We love sourcing fruit and veg as close to home as possible and have rounded up a few specialities to get you through this season’s hump; now Stone Fruit is coming to an end and berries aren’t in their proper season in Australia.
We understand the struggles of seasonal changes. Just when you start to get really excited about a variety and creating some epic dishes, poof, it’s gone! This is where the exotic flavours of unique produce come in to help get those creative juices flowing. A change of season doesn’t have to be a challenge but an opportunity to discover new varieties.
For example, when our usual Stonefruit varieties finish, Davidson Plums start! Mother nature really is the gift that keeps on giving.
At Suncoast Fresh, we like to think of ourselves as your go-to destination for an array of specialty and exotic produce. From rare finds to culinary delights, we source the finest and freshest ingredients from the best Aussie farmers.
Here are just a few of the weird and wonderful varieties on offer:
Bamboo Shoots
Crisp and tender Bamboo Shoots have an earthy, sweet and mild flavour. They are packed with nutrients and are a versatile addition to any dish as they absorb the flavours of whatever you cook them in. We source Bamboo Shoots from a variety of growers both local and interstate.
Bignay
Bignay are Australian natives and have a tart, tangy and sour Cranberry-like flavour. You may have also heard them be called Wild Cherries. Our mate Buck from Buck’s Farm near the NSW border grows these gems on a lush 350-acre farm with red volcanic soils, perfect for growing tasty produce.
Breadfruit
Is it bread? Is it a fruit? It’s Breadfruit! This Polynesian fruit has the same applications as Potato. It releases a sweet, fragrant aroma, similar to freshly baked bread when cooked. Hence the name! The flavour of young Breadfruit is vegetal and green, like an Artichoke, while mature Breadfruit has a Potato-like taste. We get the highest quality Breadfruit from Fruit Forest Farm in tropical North Queensland, owned by Peter and Alison Salleras.
Davidson Plums
Don’t let these lil’ babies fool you! They may look like a traditional sweet Plum, but Davidson Plums are sour and a little tangy. This is because they have a lower sugar content and higher acidity. Davidson Plums are native to Australia and have been eaten for years and years. Their season typically kicks off in March, but it’s quite short-lived. Due to this brief window, we freeze a significant portion of the produce, and fresh items are only accessible for a limited duration. Make sure you chat to your Account Manager if you’d like fresh!
Lemon Aspen
Lemon Aspen has a tropical and citrusy aroma, bursting with sweet-tart flavours. They’re a native Australian bush food that our First Nations people have used for thousands of years in medicinal and culinary applications. You can see them here.
Mangosteens
Where to buy Mangosteen? How to eat Mangosteen? What does Mangosteen taste like. These are all great questions! Once you crack open these bad boys, it’s a tropical paradise in your mouth. Native to Southeast Asia, Mangosteens have been dubbed the “queen of fruits” for good reason. Despite its tough outer shell, they have a sweet, almost sherbet-like flavour. The texture is soft similar to a mango, only less juicy. Shoutout to Fruit Forest Farm for these tropical beauties.
Monstera Deliciosa
The scientific name Monstera Deliciosa translates to “delicious monster”. How cool! You may have one growing inside your home, but these will likely not produce fruit. Monstera Deliciosa loves tropical climates. The flesh of the Monstera Deliciosa fruit has a similar texture to pineapple or mango and has a sweet-tart, fruity, and tropical flavour.
DISCLAIMER! It’s important to note that only ripe fruit should be consumed as unripe fruits contain harmful acids that can irritate your throat, creating burning/swelling side effects. You must triple-check that it’s ripe before consuming it.
Prickly Pears
Despite its prickly exterior, Prickly Pear offers a sweet and refreshing taste and vibrant colours. Prickly Pear margarita, anyone? Picone Exotics does a great job of de-prickling these spikey fruits the best they can, but getting them all is near impossible. We recommend wearing gloves when handling these prickly lil guys! Otherwise, the hair-like spikes will be stuck in your hands for days.
Rambutan
Introducing Lychee’s spikey cousin, the Rambutan! Rambutans are native to Indonesia and Malaysia and have grown wild since ancient times. The name is derived from the Malaysian word “rambut”, meaning “hair”. Their exotic flavours are sweet and fruity with hints of grape and strawberry. The Rambutan tree requires a whole lot of TLC. Four to five years’ worth, to be exact. That’s how long it takes for the tree to produce fruit!
Sudachi
Sudachi is a Japanese sour citrus and the greener cousin of Yuzu. It has a more orange and floral flavour than Yuzu and can be used instead of lime to flavour anything and everything. The word ‘Sudachi’ loosely translates to “vinegar citrus”.
Tamarind
Introducing nature’s warheads! These bright red gems are native to Australia and, when underripe, are soft and juicy with a tart flavour. We’re picturing it blended with some salt or Chilli. In the winter months, once the fruit has ripened and becomes hard, it can be used to make tamarind sauce.
The list well and truly goes on and on! This blog merely scrapes the surface of all the fantastic products we are privileged to work with. We are constantly learning and discovering new exotic fruits and vegetables thanks to the hard work of all our experienced growers, so the best way to keep up to date is on our Instagram. You can even see some of these products in action here.
We also send out a Specialty List to all customers, highlighting new and exciting exotic products weekly! So, if any of these items have tickled your fancy or sparked some creativity, feel free to contact a team member here to chat about how we can help.
Please note that these products are subject to availability and season.
