Sunday, June 2, 2013
I’m a sucker for farmers’ markets because not only are they
a good way to start a beautiful day, but they offer some of the best produce
any various region has to offer, from the very people who so carefully
cultivate it. You can get into ethical defenses of them as well, but being that
the whole “organic” movement is something that doesn’t necessarily make sense
down here, you can’t know for sure what exactly is happening to get that
produce to the stand. But based on how everything looks and tastes, it seems to
remain outside the reaches of industrial crap agriculture…
This market represented the pinnacle of stereotyped and
simplified versions of “Latin American” culture—vibrant colors, exotic fruits
and vegetables, low prices, haggling, everyone screaming out what they were
selling in odd voices…And albeit a hackneyed idea, it was still beautiful
nonetheless. In addition to being a visual treat, it was also going to be quite
a treat for my palate, too. After walking down almost the whole market, we
decided it would be a good time to start buying. Although I think you’re
supposed to haggle, I wasn’t really sure what was considered a ripoff price
because 5 apples and 2 passion fruit for $1 seems like a steal and while I once
mourned being charged for 4 Macaroni and Cheese’s (when I only bought 3), I’m
not really known to argue over a quarter. All in all, I got 2 cucumbers, 5
apples, 2 passion fruits, 2 bags of beans, 5 eggs, 8 tomatoes, 2 avocadoes, 6
tree tomatoes (imagine tomato texture, but tart. A national treasure), 3
carrots, 1 head of lettuce and 3 croissants for less than $7. All local. All delicious.
Ecuador, you’re delicious.
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