Saturday, April 7, 2012

to market, to market

What will $5.10 buy in a Quito market?

11 tomatoes
5 apples
9 short, fat carrots
1 small papaya
1 avocado
1 bag of uvillas (see below)
2 shopping bags

Uvilla (Ground Cherry, Gooseberry, Husk Tomato): These small yellow fruits are called ground cherries because they grow close to the ground are roughly cherry-like in size and shape. They have nothing else in common with cherries, including taste and the fact that there is no stone. They are bright yellow and grow inside a husk that looks a little like a tiny paper lantern. The flavor is a little like pineapple and they are eaten raw and fresh, one after another, like popcorn.

No comments: