Living in Australia, it is difficult to understand what produce is in season. Most of our fruit and vegetables are available all year round.

Instead in Italy you will mostly find produce that is in season and locally grown. I remember asking a family member to buy strawberries one day and was told with a ghastly look “you won’t find them as they are not in season”. My travels to Italy have introduced me to a philosophy of ‘eating food at it’s best’. I have come to appreciate and enjoy food only when it is in season. It is a simple concept however many people compromise taste for convenience. Produce that is in-season is not only fresher and tastes better but is also cheaper, likely to have higher nutritional value as produce is sold closer to harvest and supports local farmers and producers in your area. I encourage you to adopt this mentality and not give in to the out of season foods available all year round in supermarkets.

I believe in supporting local food markets. Whenever we find ourselves in Simone’s home town of Siracusa (Syracuse) Sicily, we make regular trips to the Mercato di Siracusa (Market of Syracuse). Here you will find plenty of local food markets with an abundance of vegetable and fruit produce spilling onto the footpath. Driving around the streets of Siracusa you will even find trucks parked on the side of the road selling fresh produce that has been locally grown. There are 3 products in Sicily that are a stand out: tomatoes, the seafood and the eggplants (aubergine).

1. The Tomatoes

If you are in search for a sweet tasting cherry tomato, look no further. I have discovered cherry tomatoes grown in the Sicilian region of Pachino (Province of Siracusa) which are among the best tasting tomatoes in the world. Interestingly, Pachino has the greatest number of daylight hours in Europe. The sweet taste of the Pachino tomatoes can also be attributed to the groundwater being in close proximity to the sea. Locals claim that the tomato plants absorb the salty water which delivers the sweet taste. Grow your own or buy the best quality cherry tomatoes to cook our recipe of Fusilli pasta ‘con pomodorini e pangrattato’ (with cherry tomatoes and toasted breadcrumbs), a family favourite in summer

2. The Seafood

Australian dietary guidelines suggest that Australians should eat more fish. Italy is surrounded by water therefore it comes to no surprise that you will find a great selection of fresh fish around the coast and even some varieties that you have never seen before. The fish markets of Sicily are home to only the freshest of fish caught the night before or in the early hours of that same morning. If you take a stroll down to the marina, you may even be lucky to buy fresh fish direct from the local fisherman. Our recipe of Swordfish impanato (crumbed) is your go to dish when you want to create a quick meal using seafood in under 30 minutes.

3. The Eggplant (aubergine)

Siracusa has introduced me to ‘Violette’ varieties of ‘melanzane’ (eggplant or aubergine). They are rounded and a vibrant purple colour with varieties such as ‘Rosa Bianca’, ‘Violetta di Firenze’, ‘Bianca Sfumata di Rosa’, and ‘Prosperosa’. When it comes to taste, these varieties have a more delicate flavour and are not bitter. In Australia, I searched for a similar variety – behold the ‘Graffiti’ eggplant (also known as Sicilian eggplant). They are sweeter, less seedy and also not bitter. The Italian varieties above and Graffiti eggplant are seasonal however do not need to be salted and rinsed before cooking – what a bonus! Are you looking for new ways to cook vegetables or disguise vegies for your kids? Cordon bleu ‘di melanzane’ (of eggplant/aubergine) is a modern take on the traditional schnitzel with ham and cheesy goodness that you can prepare and cook in just 20 minutes.

Do you choose convenience over cost and taste? Think about it – there is nothing better than to eat fresh, seasonal food produce.

Want to know when certain fruits and vegetables are in season? Refer to our Seasonal Fruit and Vegetable Guide below.

Seasonal Fruit and Vegetable Guide – Australia

Use this document as a guide to understand what produce is in season. Italian Spoon offers an extensive selection of recipes to inspire cooking ideas for every season.

Spring Fruit and Vegetables

Bananas, blood oranges, cherries, grapefruit, honeydew, lemons, lychee, mandarins, mangoes, papaya (paw paw), pineapple, rhubarb, rockmelon, strawberries, oranges (Valencia), watermelon.

Artichokes, asparagus, avocados, green beans, broad beans, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower

chillies, cucumbers, garlic, leek, lettuce, parsley, peas, potatoes, silverbeet (swiss chard), snow peas, spinach, corn, tomatoes, zucchini (courgette).

Summer Fruit and Vegetables

Apricots, bananas, blackberries, blueberries, cherries, honeydew, kiwi fruit, lychee, mangoes, nectarines, passionfruit, pineapple, raspberries, rhubarb, rockmelon, strawberries, oranges (Valencia), watermelon.

Asparagus, avocados, borlotti beans, green beans, capsicum (peppers), celery, cucumber, eggplant (aubergine), green beans, leek, lettuce, peas, radish, snow peas, corn, tomatoes, zucchini (courgette), zucchini (courgette) flowers.

Autumn Fruit and Vegetables

Apples, bananas, cumquat, figs, grapes, honeydew, kiwi fruit, lemons, lime, mandarins, mangoes,

papaya (paw paw), passionfruit, peaches, pears, plums, pomegranate, quince, rhubarb, rockmelon

oranges (Navel).

Avocado, beetroot (beet), borlotti beans, broccoli, brussels sprouts, corn, green beans, cabbage, capsicum (peppers), carrots, cauliflower, celery, cucumber, eggplant (aubergine), fennel, leek, lettuce, onion

parsnip, peas, potato, pumpkin, radicchio, silverbeet (swiss chard), spinach, sweet potato, tomatoes, turnips, mushrooms.

Winter Fruit and Vegetables

Apples, blood oranges, cumquat, grapefruit, kiwi fruit, lemons, lime, mandarins, oranges (Navel), pears, pineapple, quince, rhubarb, tangelo.

Avocados, beetroot (beet), broccoli, broccoli rabe, brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celeriac, celery, fennel, horseradish, Jerusalem artichokes, kale, leek, olives, onions, parsnips, peas, potatoes, pumpkin, spinach, sweet potato, turnip.

Seasonal food produce – why seasonal is best blog authored by Vanessa Bottaro.

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Vanessa Bottaro

Author, Founder and Creative Director at Italian Spoon

In my eyes, Italian cuisine is love on a plate.

Vanessa is Creative Director of the Italian Spoon website and Author of The Italian entertaining cookbook, a collection of home-style Italian recipes and tips for entertaining in true Italian-style. In addition to cooking and taking photographs, Vanessa writes the recipes and blogs to bring the love of Italian cooking to life! The collection of recipes and blogs on the website have been inspired by travels to Italy and desire to share what she has learnt from the great ‘Mamma’s and ‘Nonna’s in her life!

Vanessa is an entrepreneur and wife to husband Simone and the mother of two beautiful kids Dante and Mia. Even so she was born and lives in Melbourne Australia, Vanessa has a deep connection to Italy. Perhaps it is the food, or maybe it is because it is the place where Vanessa met the love of her life, Simone to whom she has been happily married for so many years.

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