i Love fruit

In a car park, by the city walls in Nicosia, every Wednesday, there is a fruit market. People from the villages, trek into the city with their produce; tomatoes, peppers, nuts, beans, pears, figs, olives, honey, cheese, olive oil and herbs, all lovingly grown or handmade under the Mediterranean sun. It might be this that makes the fruit and vegetables taste so good here, or it might be the "picked this morning, still covered in soil" freshness factor. I don't know. But when you see a little old lady laying out her herbs and jars of marinated olives you cant just walk by. The refreshing smell of mint and rocket literally hits you in the face like an airways chewing gum exploding in your mouth. 

Potatoes are still covered in dirt, cucumbers are teeny tiny and there isn't a chemically preserved pepper in sight. You can touch and try everything, the market is a bit like a wine tasting with vegetables. And when honey comes in a jar with no fancy frills, just a home-made label and a bit of beeswax inside, you dont need to try before you buy. You just know it is going to be good (but if they insist you dip your pinkie into a jar, well it would be rude not to wouldn't it!)  

I'm not going to lie. I think I'm as fascinated with the market, as the market people are with me. We do stick out a bit like a sore thumb; mostly because we're not old, tanned or wrinkly, and we're not shouting. But why go to a supermarket, to buy imported fruit and vegetables for double the price when the market is on our doorstep. And we are making friends. At the end of the day the shouting intensifies, and the war begins between stalls - the aim of the game is to offer the lowest prices, "one bag €1" seems to be the norm. Competition is rife and they will shout and scream over everyone to get your attention. Even if they dont say words. Last week one man took to shouting ahhhhhhhhhhh la la la la la la over everyone else (which me and Harry found hilarious) - comedy value aside, he remembered our pasty English faces this week. Maybe we'll be on first name terms by christmas. 

So what does €15 at the fruit market get you? The short answer is a lot. The long answer is; 5 tomatoes, 2 cucumbers, a bag of potatoes, 2 cabbages, a bunch of rocket, a bunch of coriander, a bunch of mint, 2 courgettes, 4 peppers, 4 apples, 8 clementines, a couple of pears and a jar of honey so big it will last us til next christmas.