Culina Market

Apricots, Australia

Best grown in regions that have cool winters instead of heavy frosts, apricots are mostly harvested in Victoria and other southern Australian states. This small velvety-skinned fruit has a medium to firm consistency with a sweet or tart, depending on its variety. Its exterior ripens into shades of yellow to orange, with an occasional blush of red on the side from exposure to the sun. With a juicy bite, they make for the perfect energy boost to get through the day.

Retail price: Kindly approach our Culina Market Manager for more details.

Cherries, Australia

Australia’s quintessential summer fruit that’s well loved for its delicious flavour and recognised by its beautiful ruby red hue, cherries have been cultivated in New South Wales since the late 1800s. With cherry season lasting only 100 days, they are always a welcome snack at any summer picnic and festive feast. Jam packed with antioxidants, vitamin C and potassium, it’s no wonder they are a staple of the season.

Retail price: Kindly approach our Culina Market Manager for more details.

Nectarines, Australia

Dubbed the ‘Nectar of the Gods’ for its highly aromatic and juicy flesh, nectarines are one of Australia’s most in-demand fruit for export. Rich in phytonutrients, their skins come in shades of red and yellow, or red and white. When the flesh separates easily from the stone they’re known as freestone varieties, when the flesh adheres firmly to the stone, they’re known as clingstone varieties. Taste the high quality of nectarines yielded from Australia’s clean environment and ideal climate.

Retail price: Kindly approach our Culina Market Manager for more details.

Peaches, Australia

A juicy tangy-sweet peach is a glorious summery pleasure. Yellow peaches have deep yellow skin with a pretty red or pink blush, and golden yellow flesh, which is more acidic than the white variety. The tartness mellows as the peach ripens and softens. Stone fruits like peaches are a rich source of vitamins A, C and E alongside dietary fibre and potassium.

Serve grilled peaches with whipped cream, or prepare a peach crumble or tart topped with vanilla ice cream. You can also add luscious slices to salads or make a peach chutney. When choosing peaches, make sure they don’t have bruises or overly soft spots.

Retail price: Kindly approach our Culina Market Manager for more details.

Plantin White Asparagus, France

Grown in a natural environment at the heart of Mazan in Provence, France, the lauded white asparagus has little bitterness or fibrousness from their careful cultivation and are France’s annual springtime treat.

These plump heralds of the season soak in the mid-April heat of the sun for the best growth before a rigorous process of harvesting, cleaning and sorting. They are then thoroughly packed and shipped for the rest of the world to enjoy.

In season and available at our Market, till stocks last.

Retail price: Kindly approach our Culina Market Manager for more details.

Woodland Strawberries, Spain

Smaller in size, seasonal, and extremely flavourful, woodland strawberries or fraises des bois (as the French call them), are wild cousins to the supermarket varietals. Arzagot has been producing woodland strawberries in Malaga, Spain, for over 50 years. The climate is dry and subtropical allowing the cultivation of woodland strawberries outdoors on straw mulching wheat and fresh air, with the fruit ripening under the sun of Andalusia from October to June—instead of being produced under plastic tunnels as practised in other parts of Europe.

Culture begins each year by planting wild strawberry seeds that are guaranteed to be non-genetically modified. The strawberries are harvested by hand at specific times of the day and then delivered 24 to 48 hours of picking to ensure freshness. The sweet and plump fraises de bois are perfect in mille feuilles, tarts, and gelatos.

Retail price: Kindly approach our Culina Market Manager for more details.

Vacherin Mont d'Or, France

Often referred as the "holy grail of raw milk cheeses", the Vacherin Mont d’Or is truly a spectacular cheese. This artisanal pale yellow soft rich cheese is made from cow’s milk in France, usually in villages of the Jura region (an origin that has been officially controlled since 1981), and has a greyish-yellow washed rind.

Mont d’Or is a seasonal cheese with an AOC certification available from October to February. As the cheese is so soft and almost liquid after maturation, it is ripened and wrapped with a spruce bark, which adds a welcome woody note to the cheese. Packed in a characteristic spruce box, when matured, the cheese is full flavoured, slightly acidic, and is often served warm in its original packaging and enjoyed like a fondue. Once you pull a warm one out of the oven, and start eating it, it’s impossible to stop.

Retail price: Kindly approach our Culina Market Manager for more details.

Wild Garlic Leaves, France

Fresh or cooked, whizzed into pesto or infused in olive oil, this quintessential spring ingredient is a must-have for a touch of bright, punchy flavour this season.

Wild garlic leaves are easily recognised by their pointed leaves, distinctive pungent perfume and piquant taste. They grow in abundance – sprouting white star-shaped flowers and elongated bulbs - in cool undergrowth, damp shady valley bottoms or along streams.

Incredibly versatile, these pair especially well with spring’s other bounties like asparagus and spring lamb. Toss a handful in salads to savour its floral, garlicky taste in its full vibrant glory. If mellow flavours are preferred, simply blanch or wilt them as you would with spinach to temper the taste.

Hailing from Vosges, France - where they appear fleetingly from mid-March till end May - now available at our Market.

Retail price: Kindly approach our Culina Market Manager for more details.