Frozen v. Fresh food

[MLBW]

Wow.... I'm glad that my initial question triggered such an interesting discussion! I've learnt alot and will definitely buy organic produce from one of those local farmers suggested by MLBW. Thanks again for all of your insightful comments!

No, problem. It has been a very productive conversation, I think!

 

[MLBW]

Also MLBW can you tell me when is the Strawberry picking? I would so LOVE to come over but on a weekday. I would so want my 11 month old daughter to be as close to nature as possible although in a place like HK is hard to do

So glad to talk about this topic. It's a fun one for me! If I remember correctly, strawberry harvest should start at the end of February. I'll get some more info. and give a better date later. Weekdays are actually the best time to come as there are fewer people. You pay a fee for a basket and they give you scissors and you go out into one of the fields and pick and eat to your heart's content. There are various types of strawberries from around the world with different flavors and levels of sweetness and different prices for the different types. I can't remember what the fee for the basket is--I'm guessing around $50 HKD? Maybe a little less. I actually went with a friend who works there last time and picked for free so I don't actually know. I'll let you know later.

 

[wanfamily]

Interesting topic - but a bit freaked out now!

Just read this forum...interetsing stuff, but rather freaked out now. I moved here in July and have been doing most of my shopping at Hang Hau wet market. We're on a VERY tight budget (hubby is a full time student doing his masters and I'm on childcare leave, so essentially we're a no- income family until muggins here goes back to work in Aug). At the moment we manage to feed a family of 4 plus helper on a budget of less than 200HKD per day. My in laws (born and bred in HK) and my hubby see no problem in doing all the shopping from the wet market (veg, meat and fresh fish - we never buy anything processed), but I'm starting to wonder... especially as my kids are only 9 months and 3 yrs. Anyone know any reliable source of where the food from the wet market comes from and what exactly the farming methods are.

 

[MLBW]

I don't know about the Hang Hau wet market but I do know that the local organic farmers here sell their produce in the local wet market and their prices are of course more expensive than the other vegetables but still reasonable. I would check out the HOFA (the Hong Kong Organic Farmer's Association) website which is listed in this thread somewhere--they probably can direct you to growers who sell in the wet markets around you. I think also if you bargain with the grower and buy in bulk (for freezing purposes) you can get a better deal as well. And kudos to you on your frugality. You must teach me your secrets! My parents-in-law as well as my husband are "born and bred" HKers and see nothing wrong with a lot of things--including drinking unfiltered water straight from the tap here (which gives me stomach problems every time!) I think that people in HK are more aware after so many mishaps in the past two years where dodgy vegetables and other produce made it into HK.

 

[wanfamily]

Lets just say when I do go back to work, my first pay will be spent on a HUGE jar of branston pickle, and a fridge full of cheese and wine. lol

 

[MLBW]

What are branston pickles? Expensive. Cheese and wine sounds like my weakness!

 

[carang]

branstons are not at all expensive and can be bought at most supermarkets...(it's a british thing- kinda brown goo-ey, pickled mystery veg)

 

[MLBW]

I guess I should have put a "?" after "expensive" because wanfamily had talked about getting by on a shoestring budget and then she said that when she started working she would be buying branstons so I was asking if they were a luxury spend. Hmmm. Well, never had them and they don't sound very yummy form carang's description, but apparently wanfamily likes 'em so...

 

[carang]

actually, they aren't that bad... they have a familiar taste that i can't place, but more than a touch is too much for me.

 

[MLBW]

Must be a British thing, maybe?