Tsukiji Vegetable Market

Pre-packaged food is so integral to our lives. So much so, that most of us know wasabi only as the paste out of the tube. In fact, it is made from finely grating the root of the wasabi plant. And of course it comes in different qualities. The seller shows us just two, the lower quality one shown above, and the more expensive one below.

We are becoming so far removed from where our food comes from, and with it the respect for the difficulty in production. Large volumes of fruits and vegetables are wasted daily because they do not met aesthetic requirements. Consumers select to buy only the those deemed a suitable size and shape. It is time we celebrate variety in nature, and accept that vegetables, like people, come in all shapes and sizes.