The Vegetable Markets

I went out to the vege markets in Lower Hutt this morning. It's so very much cheaper than getting your veg at the supermarket. Cheaper, fresher, and more variety. Plus, because there are so many producers there, you can shop around from stall to stall to get even better prices. I would say I would spend half or less on veg and fruit out there. Plus I can pick up organic eggs, fresh bread and hunt through old records and CDs too. But the thing I like about it most is that I feel like I'm in real New Zealand, not white-bread Wellington. In the midst of so many cultures, I can appreciate that we are part of the South Pacific, that we are a Pacific nation, not some little European outreach. Today I picked up some celeriac, fresh rice noodles, a big bag of limes, and some fennel bulbs, amongst lots of other stuff. There's always heaps of Asian herbs and veg that I wish I knew more about. Yes, it takes a whole Saturday morning to get out there, do my shopping, and get back, but I love the experience, and when I look at my fridge full of goodies it's a grand feeling.