Your Guide to Fresh Seasonal Eating in South Africa
So, you’re considering eating more seasonally – but how to navigate the shelves when so many items (like bananas, tomatoes, and potatoes) are always available? We’ve got the goods.
Why eat according to the seasons? The reasons are many, but here are our top four motivations.
- Firstly, eating seasonally is simply more delicious, because you’re munching on produce when it ripens naturally – it’ll taste better now than at any other time of the year. Besides, have you noticed how bland imported produce tastes? No thanks. We have an abundance of sunlight in South Africa, and the result is top-tasting produce – if you have the patience to wait now and then.
- Secondly, seasonal eating is healthier: fruit and veg are at their most nutritious just after picking – the longer they’re stored in cool rooms, the less nutrient-dense they become.
- Thirdly, eating seasonally is cheaper! If you’re buying produce during peak season, it means the market is flooded with that product, and the price automatically goes down.
- And finally, eating like this supports the local economy – instead of paying to have produce flown in, and the money going to overseas producers, your hard-earned cash is actually reaching our own farmers.
When you think about it like this, seasonal eating really is a no-brainer. But how to know when to shop for what? Here are a few guidelines on what will likely be available during the different seasons.
Spring Smorgasbord
After the long, wet months of winter, spring really rewards the patient with a fantastic variety of fresh produce coming into season. Think asparagus, broad beans, peas, rhubarb, artichokes, and garlic. (Yes, garlic has a season, and you’ll find that ‘new garlic’ has a much milder taste than the garlic on the shelves in mid-winter.)
Berries generally come into season in spring and will be available until the first months of summer. What better way to decorate a vanilla cake or even a red velvet cake than with juicy berries like strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and cherries? And if you use the Ina Paarman Bake Mixes for these, it couldn’t be easier.
"Nothing compares to the taste of a tomato that’s been allowed to ripen in the sun, on the vine."
Summer’s Bounty
Like spring, summer is a wonderful time for fresh produce. And the king of summer produce is undoubtedly the tomato. Yes, tomatoes are available all year round in grocery stores, thanks to growing tunnels and cold warehousing. But really, nothing compares to the taste of a tomato that’s been allowed to ripen in the sun, on the vine. Be sure to look out for artisanal or heirloom tomatoes over December and January.
Other delights to enjoy in high summer include litchis, sweet melon (spanspek), and table grapes. On the veg side of things, some of us wait the whole year to savour the pleasure of biting into a juicy mielie, singed on the braai, drenched in butter – and perhaps seasoned with Ina Paarman’s Chili & Garlic Seasoning.
This is also the best time to enjoy sweet peppers – you might try to stuff them (with cooked rice, chopped onions, feta, parsley, and toasted pine nuts), dust them with Ina Paarman’s Italian Cheese Sprinkle, and roast until soft, juicy, and delicious.
Autumn and Winter Fruit & Veg
Autumnal Pleasures
Autumn brings us all kinds of interesting fruit – figs, quinces, passion fruit, and pomegranates, as well as the first of the pears and apples. It’s also a great time for mushrooms, especially if you’re into foraging for your own. This is the perfect excuse for a hearty mushroom risotto or pasta – and Ina Paarman’s Creamy Roasted Mushroom Sauce is ready and waiting to save you some time and effort.
Autumn also brings the first of the winter avocadoes, from May onwards – and we all know how expensive avocados get out of season, so enjoy them while you can.
"It’s amazing how winter comes to the party with the exact produce that humans require during this time."
Wintery Treats
It’s amazing how winter comes to the party with the exact produce that humans require during this time. We need vitamin C to boost our immune systems during flu season, so winter rewards us with citrus – limes, naartjies, oranges, grapefruit, etc. And we need hearty, carb-heavy dishes to lend energy against the cold, so winter gifts us with root veg and squashes (sweet potatoes, pumpkins, etc.) for rib-sticking stews and curries.
Imagine, if you will, a warming vegetable curry of pumpkin, onions, sweet potatoes, and chickpeas, with a nice hint of chilli provided by Ina Paarman’s Tikka Masala Curry Cook-In Sauce. Sprinkle with fresh coriander (a winter herb, by the way), serve with fluffy basmati rice, and you’ve got a meal fit for a king.
READY TO GET COOKING?
Find delectable recipes here, all made with signature Ina Paarman products, which are crafted from fresh, quality ingredients packed with nutrients. Think wholesome eating that’s convenient and easy.
It Starts At Home.
