Citrus fruit ‘is forever’

And look for broccoli from California and seedless cucumbers from Ontario

Citrus fruits, including clementines, are the best buy on produce counters this month. As one importer said Tuesday: citrus fruit “is forever.” Green vegetables continue to be reasonably priced and good. The big over-supply of Mexican asparagus is over and prices are back to reasonable from cheap. Check asparagus before you buy to make sure you are getting stalks that are tender and green right down to the stump or you will lose weight when snapping off those stumps. Broccoli from California and seedless cucumbers from Ontario are best buys this week, and the first South African fruit of the season is begin- ning to appear in town.

Lettuce — romaine and leaf — continues to be good from California, but those faithful to iceberg lettuce will find prices up a bit. Green onions continue to be a best buy. Ontario is sending greenhouse tomatoes to compete with the Quebec product. You can sharpen up the flavour of a salad with Quebec endive.

Melons have been good for weeks and continue to be a buy. Canary melons from Brazil are worth a try. Blueberries, coming now from Chile and California, will soon appear from Florida. Fruit from Chile is beginning towane; we are getting late-season grapes that are good. But shoppers should check to make sure bags of grapes do not contain too many that have fallen off the vine, an indication they were picked some time ago.

Spring is supposed to begin Thursday. Forecasts are starting for spring foods coming soon. One welcome report: west coast cherries and apricots are expected to be extra plentiful this year.