Food without Bar Codes

Sometimes we get a little extra protein
along with our veg.  This hitch hiker is one
of the reasons we  rinse all produce
in a mix of bleach and water
before we bring it aboard.

One of the experiences we looked forward to in going abroad is at long last to seek out native foods, purchased more directly from their growers.  We like the idea that food would be more about flavor and nutrition than picked far before its time for sale several week later, with way too many steps along the way, from farm to table.  Ultimately, we want our produce be less a bar coded unit, and more, well, delicious.

As well as buying from Gregory (see prior post, “The Milkman Did It!”), other independent food sellers, taking the local bus when I can to buy from the open-air market, I also buy locally produced food in the market.  I’m never quite sure what to do with it, or whether we’ll like the result.  Especially when it’s cheap, I figure it’s worth a try.  Dasheen, plantains, green figs, custard apples, soursop, and “five-fingers” are some of our new favorites. Look for some photos on them soon. 

Fish guy posing at Castries market.  Not who
we bought our Dorado from.....

Then there’s the local fish guys who boated by with some freshly caught Dorado….

Fresh Caught Dorado…. $50 EC (East Caribbean currency –
$1 USD = $2.7 EC) in this case, a kilo … or 2.2 lbs,
but looked it was more like 1 ½ pounds,
skin, bones and all.  That would make it
~$18.50 USD or ~$12 lb. We could buy a full Dorado dinner
 in town for this or less.

Wayne, who normally doesn’t care for fish, did like it, though. This was cooked simply, with salt, pepper, lime juice, garlic and onion.  Or, maybe it was just what the chef wasn’t wearing.

This Dorado was cooked simply, with salt, pepper,
lime juice, garlic and onion.