Stroll the aisles before picking berries

Local foods are widely available in Montreal, but nothing is in full season yet, so prices are not low.

The strawberry crop is coming on strong; berries are coming from all the main growing areas, including Île d’Orléans.

If you shop for this fruit in the public markets, take a stroll to check prices before you buy. Monday in Atwater Market, I found the popular one-litre basket selling from $5 to $8 and paid $3 for a tiny half-pint box of a new variety called St-Laurent. All the Quebec berries looked shiny and fresh, whatever their size, but we still have about a week to wait for full sweetness. At that point, the crop should be in full season and you can plan on getting a low price for a large amount to make jam.

Early lettuce is excellent and varieties of salad greens are increasing. Hydroponic varieties are on the rise; mâche and Boston lettuce are available.

Green onions are starting to appear from Quebec; you’ll know them because most have a bigger bulb than imported onions.

Zucchini has also started and local broccoli may be along by next week. And Quebec rhubarb is coming into full season; Serbi, the biggest grower in the province, provides recipes attached to each bunch. My experience with these recipes has been good.

Several U.S. vegetables are good buys this week, including large green bell peppers, celery and eggplant. English cucumbers from Ontario are plentiful. Both Quebec and Ontario are producing plenty of hydroponic tomatoes of various sizes and colours. Quebec endive continues; remember it for adding crunch to a salad.

Mexico is sending us every colour of grape. I continue to find the best citrus flavour in grapefruits from South Africa. Buy late-season California navel oranges now; they will run out soon. Spain is another source for this fruit. Peaches and other tree fruit from California are worth a try and honeydew melons are reasonably priced.