climate which makes for sweeter, juicier produce.
Around 100,000 tonnes of summer stonefruit are produced from October to April each year by more than 1200 growers. Early season’s produce comes from sub-tropical Queensland and northern areas of Western Australia and New South Wales and are followed by crops from areas such as mid to southern New South Wales, parts of Victoria like Swan Hill and the Riverland of South Australia. Fruit from cooler climates are last to market.
Renmark, Swan Hill and the Goulburn Valley (Shepparton and Cobram) represent more than 50% of Australia’s summer stonefruit production, while Tasmania produces all the Australian-grown apricots harvested in mid January to February.
Summer stonefruit should be handled carefully and stored at room temperature. Don’t store fruit in the fridge as it will lose flavour and texture.
Peaches
The peach originated in China where it has been cultivated for thousands of years and is regarded as the tree of life. Known as Persian Apples by the Romans and introduced to America by Columbus, the fruit has been produced in Australia since the 19th Century.
Peaches bruise easily so look for smooth, unblemished fruit and handle them with care. When ripe, a peach should give off a delectable full-bodied aroma from the stem end and start to lose its brightness. A good sign of how sweet they are is the presence of white freckles on the top half. White peaches, like white nectarines, can be eaten sweet and crunchy.
Peaches are a fantastic any-time snack and great sliced up in fruit or vegetable salads, pies, flans or on top of cheesecakes and pavlovas. They are also brilliant for jams and chutneys and make an excellent accompaniment to chicken, pork and fish.
Availability
October to April
Growing Areas
QLD – Granite Belt, Sunshine Coast Hinterland
NSW – Araluen, Bathurst, Central Tablelands, Coffs Harbour, Forbes, Hunter Valley, Medowie, Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area, Northern Tablelands, Tumut, Sydney Hills District, Young
VIC – Goulburn Valley, Melbourne Metropolitan Area, Mid Murray
TAS – Huon, North East
SA – Adelaide Hills, Riverland
WA – Dwellingup, Donnybrook, Manjimup, Perth Hills
Nectarines
Nectarines, or ‘nectar of the Gods’, are a variety of peach with a smooth yellow, orange or red skin and either white or yellow juicy flesh. Originating in China some 4000 years ago, they are ready to eat when they start going a little dull and you can smell a sweet fragrance coming from the fruit.
Yellow nectarines are great soft and juicy when they will yield slightly to gentle palm pressure and be both sweet and tart, while their white counterparts are sweet when they are still firm and crunchy. Both varieties get sweeter and juicer as they soften and white speckles near the stem end of the fruit is the best indicator of this.
Sliced nectarines are fabulous in salads and on cheese and fruit platters.
Availability
November to March
Growing Areas
QLD – Granite Belt, Sunshine Coast Hinterland
NSW – Central Tablelands, Hunter Valley, Sydney Hills District, Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area
VIC – Goulburn Valley, Melbourne Metropolitan Area
TAS – Huon, North East
SA – Adelaide Hills, Riverland
WA – Donnybrook, Perth Hills
Plums
Plums are far more diverse than their summer stonefruit relatives coming in a wider range of shapes, sizes, skin colours and tastes which vary from extremely sweet to quite tart. Some plum varieties are specifically bred so they can be dried and still retain their sweetness and these are used for prunes.
When selecting plums, you should go for plump, full-coloured fruit. They generally become dull just before they are ready to eat.
Plums are delicious fresh and ideal for lunch boxes or snacks on the run. They are also wonderful in hot and cold desserts, stewed, grilled, baked or sautéed, and in fruit salads or pies. Plums make tasty sauces for various meats or ice-cream and can also be preserved in jams.
Availability
November to April
Growing Areas
QLD – Granite Belt, Sunshine Coast
NSW – Central Tablelands, Griffith, Hunter Valley, Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area, Orange, Young
VIC – Goulburn Valley, Melbourne Metropolitan Area, Mid Murray
SA – Adelaide Hills, Riverland
WA – Dwellingup, Donnybrook, Manjimup, Perth Hills
Apricots
In Latin, apricot means ‘precious’, a label earned because it ripens earlier than other summer fruit. Originally from China, cuttings of this golden fruit made their way across the Persian Empire to the Mediterranean where they flourished. Spanish explorers introduced the fruit to California and in 1792 the first major production of apricots was recorded.
Apricots should be deep yellow or yellow/orange, plump, well-formed and fairly firm. Their characteristic flavour and sweetness develops on the tree. Delicious fresh, they are also fabulous in desserts, poached, stewed or pureed, in chutneys, pickles, compotes, salads and sorbets. In addition they pair up well with meats and poultry.
Apricots are an excellent source of Vitamin A, with three delicate fruits providing 30% of an adult’s recommended daily intake.
Availability
November to February
Growing Areas
QLD – Stanthorpe District
NSW – Bathurst, Dareton, Gosford, Hunter Valley, Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area, Orange, Tumut, Windsor, Young
VIC – Goulburn Valley, Mid Murray, Sunraysia
TAS – South East Region
SA – Barossa Valley, Riverland
WA – Donnybrook, Dwellingup Manjimup, Perth Hills
Media Contact: Jackie Crossman, Crossman Communications, 02 9361 6099 or 0402 218 662
