The scallions have gone all soft-like

By Michelle on July 31, 2006 11:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)

I don't know about you, but my fruits and vegetables have been gross lately. Like the day after i buy them, my cherries and peaches are already rotten, katie's celery is bendy instead of snappy, my eggplants are squishy, my broccoli is yellow, the string beans are brown, and so on. After I gave it a little thought, I realized it probably had to do with the food I'm buying not being in season. Often times, food not in season is being shipped from China (as Liam kindly pointed out to me, which he read in an article in the L Magazine, which I couldn't obtain as the little magazine stands near the subway were empty.)

Because labor is so much cheaper in China, it's more cost effective for big grocers to ship fruits and vegetables over than it is to buy from local farmers. But if you make an effort to buy only what is in season, you have a better chance of getting something local, and something that will stay fresher longer, because it didn't have to be shipped overseas and frozen first. Also, fruits and vegetables in season are at their cheapest, and the local selection cheaper than from China of Mexico.

I've had a dorky and mildly embarrassing idea. I think there should be a fresh fruits and vegetables widget. Maybe I'm the only one left who still even uses their widgets and doesn't mind that the shear number spreading forth on my two huge cinema displays is slowing down my computer, but I think it would be handy. Because who has the time to look up what's in season every month? Not me! I am way too important and busy for such navigating. So I propose someone make a fresh food widget. That is all. Thank you. (In the meantime, What's in Season will do till someone gets on that widget.

Oh, and just so you know, for August,

Fruits:
Banana Grapefruit Lemon Mandarine Orange

Vegetables:
Beanshoots Broccoli Brussels Sprouts Cauliflower Fennel Mushrooms Silverbeet

What the mf is a silverbeet?