Melongate

So the last you heard we were going to give the new fruit and veg supplier at Ye Olde Village Shoppe another chance.


On Friday I went to collect my order from the shop and discovered that they had sold my melon. How this could happen I don't know as my order comes in a separate box with my name on it, but it did.


Anyway I'll give the shop assistant, who lives in the village her due as she popped home and came back with a melon! Of course it was a from a supermarket but I have to accept that it was a damage limitation exercise and I wanted a melon! (and I guess if I hadn't turned up when I had, I would be non the wiser).


How was this weeks produce then???


One very manky onion and six seriously bruised kiwi fruit with inedible cores. (that's a new one on me)


On Saturday we were at the fabulous Ruby Country Market www.rubycountrymarket.co.uk and bought  some lovely purple sprouting broccoli and a huge cauliflower from Hallwood Veg www.hallwoodfreshveg.co.uk  They have a shop in Okehampton but unfortunately we rarely have the need to go in that direction.


Yesterday I was in Holsworthy for a haircut so popped into Mr. Dynamic for gram flour and turmeric ...... oh yes, did I tell you that last week when I went in for yeast (the very yeast that he ordered in for me at the start ) had sold out and he hadn't noticed! aaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
So back to yesterday, I then went to the fruit and veg shop ......... where there are no prices displayed and always strange people congregating in it, for a melon.


'Can I help you?'


'Yes have you any melons?'


'They're very expensive and not ripe'


'What is very expensive?'


He didn't reply but got a melon out from under a cloth and fondled it before declaring 'its not ripe' and covered it up again.


Now this isn't the first time he's told me something is expensive ........... a while back I picked up some leeks from his outdoor display, walked the gauntlet of strange men commenting on the size of the leeks, to the till for him to tell me that they were very expensive.
Well £2.55 was a bargain as far as I was concerned.


Back to yesterday ....... I then homed in on the kiwi fruit .......


'you need to pick the ones on the left, the others aren't very good'


Now I know why we gave up using this shop 17 years ago when we moved here...................


How can you run a business like that?


.....................and please let me decide what is expensive!


So I now need to work on where to get our fruit and veg this week ..............


Where's Baldrick when you need a cunning plan???