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From the Same Vine

© Thomas James Martin

My charming spouse, Joyce, had a real charmer of a mom. Unfortunately, Donna, my mother-in-law, passed on a few years ago. By now you are doubtless wondering how my spouse's late mother relates to nature in an urban setting.

Donna used a special test to determine if a fruit or vegetable was ripe and ready for the table. This test is also her legacy to her daughter, Joyce, who like her mother shows no shame in performing it in public.

Actually, superior olfactory development claimed by mother and daughter aside, anyone can do this simple test. Basically, it's just sniffing the fruit or vegetable. If it has a terrific, preferably "loud" scent, by all means put it in the shopping basket.

"Rigorous, double-blind testing" has determined that sniffing the point at which the fruit or vegetable has been broken off from its parent vine, tree, bush, etc. is the best possible place to sample its airy qualifications.

I shall never forget going to the Beaverton (Oregon) Farmers' Market with mother and daughter. Joyce had been embarrassing me for years sampling the aromas of apples, oranges, tomatoes and, yes, even eggplant in public places. I always cautioned her to be sure not to let her nostrils touch the produce. Then, I sort of turned away from her at these times and pretended to squeeze some lemons or feel up an avocado.

But, at the open air market, I saw that mother and daughter were…err…ahh…cut from the same vine so to speak. Imagine two beautiful, petite ladies--favoring each other extraordinarily--madly sniffing each box of strawberries or taking the latest fresh cut greens, holding them close to their noses, passing judgement with a wrinkle of those same four nostrils…

I find that my heart bubbles over every time that I remember those moments of the two of them together at the Market. I also remember that as other Saturday morning shoppers observed them, they too-perhaps a bit sheepishly at first-started sniffing the produce. Obviously, I was privileged to know two these two "trend setters."

Indeed, I now notice that quite a few people--and not just at open air markets--but at supermarkets as well as natural foods stores now perform the sniff test. I swear that I never noticed anyone doing it until after those memorable moments back in 1992.

I know that Donna dwells in whatever heaven may be, and I just hope that in addition to whatever angelic music is playing or divine sights are unfolding that a light-hearted breeze carries a sweet and heavenly scent.

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