Sometimes I marvel at the lengths we go to as parents. Starfruit, pomelo, pineapple, and orange take the coveted four spots in my son’s list of favorite fruits. There is a slight glitch here: the first two are not easily available, let alone taste. So I’m yet to figure out how they moved up the ladder in his list of favorite fruits. I’ve had Pomelo as a child but didn’t see one for the next 20 years, until last summer. Starfruit, on the other hand, I saw for the first time at Hyper City (ridiculously priced) a couple of years back and then at Hyderabad.
There was a mini Malnad mela by Vanastree at Green Life, I’nagar on Friday/Saturday where they planned to sell starfruit candy, kokum candy among other things. But, for us, these were the star attractions. So, we went Friday evening taking in the evening showers. No, there was no starfruit candy as the showers seemed to have spoilt the harvest. I was looking for starfruit seeds, as well, which they didn’t have. The organizer told me you can actually grow starfruit trees by propagation. Anyways, I was in for a surprise as I spot Kawandi Quilts. They were beautiful, and wonder how much work goes in to piece together those colorful patches.
Aren’t these bottles lovely? Fancy growing money plants in these and place them on top of your kitchen cabinet!
I picked up a few things: kokum candy, jackfruit chips, soapberry shampoo, and a few packets of heirloom seeds. On a related note, have you tried using soapberries for washing clothes (in the washing machine, of course)? A friend uses it and waters the plants with the discarded water. Her plants are very happy, and it shows in their backyard.
Were you there? Even if you missed the exhibition, many of the organic products (no, not the quilts) are available at the Green Life store all year round. And if you are looking for something specific, you can get in touch with the folks at Vanastree.
Image courtesy: taken by me at the exhibition
