Lazy Eater

I was given some home grown oranges straight off the tree the other day.  I love oranges.  I also have a great liking for water melon.  Partly because of the firm but compliant, cold texture and partly because of their association in my mind with a wonderful few days in Toronto many years ago with a friend from my youth (who is still one of my closest friends despite our physical separation - she still lives in Canada).  We used to eat breakfast at Movenpick in the atrium (was it on the corner of Yonge and Wellington Streets in BCE Place?) and I always had watermelon, amongst other things of course.  It was, I think, the first time I'd tried it.

I love Conference pears with shaved Parmesan cheese.  Apples grow all around me in Hawkes Bay and The Cottage is surrounded by orchards.  The Cottage stands in the 5 acre grounds of The House and it has a small orchard with fejoas, lemons, apricots and heaven knows what else all there for the picking. In fact Hawkes Bay is the fruit bowl of New Zealand.

So why, apart from tomatoes which I eat in profusion and some bananas (one of the few regularly imported fruits which are always available in the supermarkets here) do I not eat lots of fruit?

Part of the answer lies in the fact that things like the oranges are such a faff.  The particular oranges I was given were juicy and delicious but had a thousand (ok, ok, I know, you've told me a million times not to exaggerate) pips.  The pleasure of eating one was, therefore, diminished.  I will however eat raspberries in the way that some people will eat sweets (lollies in New Zealand).   I can hear you all tut tutting and hoping that your children don't read this.  Another part of the answer lies in the fact that I prefer savoury to sweet foods.  The truth is, however, that I'm a lazy eater and fruit requires effort.  Shame on me.