Wonky Vegetables?
Interesting post on Epicurious… brief aside: “wonky” is my new favorite word. Whereas on Capitol Hill, being called “wonky” would be a compliment, the Brits seem to think it means “wrong” or “awry.” Perhaps there are more similarities that one would wish to acknowlege between the two types of wonk, but that’s another post…
Back to the wonky vegetables. The Epicurious post says that “the EU is finally repealing rules that prohibit the sale of ‘substandard’ produce, whether it’s a cucumber that’s too curvy, a whimsically shaped carrot, or a kiwi that’s smaller than its cousins.” The question is, do you care if your vegetables look a little funky as long as they are in otherwise sound shape?
The answer for me is no. In fact, I gravitate towards the more unusual looking produce, whether it’s strange colors and shapes of heirloom tomato or a crazy-looking squash that could be an interesting centerpiece. That’s why I love going to the farmer’s market — you get to see all the wonky vegetables at their best.
The problems I find are with human-induced wonkiness, such as when the tomato or apple you pick up has large bruises on its top and bottom from being squished into a pyramid-shaped display. Or when it’s just old and you can’t tell even by doing your due diligence at the store. For example, garlic heads that look ok from the outside but have started to sprout when you cut them open. So my conclusion is, as long and they’re fresh and good quality, bring on the wonky vegetables!
