Abiu Avocado–Fuerte Avocado–Hass Avocado–Hazzard Avocado–Reed Pouteria caimito Persea americana Persea americana Persea americana Persea americana Other Names Caimito, Other Names Avocado pear, Other Names Avocado pear, Other Names Avocado pear, Other Names Avocado pear, yellow star apple alligator pear alligator pear alligator pear alligator pear Availability July to October Availability March to November Availability All year round Availability July and August Availability August to December November to February The Fuerte avocado has dark green, The Hass is one of the most popular The Hazzard is a large elongated A large, round fruit with a loose Abiu is a round, yellow-skinned glossy skin with pale raised spots. varieties. It is smallish with a pebbly fruit with smooth olive green skin. peel. It retains a firm texture even fruit with translucent, caramel- It is buttery in texture with a skin, which ripens to a purple/black The flesh is creamy and of when ripe and is therefore ideal for flavoured flesh. To eat, scoop out good flavour and has a medium- colour. It contains a small stone excellent quality. The skin retains salads but not a good choice for the flesh taking care to remove sized stone. and has dense, nutty, fibre free its colour and the tip should yield mashing into dips or guacamole. the seeds and discard the skin. flesh. Keeps well. slightly when ripe. Delicious pureed for drinks and desserts. Choose brightly coloured, blemish-free fruit. Ripen at room Avocado Oval, green to black-skinned fruit roughly the size and shape of a pear temperature away from light for Persea americana avocados contain hard, green flesh around a single stone. The flesh ripens best results. Unripe fruits contain to a buttery texture with a rich, nutty flavour. Avocados can be eaten alone, a ‘gummy’ latex. Other Names Avocado pear, alligator pear used in salads and sandwiches or pureed for smoothies and ice cream. Mexican varieties have aniseed-scented leaves that are used in cooking and avocado oil is used in cosmetics and as a cooking oil. Avocado–Sharwill Avocado–Wurtz Avocado–Cocktail Banana–Cavendish Banana–Ducasse Persea americana Persea americana Persea americana Musa spp. Musa spp. Other Names Avocado pear, Other Names Avocado pear, Other Names Avocaditos Availability All year round Availability All year round alligator pear alligator pear avocado fingers The Cavendish is the most common Known in Australia as the sugar Availability May to July Availability June to December Availability All year round (limited) banana in Australia. It is ideal banana, Ducasse is the most The Sharwill avocado has a rough The Wurtz avocado is pear-shaped, A cocktail-sized avocado that is for eating when ripe and lends important banana in Thailand green skin similar to the Fuerte. with a thin, smooth, shiny skin and about the size and shape of a small itself well to cooking or drying. and is used for eating and cooking. The medium-sized, oval fruit has a small seed. It also has a good, cucumber. The seed is unformed Select fruit that is bright yellow. Select fruit that is bright, yellow- a rich, creamy flavour and a small consistent flavour. in this variety and in its place is Store at room temperature. green in colour and heavy for seed. Ideal for guacamole when ripe. a hollow, papery sheath. The fruit Do not refrigerate Cavendish its size. When ripe it should yield is slightly curved with a smooth, bananas as the skin will blacken. to gentle pressure. Store at room dark olive green skin and creamy, temperature. Ducasse bananas fine-flavoured flesh. Ideal for do not blacken as easily as other individual serves. varieties when refrigerated. The blossoms of this variety are sold as a vegetable. For further information and recipes log on free to www.marketfresh.com.au Published by Melbourne Markets in 2005. This guide includes information provided by Meera Freeman and Queensland Government, Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries. Distributed by your friendly, local greengrocer. © Melbourne Market Authority 2005 Banana–Gold Finger Banana–Plantain Banana–Red Dacca Banana–Wax tip Bell Fruit Musa spp. Musa spp. Musa spp. Eco Banana Syzygium sp. Availability All year round Availability All year round Availability All year round Musa spp. Other Names Rose apple, jambu The Gold Finger is a short banana Plantain is the name given to large The Red Dacca is a large, cooking Availability All year round Availability September to February with bright, yellow skin and creamy- bananas, which are edible only banana with a thick, purple-red skin Bananas grown organically with This bell-shaped fruit native to yellow flesh. It has a slightly tart when cooked. They are firm, mild and starchy, cream to light pink minimal fertiliser and no pesticides. South East Asia has a thin, glossy flavour and does not brown when tasting and contain less sugar flesh. Ideal for fruit compotes, and They are dipped in a bright red, skin varying in colour from pale- cut. Select bright, yellow fruit with and more starch, than eating baking. Select fruit that is bright red. blue and/or green food-grade wax green and pink to red. The crisp, a pleasant aroma. Store at room varieties. Often used in Caribbean Store at room temperature. Do not at the time of packing to brand juicy flesh is mildly aromatic. temperature. It has a shelf life and Mexican cooking, they can refrigerate, as the skin will blacken. them as eco-friendly. The flesh is Its subtle flavour can be enhanced two to three days longer than be sautéed, fried, mashed, stewed, moist, firm and sweet. Select fruit with lemon or lime juice and it other varieties. Do not refrigerate, or braised. Edible in all stages that is bright yellow. Store at room is often mixed with other fruits as the skin will blacken. of ripeness, they increase in temperature. Do not refrigerate, in salads. Choose firm, blemish-free sweetness as they ripen. as the skin will blacken. fruit that is heavy for its size. Breadfruit Buddha’s Hand Citron Carambola Coconut Cumquat Artocarpus altilis Citrus medica var. sarcodactylus Averrhoa carambola Cocos nucifera Fortunella spp. Other Names Hawaiian ulu Other Names Fingered citron Other Names Star fruit, five corners Availability All year round Availability February to June Availability March to July Availability June to October Availability All year round, peaking The fruit of the coconut palm, Not a true citrus, the cumquat, Thought to be native to Indonesia. Buddha’s Hand is a variety of December to September coconuts are available green or resembles a miniature orange Voyagers brought the breadfruit the citron–one of the most ancient The Carambola is a long, greenish- ripe. The green coconuts contain and can be oval or round, seeded to Polynesia where it has become of the citrus family. Ripe fruits yellow fruit with five ridges, which, a large quantity of refreshing juice or seedless. It may be eaten whole, an essential food source. The ripe have extremely fragrant, thick, when cut reveal an attractive and jelly-like meat, which is even though quite sour, or added fruit is soft with sweet smelling, yellow rind, and contain no pulp. star-shaped cross section. The considered a delicacy in South to cooked dishes. Most commonly, creamy-yellow flesh. Breadfruit It is mainly used to perfume a Vietnamese favour the sour varieties East Asia. Ripe coconuts have it is preserved in syrup or used can be cooked in the same way room or clothing and for devotional for inclusion in their ‘table salads’ hard, fibre-covered brown shells to make marmalade. Cumquats as potatoes–as mash or chips purposes. It can be candied or whereas the sweet varieties are which must be cracked to reveal can be crushed in a glass, skin and can even be used to make pressed to extract oil, which is most often eaten fresh, sliced as oily, white flesh and a hollow and all and topped up with soda breads and puddings. Choose used in confectionery or cosmetics. a component in fruit salads, used interior containing milky juice. for a refreshing drink. Choose firm, blemish-free fruit. They Choose bright, sound fruit, which as a garnish or juiced. Coconut flesh has many uses. bright, glossy, firm fruit. may be stored up to a week will keep for about two weeks It can be eaten fresh, dried for use in the refrigerator. at room temperature and exude in cooking, grated and squeezed a pleasant aroma. with water to provide coconut milk. Custard Apple– Dragon Fruit Durian Feijoa Grapefruit–Ruby Blush Pink’s Mammoth Hylocereus undatus Durio zibethinus Feijoa sellowiana Citrus paradisi Annona atemoya Other Names Pitahaya, Availability December to February Other Names Pineapple guava, Availability All year round Availability March to September, strawberry pear Native to the rain forests of South guavasteen The flesh of the Ruby Blush is juicy peaking May Availability All year round, peaking East Asia, the Durian tree bears Availability March to August and more tart than that of white A native of South America, the May to September large, heavy fruit with a green- The Feijoa is a small, oval fruit grapefruit. It can be segmented Custard Apple is harvested green Native to Central and South America yellow skin and sharp, woody native to South America. Its waxy and eaten fresh or juiced. Its pink and allowed to ripen at room the Dragon fruit is a colourful, edible spikes. It is split open to reveal skin is rough and dull green. It has to red flesh is an attractive addition temperature. It’s ready to eat when cactus, pink to red with prominent, chestnut-like seeds surrounded a highly perfumed, sweet granular to salads and it is also used to soft and easily pulled apart with the green-edged scales.