Local products

Today I'm enjoying the 2 local products purchased by my friends along the road yesterday while visiting the National Park of Llogora.

The tangerines are very sweet and completely seedless. Some of them are so small, still fully developed as a fruit, the size of which is equal to a walnut that can be popped into the mouth in one scoop! Although I don't know the costs of this purchase, I do know that it's pennies compared to the famous 'clementines' that we buy in the U.S. at a very high price especially during this season.


This afternoon I tried for the first time the wild tea that grows naturally in these mountains, and my entire apartment was refreshed by the aroma emanated from its very simple preparation of placing the flowers in cold water, and then boiling them for about 5 to 7 minutes. With a bit of sugar, the result was very pleasing!

wild look....but great taste!
Today, on the way home after treating myself to a soothing pedicure, I also did some shopping at a small local supermarket, where I bought other local produce, such a crunchy cucumber (labeled "persian" in NY and costing $2.99/lb there) for which I paid only 25 cents, and my usual quantity of 'zucchini' that here was quoted a mere 70 cents. A full (1/2 kg = a bit more than 1 lb.) bag of extra fine, iodized sea salt was only 20 cents!

Another observation about food that comes to my mind while in Europe is that the quality of some processed goods, by the same well known companies also present in the U.S., is much better than in the States. I do believe that the processing of fresher local base products provides a much better taste, as proven when these staples are eaten fresh here.

Now it's time to prepare dinner....so I bid you "Bon Appetit!", or "te bufe'mire!".