10 tips for choosing the best fresh ingredients
1. check out the specials
The easiest way to tell what’s most likely to be at it’s best and in season is what’s on special. Like most things, price is all about supply and demand, so when something is in season and there’s a heap of it around, the price will be discounted.
Be careful, though, the other reason for discounting is for produce that is at the end of it’s shelf life. If there are only one or two specimens discounted and they look sad, you know what to do.
2. buy what’s most abundant
Big displays of a particular item are another great indicator that they’re in season and at their best.
3. seek out and reward good suppliers
It’s been said many times, but that’s because it’s true. Not all purveyors of food are equal when it comes to quality and price. Even supermarkets vary their range and quality from store to store.
Taking the time to track down the best market, green grocer or butcher is well worth the effort. And developing relationships with your suppliers not only means you’re more likely to be able to make the most of their recommendations, you’ll have more fun shopping as well.
4. look
We definitely eat with out eyes. You can tell so much about the freshness and quality of produce by the appearance. Look for vibrant colours, glossiness and the absence of wrinkles or bruises.
And don’t forget to look at the surrounds as well. Fruit flys hanging around are not a good indicator. Be wary of unclean floors and anything else that indicates the proprietors don’t care.
5. feel
This can be a little more tricky in some situations but there are somethings you need to feel to know whether they’re good or not. I wouldn’t think of buying an avocado without first having a squeeze. And I know that a hard lemon isn’t likely to have much juice.
But it’s not only whether something is soft or firm that we need to look for. The weight can tell us a lot as well. Most things veg that feel heavy for their size tend to be better quality.
6. smell
Not every buying decision is going to benefit from getting your nose involved. Even the best potatoes smell like, well earth. But a ripe melon will smell heavenly, and ripe mangos the same so don’t be afraid to have a good sniff from time to time.
7. get to know the seasons
There’s a wonderful new seasonal produce diary by Allan Campion and Michelle Curtis. While the diary is focused on Australia, they also have a list of the fruit and veg in season for Summer, Autumn, Winter and Spring that is applicable all over the world (except I guess for the tropics). I highly recommend downloading a copy of the free printable document and having a look every now and then. UPDATE: Unfortunately this guide is no longer available. I haven’t yet found anything comparable to replace it but you might find the Seasonality & Vegetables post from our Veggie Cooking class a good place to start.
8. think local but don’t obsess
While I agree flying asparagus half way around the world is a waste of resources, I also don’t think that just because something has been grown locally that it is necessarily the most sustainably produced nor necessarily the best quality.
As Maggie Beer, the Australian food writer, producer and TV personality said in a talk at the Sydney Library earlier in the year, produce that has been grown sustainably and transported in an empty truck, is not necessarily better for us or our our environment than something from further away that has been grown responsibly and shipped efficiently.
9. trust your instincts
If you look at a vegetable or a piece of fish and you can feel it in your bones that it’s going to be delicious, trust your instincts and go with it. But if something is making you hesitate, give it a miss. For me shopping for food is similar to shopping for clothes. Unless it makes you feel like doing a little dance, it’s not worth buying at any price.
10. grow your own
I’ve only recently planted a veggie garden with tomatoes, zucchini, peas and broccoli and I’m super excited about it. And while I know that’s not practical for everyone, I’ve always had at least a little pot of rosemary on my window sill. It makes a whole world of difference being able to add something that you’ve grown yourself. No matter how small.
back to RYW Overview
Add to my Old Favourite Recipes