I violated the green grape covenant.
Green grapes are less than $2 a pound. They are plentiful. All are crisp and sweet. It’s not worth the time, effort, and gas money to travel as much as I did to get grapes for this weekly report. Again, as I did last week, I bought too many and will suffer the consequences, especially after eating nuts and grains. But the discomfort applauds the joy of the abundance spread across the city.
As I ate my way through today’s selection, chosen from Aldi and the Major Triad at Maxtown and State, I struggled to decide which store’s offerings would best satisfy my grading system: sweetness, crispness, color, volume, and size.
So I went with the stem that looked best in the photo, justifying the violation based solely on the smooth arc of the stem and the grapes that once dangled in the sun, wind, and rain, now gently arranged on slate and posed for the still life — a portrait that took on more importance than the fruit’s goodness.
I completely understand that it is wrong to judge something solely on its appearance. I was an adult before I learned to like broccoli. Broccoli led to Brussels sprouts, which I detest in any form: steamed, fried, baked, or broiled.
Don’t come near me if you are even thinking about okra. In my youth, it was a gelatinous goo, and that memory can never be displaced by today’s promises of salads, fries, and dehydrated snacks.
No amount of hot pepper vinegar will make collard greens and turnips palatable.
oysters! Lowercase. They don’t deserve the accolade.
So the question is: Was it right to judge these grapes on their looks? Is that an accepted method for judging something that has become so integral to my life? Are beauty and design proper ways to evaluate green grapes?
Yes.
And I did.
Enjoy.
Ohio Cup brings vintage base ball to Westerville
More than 30 vintage base ball teams brought a taste of the 19th century to the Westerville Sports Complex this weekend for the annual Ohio Cup Vintage Base Ball Festival.
Held over the weekend, the two-day tournament featured teams from across the country competing under rules from the 1860s. Players took the field in period-inspired uniforms and used traditional equipment, giving spectators a glimpse of how the national pastime was played generations ago.
Among the teams competing were the Ohio Village Muffins men’s team and the Ohio Village Diamonds women’s team. Throughout the weekend, the complex was filled with spirited competition, baseball history and the camaraderie that has become a hallmark of vintage base ball.
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No pics of the Diamonds?