When I am in a foreign country or even in another city I love to go to markets and supermarkets. They tell so much about the habits and life of the local people. What do they eat? Do they cook fresh or do they prefer ready food? How are the prizes?
A lot of questions and the answer can be seen on a street or town market as well as in a supermarket. A little difficult it is when the language is so different that one can’t even read and imagine what is written there.
As I asked about GMO fruits and vegetables I didn’t get a satisfying answer from our guide. I think it has been also a political question as the country maybe is not so unified in this way of thinking.
The question popped out when we passed a huge GMO Institute and Monsanto fields.
Along the streets near to villages there are a lot of small markets consisting of one tent with fresh fruits and vegetables. Very easy to buy going from one place to another.
Mountains of fresh garlic everywhere tells me they cook a lot with it.
I never saw fresh cereals before – think it was barley – selling raw. They do a cereal soup with it. A little like a rice soup I suppose.
We often bought our daily bananas in places like this, but also apricots, melons and more.
The most interesting place of course is the souq in Amman. Here we found herbs, spices, tea, coffee and much more.
In the souq I got finally miswak (a root to clean teeth) and I took some sumak. A reddish spice for salads, meat or fish with a light lemon or vinegar taste.
I missed to buy coffee with fresh grounded cardamom. I would do that home.
Do you like to see markets when on holidays? What do you bring home from markets?
Amman/Jordan:
For further information:
Jordan Tourism Board
