Once again we're waiting in an airport lounge. P was in meetings all day and I slept late before going out for a short walk in the city. I love the neighbourhood where our hotel is located. It has every kind of shop you could ever want, from an organic supermarket to a pet shop! I've stocked up on some useful items like organic molasses and lemongrass/ginger tea, and will be making a list for next time. We'll be in Vienna again in April and May so I'm planning to come with empty (almost) suitcases.
I'm just imagining how nice it would be if someone opened a health food/ organic shop in Tirana! I can dream can't I? People say that the fruits and vegies in the local markets are organic but I honestly don't believe it. Well maybe they are kinda sorta organic but that label doesn't necessarily mean they're free of weird toxins etc. They might not have been sprayed with pesticides but the soil in the areas where fruits and vegies are grown in Albania is probably contaminated with all sorts of dangerous stuff. I'm going to try to be more knowledgable about where our food comes from but it won't be easy I think. Any helpful hints would be welcome!
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License
9 comments:
Hi, I am moving to Tirana soon - tell me more about the veggies! They do look lovely when you're there - which ones do you buy and where do you shop? I like my things organic as well..
I am thoroughly enjoying your blog, btw.
Kim, ask one of your albanian friends to translate the following ...
Kurva krihet e fshati digjet
"The whore is combing her hair while the village is burning" - ?
frovin... nice to 'meet' you here. I'll try to write some of that info in a post really soon ok?
parulla & tilva... I'm confused. I'm wondering if I am being insulted or is the proverb in reference to the bigger picture? That's the problem with internet communication- you sometimes don't know how to take something.
Dear Kim, tilvaerelsen and frovin is the same person (me!), I am just not sure about the whole blogspot thingy as I am a wordpresser!
And I was just posting the translation of what parrulla wrote. I don't understand the meaning or the context, though.
Kim,
Cmon'. Don't you know that we have the purest soil in the world. There is no contamination in Albania! It's just the Greek and Serb propaganda that wants to confuse you. The toxins are all in their side of the border.
Don't worry about Parrulla! I think that saying doesn't have anything to do with you. Must be one more misguided soul wondering about the internet.
I am looking forward to seeing you and P in a couple of months!
Hi frovin! I figured that out this morning :) I'd comment on your blog but I can't read it :)
Its... us too! When exactly are you coming??? Our daughter will be here in April!
I'm moving to Tirana with my family in july to work with a Christian NGO/church. We're from Denmark, so maybe that's why my blog looks like gibberish.. ;)
Hi Kim, nice blog.
Most of the fruits you find in the market is brought from outside. Greece being the leader. Vegtables too but to a lesser extent. Home grown goods are reknown for its purity and taste, hense the market seller allways say its home grown. However, the more attracting fruits/vegges look, hte lesser is the chance they are home grown. Usually the home grown products reach the market early on its season. As the season progresses the more import is added to the market to substitute the depletion of home products. This counts for main products. For instance early season apples, called new apples, come from Korca. Later season apples mostly come from Greece and Macedonia(lowest quality). Greece has the best oranges(citrus fruits). Early on cherries come from Diber. Potatos from Kukes. Beans from Kavaje.
Best vegetables are sometimes sold first hand in open f/v markets by old women, from Tirana villages.
Hope this helps,
Take care.
Post a Comment