As my semi-annual trip to Australia approaches, I find myself daydreaming about the public market in Melbourne – second only to seeing family, it is a huge highlight during my visits.
My son, who lives on the outskirts of Melbourne with his wife and two children, makes up a menu each week and then makes his shopping lists accordingly (don't you just love lists?) ... Then every Saturday morning he heads out for the markets ritualistically. Yes, market's' - plural. He goes to the Melbourne public market for his fresh goods and meats. He goes to the “grocer” to pick-up any nonperishables, to the bottle shop for wine, and lastly to any little specialty shop(s) as needed (there are some amazing Asian Specialty stores I could spend hours in – mostly because it takes hours to figure out what everything is!) Its three-stop shopping with him on the weekends and I LOVE it!
It’s impossible to share the amazing smells and sounds (vendors trying to out-bark each other, customers bartering) or the joy I feel when stumbling upon remarkable items such as sweet potato (kumara) the size of a swaddled newborn, or bundles of fresh lemon grass so ornate you just want to put them in a vase at the center of your table. The produce is so abundant and beautiful, I end up supplementing my son’s lists and over-buying every time.
I’m not a big meat eater, so I am surprised at how impressive the meat section of this market is to me. It’s like I’ve never seen meat 'in color' before, almost as if our meat here in the US comes only in shades of gray. I really don’t need to know what you do with a sheep head, a whole goat, or pork trottle, but I am fascinated nonetheless. As I stop to photograph these anomalies, people are slightly irritated but accommodating.
Counting down the days - There will be shopping - There will be cooking - There will be eating - There will be memories in the making . . . Sweet, sweet memories . . .
"If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion and avoid the people, you might better stay home.
You are like a pebble thrown into water; you become wet on the surface, but are never part of the water."
~ James Michener
