it's the berries

It has been an unusually cool day here today. I don't think the sun every really came out. Like San Francisco in July or Newport Beach in June. That did not slow anyone down, of course. Just no swimming. And I even wore a shirt over my T-shirt. Beach warmies. Despite that we had a glorious sunset tonight. The reflected pink turned the sea a beautiful wine-dark purple.

At this morning's market there were gorgeous strawberries. These are not your clone-berries, the kind we get in Davis throughout the year, each one the exact size, color and shape of every other. And these don't come in little green plastic prisons. They are all sizes and shapes and are scooped from a big mound into a plastic bag. Then the bag is carefully weighed; too much, you loose one or two. Too light, a few more go into the bag. Then the bag is twirlled around itself, the knot tied at the neck, and you have a little bit of heaven. These berries are grown in the state of Guanajuato, in Salamanca and Irapuato. Their abundance and flavors are due to the diligent research and testing of, where else? UC Davis and its Vegetable Crops, Extension and Postharvest Physiology programs. All of this for 8 pesos (about 75¢) for half a kilo. I remember buying berries this way many years ago when I was in Paris during a cold, wet winter. I happened on a street market and there they were, a big mound of beautiful berries from the Cote d'Ivorie.