Spring and summer in Israel – so many good fruits & vegetables! Herbs like mint & rosemary nudge their way into public gardens or into flower pots by front doors or on balconies. Here, buying produce at the supermarket (expensive), nobody bothers you. At the open-air market (cheaper), or by the side of the road (even cheaper), all vendors want you to buy more-more-more… so they can go home! This plate of strawberries is not quite 1/2 kilo (1 pound)… because I already ate some… and they were delightful.
But Israeli vendors generally start by thrusting about 3 kilos (6.5 pounds) my way – wrapped up in a bag before you can blink! Then the haggling starts: -I don’t really need so much. -Yes, you do. -No, I don’t. -You don’t like my strawberries? -Of course I like your strawberries. Who wouldn’t like your strawberries? I just don’t want them to go bad. -Praise the Lord. So give them to your family. Give them to a friend. -How much are they? -I give you a good price…. And so it goes. It can easily take 15 or 20 minutes to bag one item….
Strawberries are not mentioned in the Bible, a few Roman writers described them as an ornamental, not as a food. With time, wild varieties were cultivated & developed into the soft and sweet ones we enjoy today. As summer comes, it takes me back to ancient times – not that I ever lived in ancient times – fresh produce, grilling, warm days/cool nights – not such a bad life!
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