Aussie passionfruits are set to pop off the vines this summer, with drier El Nino conditions resulting in a more consistent flow of excellent quality passionfruit throughout the season.
Nick Hornery, a second generation Australian Passionfruit grower from Newybar in Northern NSW, is happy to report the fruit will be particularly sweet and in abundant supply this summer.
Nick is one of 190 passionfruit farmers in Australia who work seven days a week to deliver top quality fruit to store shelves around the country. In the height of summer, Nick enlists a team of locals to help collect up to 25,000 – 30,000 passionfruit per day on their farm. The busy four-week period peaks around the full moon, where Nick see the most prolific drop of fruit.
Nick has recently introduced his own beehives on the farm, which he says have really helped the fruiting process and have been a key factor in this year’s bumper crop.
Although it is available all year round, passionfruit experiences a peak in summer and winter. With over 15 years in the passionfruit industry, Nick shares his top tips to enjoy this sweet treat this summer.
Picking and storing your fruit
- Pick ripe fruit that’s plump, smooth and heavy for its size – wrinkly does not mean ripe!
- Passionfruit lasts up to one month in the fridge and two weeks in the fruitbowl – keep them in a plastic bag to maximise freshness.
Tasty ideas
- Spoon fresh passionfruit over ice cream and pop in the freezer for a few minutes; the juice will freeze over the ice cream creating a delicious fruity dessert
- Enjoy a summer fruit salad in the morning, topped with fresh passionfruit for a tropical tang
- Passionfruit glazes and sauces are a perfect match for meat such as roast chicken or pork spare ribs, as they add a sweet and tangy flavour profile. Try coating chicken with a mix of passionfruit pulp, oil, ginger and garlic before roasting
- Add passionfruit as on its own – instead of chopping them in half, simply slice off the top to avoid losing the juice. Packed with Vitamin C and fibre, a passionfruit makes for a delicious and nutritious snack.
Source: balancebydeborahhutton.com.au