Kiwis eat more than 2000 tonnes of asparagus every season, the industry says. Photo / File
Kiwis eat more than 2000 tonnes of asparagus every season, the industry says. Photo / File
Strawberries and asparagus feature on our shelves for a limited time each year but Kiwis still manage to down tonnes of the popular produce each season.
The arrival of asparagus on supermarket shelves heralds the arrival of spring and the first appearance of locally grown strawberries shortly after provides another sign winter is behind us.
In the three months asparagus is in season, more than 2000 tonnes of the seasonal green spears are devoured in New Zealand blanched, smothered in hollandaise or wrapped into a savoury tart.
And we eat about 4800 tonnes of the summer berry, roughly two thirds of the 7200 tonnes grown by the Kiwi industry every season.
The industry figures were provided by Foodstuffs, which owns New World and Pak'n Save.
This year the season got off to an early start, which bodes well for good crops, Marcus Turner, from the Asparagus Council told the Heraldlast month.
Alex Boyd of Boyd's Asparagus Industries sends his produce from farm to supermarket shelves within 24 hours of harvest.
About 60 per cent of the asparagus that Boyd's produces is destined for the local market and 35 per cent is exported, including to Japan and the United States.
Asparagus and Haloumi salad, one of the many ways to eat the tasty spears. Photo / Babiche Martens
Boyd recommended refrigerating asparagus to keep it crisp and fresh, and advised people not to trim the ends until right before they cooked it.
As for strawberries, "nothing says spring like new season berries from New Zealand", Foodstuffs North Island produce manager Brigit Corson said.
"Our strawberries are picked, packed and in store within hours to ensure they're as fresh as possible when you get them home."
Countdown supermarkets produce manager Steve Sexton said strawberries were the number one product sold in the weeks leading up to Christmas - one of the few times of the year bananas weren't in the top spot.
"We sell the equivalent of nearly 70 rugby fields of strawberries at Christmas," he said.
"Aucklanders buy the most cherries and strawberries, with Cantabrians closely contesting second place."
Countdown was also starting to make room for the first of the season's apricots, nectarines, peaches and cherries to hit stores.
Grower John Garelja has been in the strawberry business for 43 years.
Despite wet weather hampering ground preparation earlier in the year, Garelja said this season was shaping up to be a belter.
"The berries are looking big and juicy - the best I've seen in about four or five years. The spring fruit is going to be really good."
Despite wet weather during the early planting stage, this year's strawberry crop is coming along nicely. Photo / Duncan Brown
The wet weather may cause problems for the plants later in the season, so he recommended people get in early and enjoy spring strawberries now.
"Our production naturally peaks in early December and then tails off, which is why strawberries are always a bit harder to get at Christmas time."
Garelja said strawberries should always be chilled.
"Look for fruit with a nice green stalk - that's how you can tell that they're fresh. Good quality fruit will keep for a week in the fridge, no problem."
Asparagus tips
Look for firm stalks with trimmed ends and minimal white butt. Also, when you gently rub the spears together they should "squeak" - old asparagus is rubbery and quiet.
If you're not using it straight away, keep asparagus in the fridge, either upright in a jar with 1-2cm of water, or with the butt ends wrapped in damp paper towels or, simply, washed and packed in plastic bags.
When you're ready to remind yourself why eating seasonally is so sublime, snap off the tough ends and cook according to preference.
Snap the woody ends off right before cooking. Photo / File
