is around the corner at my local kaiser's - the ubiquitous, tengelmann / a&p grocery where i purchase most of my staples. as i was shuffling along in a dull, shopping inspired daze this evening, i found myself staring at an aisle end display of products branded 'von Hier'. i've long appreciated that organic products are easily available at berlin's trashiest local supermarkets - though what they actually mean by 'organic' is always up for discussion - and i am always happy to try to further reduce the amount of toxins i gobble down. 'von Hier' takes it up a notch though - offering a selection of goods from ten organic manufacturers in berlin or brandenburg. not only does this program encourage local organic economic development but also reduces the energy necessary to get the goods to market. not being a gourmand many of their foodstuffs extend beyond my simple needs, but i was able to pick up some strange looking barley band noodles which could prove quite tasty.
on a further food related note - i stopped by the farmer's market here at zionskirchplatz last week, as i needed a couple of cucumbers. but in response to my inquiry the awkwardly dressed farmer lady informed me that they weren't in season yet...and in fact she wouldn't have any until the following weeks! i almost burst into tears and laughter at the same time - not only because she actually understood my broken german, nor because of the absurdity of not being able to procure a few filthy cucumbers ("don't you realize who i AM!"), but also because of the sudden exposure of how far removed i am from any sort of real relation to the discrete food units which keep my meat machine chugging along - wandering the mark brandenburg....
Doesn't 'von Hier' usually refer to "Hier" as in the ex-GDR and West Berlin to boot?
Posted by: d.z. bodenberg | 15 April 2008 at 01:00