In a post that is almost completely apolitical except where momentarily (and only here) I delve into the curiousity of why we must have a plastic bag for everything, and when this started, and when it will go away (maybe in the next five years, c’mon Chile, you can do it!), today I will bring you nothing more than an orange and yellow and green and a little bit of red, in what I like to call the feria report. (And yes, of course after that, I bring my own cloth bags).
One of the great things about my new apartment (which is no longer new, despite someone coming over and rearranging my living room furniture the other day, really, it’s okay, I can use all the style help available) is its proximity to one of my favorite urban fresh markets. There’s La Vega, which is the giant one, further towards the heart of Santiago, endless paths of stalls selling, hawking, offering, calling you “caserita, casera” (lady who buys from me). But usually, unless I need something special or something in vast quantities (though you will rethink this when you read what I bought), I go to my local feria, on Esperanza. It’s about a mile from my house, and by bike, I’m there ridiculously quickly, especially if I go (as I did today) I go early.
Going early to the feria is very different than going at midday. At midday, or even later, the aisles fill with people and carts and baby carriages. The people selling have sunken into their automaton states, where “que va a llevar” (what do you need, literally: what are you going to take) replaces “hola caserita” from people who might actually remember you from the week before. For the people who sell at the feria, the day begins early, and when I show up at 9, though they’re still unfurling their table coverings, and hanging up their scales, it’s probably already mid-day. But it’s still early enough that I can be someone’s primera venta (first sale).
La primera venta, regardless of how much it’s for, brings good luck. It breaks the dam of non-purchasing, and people are always happy to tell you that yours is the first sale of the day. It’s a sweet moment for me, and as I told the guy who I bought lemons from this morning (primera venta), it’s good luck for me because I got to buy all these great lemons (2 kilos, not sure what I was thinking there), and it’s good luck for him that I bought, because I’m the first sale. I then said “chócale,” which is totally ridiculous, it’s what kids say, sort of in a “power twins activate” kind of a way, and we bumped fists. Then of course he asked me if I was lucky, and I said yes, and since it was 9:15 AM and nobody had yet asked me, he asked after my love life. I believe this is springtime-related, and has nothing to do with my purple pants and maryjane (also purple) combo.
This is what it is to be a woman, a cyclist, a fruit-purchaser, a gringa, an early-riser and chatty. This was how I started my day.
And here’s what I bought, and how much it cost. The Chilean peso is still hovering around 470. Life is better for most people (except those that want to buy dollars) when it’s at 550. Where it’s going next is anyone’s guess. But look: fruits and veggies!
2.5 kilos mixed oranges and mandarins: 600
1.5 kilos apples: 500
“hand” of ginger: 200
1/4 kilo of limes: 500 (These are expensive as they’re imported or trucked very far, lemons grown here, but limes don’t like the cold, apparently).
2 kilos of lemons: 500
1/2 kilo of spinach: 500
cauliflower: 400
bag of walnuts 1000
2 bags of carrots: 400
bundle of onions: 300
Not pictured: a mandarin that tried to get away.
total price: 5900 CLP, or US $12.50
total weight: 24 pounds
I would have bought more veggies, except I still have two kinds of tomatoes, beets, brussel sprouts and broccoli I picked up earlier in the week. Anyone want some juice?
I’m more than just a little jealous over the beautiful produce and even more attractive prices!
you know you’re welcome whenever you like. Spring is just barely beginning, things are about to get awesome, produce-wise!
My favorite part of this story is that you told the feria vendor to high five you 🙂
no, we chócaled! Fist-bump. And also, he did it! I love being foreign and foolish, not respecting (some) social norms (like the ones that tell you to be boring), and the perpetual immaturity from which I seem to “suffer.”
Cheap lemons are one of my favourite things in Chile (seriously I really like Lemons).
If you can’t use all 2kg up easily, lemon curd and lemon sorbet are both easy to make.
Lemon curd is fantastically delicious, not a bad idea. Not much in the mood for sorbet, what with the cold. I actually bought them to do a test run on a small batch of marmelade, but I wouldn’t be surprised if a bunch of them ended up in juice (Skins and all, love them like that!). Thanks for dropping in!
I live close to La Vega and often head over there on Sundays. In addition to all the fruit and vegetable stands, in the back corner, there is a cheese shop where I buy Parmesan, Emmenthaler, Blue, and more. No Cheddar, but I forgive them because their prices are great and the cheese is delicious, unlike the tasteless rubber that passes for cheese at the supermarkets.
okay, annje and I were just talking about “Isabel’s cheese guy.” I’m beginning to think it’s the same guy. Can you explain what you mean by the back corner? The back corner of the first part? facing in, way to the left and back? Is his stand mint green/blue? Would love to know if this is the same guy I used to buy from years ago (and who I couldn’t find right now, if you paid me!)
Ahh the market….my favorite buying experience was right after the earthquake…in the wholesale market Lo valledor. One of the refer facilities of an exporter was damaged and so the export grapes were written off and sold to the “internal” market. Big plump, delicious thompson seedless…perfectly round and firm, very sweet, great color..at 2000 pesos or bout 4 dollars for a box of 8 KG. yummmm
wow, Colin, and what did you do with so many grapes? Did you string some up on your balcony to make raisins? I friend recently told me she juices them (in the juicer). I might give it a try next time I come along some, cheap (though never that cheap!).
and what in the world did you do with all those grapes?
I just wanted to say thanks for writing this, and that reading your blog brings back many happy memories for me. I lived on Esperanza itself for a year as an exchange student and loved the feria. And I’ll soon be returning to Chile, but alas not to mi querido Barrio Yungay.
well, I’m sure they’d love to have you for a visit! I don’t know when you were here, but everything in Santiago is changing a-plenty. I hope you still find the parts of it you held dear!