I badly need some change from our regular fare of meat and pork and chicken so today I went on one of my notorious road misdaventures to the fish market. Notorious because I’ve had similar experiences in the past where I drive with only the faintest clue of where I’m going and relied heavily on my Garmin navigator to take me there. So to the tune of classical music on my radio I miscalculated my exit, narrowly missed my turn, became enslaved to my navigator which took me through a surprise toll booth that left me fumbling for a quarter, around some side streets straight to the loading dock of Delaware Fish and Seafood Market. I parked my car across an adult store and backed out again after gauging the long walk to the front of the market which was across the narrow street. As I was arm-wrestling with the steering wheel another car was cluelessly backing towards me and to warn it I unsuccessfully banged all over to toot my car horn. The car horn disappeared from my line of sight from all the arm twisting I was doing with the wheel. Good thing I did not end up with another dent in my newly refurbished (finally refurbished after multiple accidents) ride.
From the fish market I went to the farmer’s market and found multiple glimpses of home.
Atis! $3.99/lb Kaching!
Pink guava or the bayabas of our childhood years!
Rambutan $5.99/lb. Which, price-wise is a no-go for me.
This one is called Longan, which I highly suspected might be lanzones. But after a sneaky taste test, it was not as fleshy as the lanzones, or as sweet.
Remember in the good old days where we have those red bananas with the seed inside?
Dragon Fruit. This I don’t think we have in the Philippines. $3.49 each!
They have lots of organic and/or locally grown produce. Their bananas, cherries and grapes, watermelons, are about the same price as in the grocery store.
I was taking pictures of the bok choy when the store help told me I can’t take pictures in there and don’t I know it’s illegal to take pictures? Really? Gotta do a rain check on that. The other time I was accosted not to take pictures of the wares was in another farmer’s market. There’s something about farmer’s markets….hmmm. I was irritated but nothing could dampen my spirit in this Ilongga’s paradise of bayabas, and atis and rambutan. I just mourned all the nice pictures I could have taken of everything else…the organic vegetables in endless variety, choice of organic fruits and locally grown ones, many varieties of tomatoes, bottled produce, just like in a health food store and then the herbs.
There was lemongrass growing in a pot and best of all --- my most favorite of all the leafy green vegetables-----
The lovely alugbati!
I’ve coveted eversince the one I discovered growing luxuriously in someone else’s backyard.
And now a taste of home at a cost of $5 bucks.
I’m dreaming of alugbati with ground pork. Alugbati with monggo. In laswa. etc.
The guy told me that Oriental people and those from the Caribbean are familiar with this vegetable. Familiar, my foot! I grew up with alugbati in my diet. The American spinach is no match, in my opinion.
Truly, a taste of home!
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