Shopping for Fruits and Veggies

Now, some of you probably know the place that I used to go to for my weekly run of fruits and veggies back at home - Nino Salvagio... I would make a run there at least once a week... and I would come back with all that I would need for the week, and then some!! : )

Since being here in India, I have found a new shopping ground... it is a far cry from the set up at Ninos. It is the local open air market. It runs on Sundays in the village that is about 5 mins away from our house - it is called Varthur Market. I go there every Sunday. Check out the pics.....

So, here are some of the differences between Nino's and Varthur Market:

• You have to carry your own groceries - usually at the end of it I have about 10kgs in my bag!!
• You have to squat down to select your produce...  they are all on ground.....
• There is only one type of onions - red onions... no yellow, no white, no vidalia, etc...
• There is only one type of potatoes.... no yellow, no red, no idaho, etc....
• There is only one type of tomatoes - basic roma... no cherry tomatoes, no vine-ripened, etc...
• Don't get me wrong, the limited selection is perfect... who needs infinite varieties... at the end it is all the same
• I can only buy things in increments of 1kg and .5 kg... beyond that, it throws off the calculations... remember, it is a manual scale and the math is done in the head....
• The veggie selections change to the seasons... everything is locally grown
• I can get all my fruits and veggies for the week for less than 400 rs (less than $10). I would spend at least $50 at each trip to Nino's.
• The 'butcher' shop at varthur market lacks quite a bit compared to Ninos... thank goodness I don't cook meat at home!!  One time Milan came with me to the market and he looked at the stuff just hanging, and asked me what it was, I said, nothing...  don't worry.... and quickly diverted his attention...
• One thing is common, the workers at Nino's started to recognize me with the frequent visits, and that is the same with the veggie peddlers at the Varthur Market.
• Speaking in Hindi to make all my transactions...No, my Hindi is not great, but enough to get by...

All in all, I really do enjoy my weekly visits to Varthur Market...  I look forward to it... Some of my friends send their drivers to pick up their weekly veggies, I prefer to do it my self...  It is an enjoyable experience!!