Life In Our Neighborhood (Fourth In A Series)

It’s not complete if you could not hear the sound of school buses, tricycles, motorcycles and some impatient drivers beeping their horns in  an otherwise still sleepy neighborhood. Or your  suki  vegetable vendor shouting that he has fresh fiddlehead  fern or  saging na saba. That’s our place so early in the morning and when you hear them  penetrating your subconscious, it’s time to wake up and sweep the dead and fallen leaves in the yard.  Occasionally though, some of our neighbors who own farms in nearby provinces sell their produce at a lower price than the one you see in the wet market.

Two weeks ago, one of our neighbors who just harvested their calamansi sold them for only P12.00 pesos a kilo so even if we have our own two calamansi trees (Philippine lime), we bought four kilo to make into juice. My son loves it.

Afterall, it is healthier than soda drinks and served chilled, it’s refreshing. You just have to add sugar to the freshly squeezed juice to preserve it for at least a week. Once in a while, when I chance upon the buko vendor who goes around the streets in our place, I buy at least two and have them separated from the  green husk. It is another healthy alternative to drinking commercially produced fruit drinks .

Yesterday, I saw the open gate of our neighbor and when I took a look, there were crates of Rambutan waiting to be sold. Every year, they harvest them from their farm in Laguna and sell them to the nearby houses.

I prefer Rambutan over Lanzones (which is also in season now) because the former is juicier and sweeter, and besides, it is also cheaper. I bought three kilo with extra  pieces on the side. Rambutan is best eaten just a bit chilled while it is still fresh. Aside from being a good source of vitamin C and calcium, it also provides niacin, iron, protein and fiber.

That’s life in our neighborhood.  Sometimes, it’s a thrill discovering new produce from ambulant vendors  selling their wares early in the morning. Added to that of course is the smell of freshly baked  pan de sal.  Ah, it’s heaven with a hot cup of coffee and your favorite sandwich spread, be it as simple as scrambled  eggs, matamis na bao, peanut butter or slivers of cheese.

 

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