Christmas produce in Australia and Italy presents distinct seasonal narratives.
In Melbourne, December is characterised by summer fruit, berries, stone fruit, fresh herbs and vibrant vegetables at the Queen Victoria Market where I shop. In Italy, Christmas occurs in winter, offering an extraordinary range of leafy greens, radicchio varieties, citrus, nuts and wild herbs—particularly in the North and South’s distinct regional traditions.
Residing near Queen Victoria Market and regularly speaking on SBS Italian Radio, I prepared a list of items I would consider purchasing and cooking for an Australian Christmas table and what I miss most from Italian December markets. However, time constraints prevented a comprehensive discussion.
Here are my lists.
Part 1: What I observed at Queen Victoria Market and I would consider buying for an Australian Christmas.
Part 2: Italian December Produce for Christmas and What I Miss Most.
PART 1. WHAT I OBSERVED AT THE QUEEN VICTORIA MARKET and I would consider buying for an Australian Christmas
Berries (Frutti di Bosco)
Beautiful specimens this year—especially strawberries—large, glossy, and expensive. Their size made me wonder about flavour.
- Blackberries
- Blueberries
- Raspberries
- Strawberries
Stone Fruit (Frutta a Nocciolo)
Surprisingly abundant for early December. Attractive but often picked slightly unripe.
- Apricots
- Cherries
- Nectarines
- Peaches
Other Fruit (Altre Verdure)
Figs were a surprise—very early in the season.
- Honeydew melon
- Rockmelon / Cantaloupe
- Watermelon
- Valencia oranges
Vegetables (Verdure)
Leafy Greens (Verdure a Foglia)
These also appear in winter, so their presence felt familiar.
- Cavolo nero / kale
- Spinach (bunches)
- Silverbeet / Chard
Salad Greens (Insalate)
I was pleased to find chicory and endive though being winter vegetables, they may not last until Christmas.I use the soft, inner leaves for salads.
- Lettuce
- Rocket
- Cucumber
- Fennel
- Radicchio
- Radishes
- Chicory
- Endive
Other Vegetables
The best discovery was fresh Australian garlic: aromatic, vibrant, and perfect for raw or cooked salads.
The thick white and green Asparagus looked good, as did mixed-colour cherry tomatoes—though flavour can be variable.
- Artichokes
- Asparagus (green and white, medium size)
- Green beans
- Capsicum
- Eggplants
- Fennel
- Garlic (fresh and dried)
- Leeks
- Mushrooms
- Tomatoes
- Zucchini
Herbs
- Basil
- Chives
- Dill
- Mint
- Oregano
- Parsley
- Thyme
Part 2. Italian December Produce for Christmas and What I Miss Most
When I think of Christmas in Italy, I immediately think of the incredible range of salad greens and radicchio varieties unavailable in Australia. The wild herbs
Below, a breakdown of North vs South Italy.
Northern Italy – December Vegetables and Fruit
Brassicas / Crucifers
Although these vegetables are found in Australia in December they are winter vegetables and their quality is variable.
- Cavolo nero
- Brussels sprouts
- Cime di rapa (less common, but present)
Leafy Greens
The greatest absence in Australia is the variety of winter salads:
- Radicchio (a true northern treasure)
- Endive
- Chicory
- Winter lettuces
- Matovilc / Lamb’s lettuce / Mâche – so popular in Trieste
Key Radicchio Varieties
- Radicchio di Chioggia
- Radicchio Rosso di Treviso Precoce
- Radicchio Rosso di Treviso Tardivo
- Radicchio di Verona
- Radicchio di Castelfranco
- Rosa del Veneto (Pink Radicchio)
- Spadone
- Bianco di Chioggia
- Radicchio Triestino (soft, pale green, cut like grass)
radicchio 
Radicchio 
Radicchio
Radicchio varies in bitterness, texture, and colour, and these distinctions shape regional winter dishes.
Other Vegetables
- Celeriac
Northern December Fruits
- Chestnuts
- Walnuts
- Persimmons
- Citrus (grown in the South but eaten everywhere)
Southern Italy – December Vegetables and Fruit
Brassicas
- Cime di rapa (especially in Puglia)
Leafy Greens
- Chard
- Wild chicory
- Seasonal lettuces
- Spinach
- Scarola , also called Indivia (typical of Campania)
Citrus (used like vegetables in salads)
- Lemons
- Blonde oranges
- Blood oranges (Tarocco, Moro, Sanguinello)
- Mandarins
- Clementine IGP Calabria
- Lemons
- Cedro -its aroma, thick pith, and traditional uses in salads, candied in desserts and liqueurs,
Other December Fruits
- Late prickly pears
- Persimmons
Nuts
- Almonds
- Walnuts
- Hazelnuts (Campania)
- Pistachios (Bronte, Sicily)
Mediterranean Aromatic Herbs & Wild Herbs
Erbe spontanee or erbe selvatiche are deeply rooted in southern and rural food traditions.
Common types include:
- Dandelion
- Wild chicory
- Nettles
- Wild asparagus
- Wild fennel
Used for: sautéed greens, frittate, broths, risotti. They are collected in the wild or simply sold in bunches at markets.
LEMON and CEDRO; SICILIAN LEMON SALAD
PRICKLY PEARS Fichi d’India and a paste called Mostarda
WILD ASPARAGUS IN SICILY AND TUNIS (ASPARAGI SELVATICI)