November 20, 2006

Isn’t it ironic

You know, it’s funny. When I go to the produce market and come back with two bags of goods instead of one (proudly knowing I spent less than $15, by the way), it’s usually because I’ve spotted several items that I’ve just got to have, whether they were on my list or not. When I’m there, I pick up an item because I know it tastes — or should taste — really good. Fresh corn on the cob, peaches, plums, strawberries, asparagus. Just gotta have ’em. It makes me salivate, and I run around that place doing my usual half-drool “hhhhh” and eagerly bagging things… unless I’m not sure. If I doubt at all the quality, especially if I’ve had bad experiences before (no more kiwis, nuh-uh), then I’ll take 2 or 3 and see how it goes. I got 3 mandarin oranges a week or two ago, and they turned out tasty, so I got some more. (Hand-chosen 69c/lb by the way. Don’t be fooled by inexpensive-looking boxes!) I’ve had bad peaches that tasted like nail polish remover, and terribly unripe plums whose delicious home-grown cousins came from my parents’ tree.

Dried corn stalk at the market

A dreary day for a dried corn stalk at the market

I gingerly bought two red plums today that were from California. Yes, imported. Shame on me!

I buy these fruits because I like how they taste and I enjoy them. So when I bite into a plum, or any fruit, and am greeted sourly with a hard, pithy, tasteless, dry fruit, I am not impressed, California.

And let me say that your grapes lasted 1/10th as long as my local ones, which started becoming raisins in my fridge eventually (after a month or more?), and still tasted as delicious as the first day, when yours would have been mouldy and doomed to the trash (or compost) long before.

Oh sure, your grapes tasted fine

But I think you’d better stick to wine.

I’m not paying another dime:

You’ve shipped your grapes too far this time.

That said, I think Cal-i-forn-i-a will be the first one to change!