strawberries in a top box

Have you read Gaia by James Lovelock?

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+-------------------------------------------------------------+
| Pete Fisher at Home: |
| Voxan Roadster Gilera Nordwest Yamaha WR250Z |
| Gilera GFR Moto Morini 2C/375 |
+-------------------------------------------------------------+

 

I'd like to: they're my favourite fruit. But I'm allergic to them.

D.

 

I'm fairly sure that much of the "local food tastes better" thing is a
self-fulfilling prophecy. I can't for the life of me see why the mere
fact of being packed and transported should detract from something's
flavour.

--
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..'_/_|_\_'. Ace (brucedotrogers a.t rochedotcom)
\`\ | /`/ DS#8
`\\ | //' BOTAFOT#3, SbS#2, UKRMMA#13, DFV#8, SKA#2, IBB#10
`\|/`
`

 

Maybe in the same way that some vitamins are reduced after delays after
picking, so whatever gives the fruit its 'taste', might well degrade over
time; especially if refrigeration is involved to preserve the fruit during
transport.

D.

 

Nah - you need Cream with Strawbs

 

Thought so. "It's life Jim..."

What strikes me is that we are (as far as we know) the first species to
be both in the position of potentially bringing about our own
extinction, and have to the ability to realise that this is a
possibility.

Pyscho-social evolution proceeds at far faster rate than biological
evolution. Perhaps the 'selfish gene' will ensure the survival of homo
sapiens even if it means adopting a more holistic view.

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+-------------------------------------------------------------+
| Pete Fisher at Home: |
| Voxan Roadster Gilera Nordwest Yamaha WR250Z |
| Gilera GFR Moto Morini 2C/375 |
+-------------------------------------------------------------+

 

Well IMHO Organoleptic analysis confirms that my PYVO spuds and broad
beans are indisputably more full of flavour than those transported from
miles away. This may, however, be more because I grow varieties not
favoured for large scale food production. To test this hypothesis would
need more accurate food labelling. At least with potatoes you usually
know what variety they are.

Do you subscribe to the view that some wines "don't travel"?
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+-------------------------------------------------------------+
| Pete Fisher at Home: |
| Voxan Roadster Gilera Nordwest Yamaha WR250Z |
| Gilera GFR Moto Morini 2C/375 |
+-------------------------------------------------------------+

 

<spooky music>

We are in complete agreement

 

<constructs eco-friendly gallows>
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| ___ Salad Dodger
|/ \
_/_____\_ GL1500SEV/CBR1100XXX/CBX1000Z
|_\_____/_| ..90668../..24701.../..31928.
(>|_|_|<) TPPFATUICG#7 DIAABTCOD#9 WG*
|__|_|__| BOTAFOT #70 BOTAFOF #09 PM#5
\ |^| / IbW#0 & KotIbW# BotTOS#6 GP#4
\|^|/ ANORAK#17 IbB#4 YTC#4 two#11
'^' RBR Clues: 26 Pts:0500 Miles:1739

 

Whilst I dislike some of Tesco's practices I cannot accept the
generalisation that "supermarket food tastes shit".

I shop in Hereford mostly. Both of the Tesco supermarkets stock local
strawberries. Produced on a specified farm in Marden. An industrialised
farm with polytunnels, fertilisers and cheap imported labour. The same farm
has stalls in the city centre.

A punnet is £1.89 in Tesco, £2.50 from the street vendor.

AFAI can tell, there is no difference in the product. Same weight, same
flavour, same propensity to go mouldy if not consumed within 24 hours.

 

Crown top export guinness doesn't like hard panniers.

P.

 

Unless it's frozen, it does. You can delay and reduce the flavour loss
with chilling and controlled atmosphere packing, but it still loses.

 

*proud*

 

On further thought[1] whilst you could be correct re. Essex, you're not
right on strawberry growing in the UK as a whole:

"Strawberry growers argue that polytunnels are essential to their
business. "
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/3995261.stm

"The great debate over the use of polytunnels in strawberry growing has
unearthed a deep divide"
http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/this_britain/article1096459.ece

[1] and Googling.

 

Unless it's frozen, it does. You can delay and reduce the flavour loss
with chilling and controlled atmosphere packing, but it still loses.[/QUOTE]

You're all correct, but completely missing my point, which is that
it's a question of time, not distance, that can affect the freshness.
If something's airfreighted from the US to my plate in 48 hours,
that's quite likely to be every bit as fresh as, or even fresher than,
something that's on the stall of a once-weekly farmer's market.

--
_______
..'_/_|_\_'. Ace (brucedotrogers a.t rochedotcom)
\`\ | /`/ DS#8
`\\ | //' BOTAFOT#3, SbS#2, UKRMMA#13, DFV#8, SKA#2, IBB#10
`\|/`
`

 

And fresh ones grown locally usually tase a good bit better than
imports because they haven't been chilled to within an inch of their
lives to make sure that they don't over-ripen in the week they spend in
transit.

Handling, ride, seat position, power, power delivery.

As I'm sure you are aware.

If you think that is wriggling you have a very warped view of the
discussion process.

Phil.

 

The two are not mutually exclusive. But if we destroy our local growing
production (becuase the supermarkets can make an extra 2p profit on a
punnet of strawberries by buying them from Chile) what happens when the
price of aviation fuel rockets and we can't get them from Chile?

We don't then have the local knowledge or experience to grow them
ourselves.

And do you use them? Judging by the 'I'm sure' phrase I'd guess not. So
if you are a typical consumer in your area will the Farmers Markets
survive as anything other than a minor niche market? Probably not.

Pah. Lightweight. I got some spare left over from my last arguement
with Ace that I've allocated to this one.

Phil.

 

Yes, but they tended to be associated with mass extinctions, either as
a possible cause or as an effect.

 

Sorry? Where did this come from?

Do you know anything about my buying habits?

Phil.

 

Depends where they come from. And what standard they are certified to.

All of which are a factor of price.

Phil.