Rotten Market
There are times I go to the city centre fruit & veg market thinking I’ll get a really good deal on something; like the two very superior bunches of celery I got for £1 this past Saturday. Big, crisp, not at all bitter. One went straight into the soup pot, along with some sautéed onion, some grilled courgette, and a lacing of cumin. The first soup for colder weather, and very satisfying in its way.
But there are times I go to the market and come away with something only to discover it really belongs in the compost; like the bag of peaches I bought this past Saturday.
Why, when I’m looking at soft produce, do I let myself think that it’s going to be any good? Sure, they mostly look pretty good on the outside, are neither too firm nor too soft. But when I get home and slice them open, I find them dry, mealy and verging on rotten. If they weren’t also flavourless, I’d find some use for them. But as they are, they’ll become filler for something like apple compote. Or compost.
I’ve had this experience with avocadoes, mangoes, papayas, oranges, cucumbers, and even apples and pears. With avocadoes, I’ve learnt that one takes one’s chances, so it’s best to only spend money that I’m willing to waste. But maybe that should be the bye word for the market. It’s not a place to get fresh vegetables at good prices. It’s where the nearly rotten stuff gets flogged to those of us who don’t care or aren’t wary enough.
Food: Fun with Explosions
Some times I burn my food, and some times I explode it. In this instance, I forgot to put the upper screen in place. So when the water percolated through the coffee, everything went up the spout with enough force to flip the lid back, and spray coffee grounds across the back of the stove.
A fine mess that was. Fortunately I was awake enough to know what to do, instead of being flummoxed by it.