Fruits and Veggies

Quiet week last week as hubby was out of town and thus, I stay put rather than drag four kids out of the house using public transportation.  Not that it can't be done, but I just need probably a good dose of caffeine before I embark on a task like that!  

Lately we are loving this fruit called Dragon Fruit.  My pictures don't do it justice but they are a brilliant pinkish red with bright green spiky things that feel like an aloe vera plant.  They have a texture that's like a cross between a melon and a kiwi I guess.  I cut these slices up into squares for eating and they end up looking like dice to me.

Fruit and vegetables can be quite amazing here.  We live near a wet market which is basically like a farmer's market but indoors and they sell meat.  Ours sells meat, chicken (yes, I still have no bought one; see last year's post), eggs, fish, vegetables, fruit, dry grains, spices, and some fully cooked items. You can really get a great price on veggies although typically not organic but definitely very fresh and usually cheaper than the supermarket.  My favorite fresh veggie is peas.  I hated peas as a kid and well now too if it's from the US.  Here, you can buy fresh peas either in the pod or shelled.  Peas in the can or frozen are no where near as good as fresh peas.  Totally different taste and texture!  You must try it if you can find it in the US.  

Speaking of peas ... we also don't buy canned corn ... now we just get fresh corn.  We've had to adapt a bit to our new environment.  :*)  We now buy dried beans (black, kidney, white, etc.) and then I soak and sometimes pressure cook them.  Much cheaper than the canned here and actually tastes better.  We can also get fresh pasta at the market.  It's not Italian pasta but it is ...hmm, Chinese pasta?  Pasta you'd use for a Chinese noodle dish...so good fresh!  You can get fresh dumpling skins to make dumplings, etc.  It's all probably one of the things we enjoy here.  Plus to be near a grocery store ... I had always wanted that in the US...spent too much of my time there yet always realized what I forgot off the list, the minute I got home.