Tuesday, December 15, 2009

A Trip to the Asian Market

tropical fruits
As I'd mentioned in an earlier post, I made a trip to the Asian market the other night to stock up on some dried staples, sauces and produce. As I was putting my baby bananas, Asian pears, mandarin oranges and Fuyu persimmons into my shopping cart, I began feeling a bit nostalgic. It struck me that these are things that my mother and father, and even their parents, had eaten all throughout their lives. I now eat these things and there is a very good chance my son will as well. To think that something as simple as a piece of fruit can bind us to our family, culture, ancestry and future descendants in such a powerful way. Too bad you can't say the same thing about most processed foods you see at the supermarket these days. I doubt that our ancestors would have been able to identify many of these items as "food" just by reading the multisyllable ingredients printed on the label. Maybe I'll remember that the next time I scarf down a bag of Doritos.

asian veggie seed packs
Anyway, I also happened upon a seed rack and picked out some more Asian veggies to grow next year. Among them are long beans, an edible calabash gourd (the tender flesh is used in soups and stir-fries), Napa cabbage, Thai red chilies, an Asian cucumber variety and some scallions. They were about a dollar a pack...not bad if you ask me. Sure they contain less seeds then what you would normally get from say Johnny's but are perfect for the home gardener nonetheless. My seed collection for next year is slowing coming together. I don' t know about you but I can't wait until spring!

7 comments:

  1. That's funny you should say that about spring...I was just out in my garden...looking to see if any daffodils have started to spring up..I usually have them by Valentines Day. Checked my elderberry tree... I thought it was dead..and YIPEE...it's not dead...has green shoots on it...
    Soaring Spirit rose is in semi-bloom..at Christmas..huh? and the borage and parsley is coming up everwhere since the rain.....

    Thinking about getting my sweet pea seeds..had a whole fence lined with them last spring...when you walked in the gate it smelled like candy...

    Your produce looks great !

    I'll be back to visit soon....

    Kary

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  2. What a great find! I have never noticed sees in our ethnic markets but now I will keep my eyes open a little more!

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  3. Very, very cool. I really need to branch out and try more vegetables. I really, really do.

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  4. Beautiful fruit display and so true about the heritage of food culture. Real food is the basis of good eating, good health, and as you pointed out - the basis of real food cultures.

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  5. It’s very hard to find Asian veggie seeds here where I live, but I have found a garden center that has some.
    My plan is to try to grow some next year and see how it goes. I’m not sure if they can grow in this climate.

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  6. When are you opening your restaurant?...I'd love to taste some of your delicious food... :)

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  7. Food does tether us to our family traditions and entices us into new traditions too. Growing it only enriches the whole continuum.

    What a lovely post!

    Those persimmons are gorgeous!

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