Fruit!

This off colour picture reveals the latest fad.  A mix of South African Figs (fresh, reduced ), raisins (South Africa), Blueberries (Peru), Medjool Dates (Jordan, the best ones) Strawberries (Spain, also reduced), and I forgot to add the apple and orange that were far from me.  Add to this single cream and I have my fruit for the day.

Several short jet trips, soon to cease as there will be no fuel because of the child rapist in the White House, a little pollution and a vast increase in profit for Mr Sainsburys and 'fresh' fruit is on my table.  Quite how fresh this is can be questioned.  Peru is six thousand miles away from here, Spain a shot flight, South Africa another continent away, so how 'fresh' is fresh?

I find Blueberries last several days in the fridge, strawberries about an hour!  However, I like these dates and even though I actually prefer dried figs I will have more of these even if £2 a go.  Tesco will be cheaper and they have more choice than the 'get rich quick' people at Sainsburys.  

Such delicacies were unknown in my childhood.  Moroccan dates Christmas, in a long box with a plastic or wooden stick inside, could be found, but not during the year.  Figs were heard off, raisins common, probably because they were cheapest fruit, strawberries were a luxury but only in season.  Blueberries of course we had never heard off, brambles found on hedges sometimes could be obtained, some folks gathered them to make jam.  

It was the arrival of Asians from West Africa in the 70s that changed things.  They offered fruits and veg that only the rich could afford, and then they offered them at an affordable price.  Opening their shops for longer hours and stocking almost everything under the sun made them popular and very useful.  

Such luxury items are good for the health, and keep you on the run...