Ozzy Osbourne once talked about how he didn't understand the need for lavish Christmases with lots of gifts. He said that, when he was a kid, they got a stocking with an orange and a few walnuts in it. Those of us who grew up in a global age (or close to the coming of it) may see a child who receives such things as one step removed from getting a lump of coal. The truth is that, in the past, people didn't have access to fresh fruit in the winter and an orange was seen as a lavish treat. We take for granted the availability of produce nearly year-round, but it was not always so. To us, seasonal fruit is cheaper, but it doesn't mean it's totally unavailable for most of the year.
I grew up in a rural area in the 70's and our situation wasn't quite as limited as Ozzy's, but it was close. Because of this, I'm surprised at the plethora of options I've found since coming to California including the type of white peaches that I didn't expect to find here. That being said, I've noticed two things about all peaches I've encountered here. One - they are rarely, if ever, sold in a ripened state. Two -they are actually more expensive than those I had in Tokyo! So, while I can get white peaches here, I miss the cheaper ones that were sold closer to a state in which I could actually eat them that I could get in Japan.
Note: I made a mistake with last week's posts and made two "won't miss" posts so this week I'll be making two "will miss" posts to get my balance back. ;-)
Posts
Actually, you are on track:
ReplyDelete- October 8, 2013; Being a "millionaire" (reflection); Will Miss
- October 10, 2013; No drug debate; Will Miss
- October 15, 2013; International one-upmanship; Won't Miss
- October 17, 2013; Not having a proper oven (reflection); Won't Miss
The past two weeks cancel out. :)
Actually, come to think of it, October 3 was also a "will miss", so you are actually needing an extra "won't miss" to catch up.
ReplyDeleteAd a child of the 70's I got an apple and an orange in my stocking as a kid not because it was a lavish treat but because they are cheap and take up a lot of room so there was less space to fill up with actual presents and candy a kid would want but that my patents didn't want to buy.
ReplyDeleteAgribusiness provides us with many, if not most, foods year round. What most of us fail to realize that it produces much more greenhouse gas in the process. Either in the form of fertilizers to produce the foods at a time of year when they are less naturally grown. Or in the form of the fossil fuels needed to transport the foods from the tropics or the Southern Hemisphere where it is their growing season. Ie, those white peaches or other 'summer' fruit that you love are probably grown in South America or New Zealand and then shipped here by airplane.
ReplyDeleteI very much enjoy white peaches but I hate that I can never find them ripe so they are always lacking in the flavor department. There is a little old lady that lives by my sister's house that sells a plate full of peaches for a dollar. When ever I see her, I make sure to stop and get a bag. They are ripe and for a dollar, you can't beat that. But I can only get those goodies when they are in season but I look forward to it.
ReplyDeleteOh yes, the peaches. I was in Okoyama this summer and couldn't get enough. Even though I live in California where I can get local produce, it's not the same. Some food is just better in certain places.
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