One of the best things about apples is the great variety in flavour, appearance and texture, thanks to the many  thousands of varieties. With the simple procedure of grafting, the world has seen up to 7000 varieties of apples over the fruit's long history. The apple is a member of the same plant family as roses.  It is believed that the ornamental crab apple tree is the closest relative to the original ‘wild’ apple, which came from central Asia.  A decade or so ago, it was difficult to get much variety when buying apples, but today, there are hundreds of varieties once again being grown commercially. Organic farmers have increasing support for their heritage apples, and many older varieties are being saved from extinction with their popularity with customers.

The Globe Artichoke is a kind of thistle. The edible portion is the immature bud of the plant, which has fleshy petals which may be eaten. The heart of the artichoke is especially good, but the developing thistle flower inside the bulb should be avoided. Much of the plant is inedible, and very fiborous, so careful preparation is required.

When choosing artichokes, look for firm compact globes, with fresh, almost "squeaky" leaves. Artichokes may be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, store in an airtight plastic bag, and don't wash or trim until required, as excess water can cause them to discolour prematurely.

To prepare the artichokes for cooking:

Asparagus is a most delicious vegetable, with a delicate flavour that lends itself to a multitude of interesting cooking styles and flavour combinations. This nutritious green vegetable resembles a spear with a budding head. Appearing at the first sign of spring, the asparagus shoots (the parts we eat) are actually the new growth shoots of the plant, which is a member of the lily family. The spears grow from a crown which is planted about a foot underground, and the plant thrives in sandy soil conditions. In Victoria we are lucky, as we have asparagus grown in Mildura, and also in Koo Wee Rup. As we have a range of soils and climates suitable for growing great asparagus, we get a long extended season, which continues into summer.

Broccoli is a delicious and important vegetable that is available almost all year round.

Broccoli's name is derived from the Latin word brachium, which means branch or arm, a reflection of its tree-like shape that features a compact head of florets attached by small stems to a larger stalk. Because of its different components, this vegetable provides a complex mix of tastes and textures, ranging from soft and flowery (the florets) to fibrous and crunchy (the stem and stalk). Its colour can range from deep sage to dark green to purplish-green, depending upon the variety.

Poor brussels sprouts.  They don’t get the best response from most people.  Unfortunately, their season is short and they are often cooked badly,  and end up resembling formaldehyde.

Brussels sprouts are in season late autumn to early winter.  They grow a plenty up a heavy stalk, from the bottom to the top, that reaches around 60cm with a top of large leaves(to the amazement of everyone who sees it for the first time).  It looks like a big (but green) chup-a-chup stand.  They are the product of selective breeding (in Belgium) of the cabbage species, producing perfect mini cabbages.

Carrots are a staple vegetable in the Western Diet, and are a good source of many vitamins. Carrots are available all year round, as they keep well when stored in controlled environments. "Dutch Carrots" is the name given to bunches of  baby carrots sold with their greens, and are an especially sweet variety. Carrots stored with their tops on tend to dry out (as the moisture from the root is taken up into the leaves.)

Cauliflower  is a member of the Brassicaceae family, (as is broccoli, which it strongly resembles.) It is related to  kale, brussels sprout and cabbage, and is unusual in this family as only the white head is eaten (usually), although the leaves are also edible. Cauliflower is extremely nutritious, and may be eaten cooked, raw or pickled. The leaves and stems are useful additions to soups and stocks. The cauliflower head is white, as the florets do not contain chlorophyll as the coarse green leaves that grow around the head block the sunlight. Cauliflowers are still packed with nutrients, despite their pale colour, and just 1 cup of cooked cauliflower will supply you with around 90% of your daily vitamin C requirements.

Celeriac is a root vegetable, a kind of celery. It is cultivated for it's large, developed root, and is also known as "turnip rooted celery. " It is typically used when the root is around 10cm in diameter.

Celeriac has a woody, gnarled exterior, and has also been referred to as "rastafarian celery". because of the tangly knot of roots at its base. The tough outer layer is peeled off, and the inner flesh is pale and crisp, and may be eaten raw or cooked. It has a wonderful, earthy celery aroma, which works well with fish, ginger, potato and in many soups stews or risotto dishes. Boiled, it can be mashed with potato for a delicious mash, or blended and made into creamy soups.

Cucumbers grow on vines, and although their flavour tends to be to associated with savoury dishes, technically the cucumber is a fruit. Young cucumbers have prickly spines, and generally they are harvested after this stage. Organic cucmbers are generally of the "english slicing" or "lebanese" variety. Lebanese cucumbers are generally less acidic and easier to digest. "Continental", or "Telegraph" cucumbers are also available.

Salting sliced cucumbers draws out the moisture, which is a useful technique when making tzatziki, so that the dip does not become too watery.  Removing the seeds of the cucumber makes them more digestable.

A long shaped radish, white with a greenish colouring at the leaf end. Daikon has a sharp taste when raw, which mellows with cooking. Daikon can be added to soups and stir-fries, but can also be steamed or baked.  Nutritionally it is helpful in assisting with weight loss, as it can also help to dissolve excess fat and mucus. In Japan, daikon is revered for its digestive qualities, and it is great to help the body digest rich oily foods.  Daikon is commonly found pickled, in sushi (the yellow tangy pickled veg in the middle of your nori roll). If you find raw daikon too bitter, try peeling them.

Garlic is a plant whose close relatives include the onion, shallot and leek. Garlic has been used throughout recorded history for both culinary  and medicinal purposes. It has a characteristic pungent, "hot" flavour that mellows and sweetens considerably with cooking.  A "head" of garlic, the most commonly used plant part, comprises numerous discrete "cloves".  It is necessary to remove the parchment-like skin from the cloves before cooking. The term 'clove' is sometimes misinterpreted to mean the whole garlic bulb (head).

Fresh Ginger, or Ginger Root, sometimes also called Green Ginger. The root of the ginger plant is actually a rhizome, the bulbous part beneath the ground that is harvested to give us this  extremely valuable food. Ginger has been used in many parts of the world for thousands of years, both in everyday cooking and in specific medicinal preparations.

The Ginger root is covered with a pale brown skin that can vary from being very thin and delicate to a thicker, tougher outer layer that needs to be peeled off. The inner flesh of the root is yellowy, with a stringy texture that should be firm and juicy, with a taste that is pungent and hot, with a pleasant strong aroma.

Kiwi fruits, are the fuzzy brown fruits bursting with green goodness, also known around the world as "kiwis". Originally the hanging vine plant came from China, and were originally known as Chinese Gooseberries. Renamed by the New-Zealanders who started mass plantations and exports to the world in the 1960s, the fruits were re-named "Kiwi" fruits after the small flightless native birds of the same name. The plants are well suited to New Zealand climates, although a small industry also exists in Australia. At Ripe, kiwis are the only fresh produce item that are not always grown in Australia.

Leeks belong to the Alliaceae family, and are available in Australia nearly all year round. In winter they are at their best, making them a welcome addition to many warming winter dishes. Also in this vegetable family are onions, garlics, elephant (russian) garlic and spring onions. Leeks feature in traditional dishes from many countries, especially Wales, and have been cultivated for domestic use since Roman times.

When choosing leeks, look for firm stems that are tight and bright white. The sweetest leeks are small baby leeks, although older, larger leeks become sweet with slow cooking. Generally, the white stem and some of the pale green area is used, with the darker, tougher green parts of the top being discarded, or reserved for making vegetable stock.

These rare fruits are absolute gems, and are something that you must try. They are available Organically for just a  short time in the middle of Melbourne's winter, so make the most of them when you see them.

Organic varieties available; packnam, williams (bartlett), nashi, buerre bosc, winter nells.

Pears are available from early autumn and have a relative long season in Australia, lasting until summer.  Pears are usually teamed with apples due to the similar inner core but the pears texture is more buttery and grittier. The bottom heavy bell shape of this fruit gave name to the ‘pear shaped body’.  

The Main difference between potato varieties is in the texture when cooked. Most varieties fall into either the "floury" or "waxy" category, although many potatoes are often described as "all rounders" which means that they are not overly floury or waxy, so are suited to a variety of cooking styles.

"Waxy" potatoes are also referred to as boiling, or new potatoes, and have less starch and a higher moisture content, making them suitable for salads, stews, soups, and any dish where you want the cooked potato to retain their shape. Usually they have thin delicate skins. They can be difficult to mash, and you can end up with a lumpy gluey mess.

The fruit of the quince tree has an interesting history and place in modern cooking. Most varieties of quince are too hard, astringent and sour to eat raw. The organic quince available for sale need to be cooked before eating. They are used to make jam or paste, or they may be roasted, baked or stewed. The fruit turns to a beautiful pinky red colour when cooked and while they are delicious as a dessert, they are also versatile as an accompaniament to meats and savoury dishes.

In Australia, Rockmelons (or cantaloupe) is the name given to any melon with orange flesh.  The skin is sometimes puckered and can be scaly or smooth.  In Europe, for example, cantaloupes have smooth skin, whereas the muskmelon, also orange flesh, is the rough skinned variety.  These melons are best in late summer when they are at their peak in their season, but can be available all year round because of parts of Australia having a year round ‘summer’.