Ajijic is home to a number of North Americans and Europeans who would not live any where else.

"Why"? You may ask. One of the many reasons is the healthy life style.

We enjoy nutritious, colourful, fresh fruits and vegetables year round at very reasonable cost. We have the option of organic produce also.

Our health improves, you need only ask many of the residents and they will tell you amazing stories of renewed vigor, body image and with it new interests in fitness and other activities that make life so fulfilling here.

Because we have wonderful produce so readily available I have taken to trying no ways of preparing meals: less meat, more vegetable dishes served sometimes with, sometimes without chicken and fish.

I would like to share two links from websites that I receive e-mails from regularly. Snowbirds could use these recipes also as summer and fall harvests are available.

http://allrecipes.com/HowTo/From-Farm-to-Table-Farmers-Markets/Detail.aspx

http://allrecipes.com/howto/summertime-is-berrytime/detail.aspx?ms=1&prop25=63845264&prop26=Baking&prop27=2011-07-26&prop28=Intro&prop29=Link_1&me=1

Below is a picture of my favourite company coming dessert - 5 fresh locally grown berries in a red currant sauce.

Here is what market day looks like every Wednesday were people stock up on fresh produce for the week.

We invite you to come and sample some of the good life in Ajijic!! Don and I will show were these good things are to be found.

We have talked before about the delicious and fresh produce that we enjoy in abundance here in Mexico.

We recently bought some blueberries grown in Jalisco, the state in which we live. The producing company is Berries Paradise. In looking up their website I found some good news that I would like to share with you.

We hear so often, "don't buy raspberries or strawberries from Mexico - they are contaminated." Nothing could be further from the truth when buying Berries Paradise fruit, as the following info. will tell you.

Berries Paradise

We have plantations in the States of Jalisco, Michoacan and Colima, in the western part of Mexico region where most of the plantations of berries in the country are located. We have appropriate soil and with a mild climate that allows us to cultivate and harvest in the winter, which coupled to the world’s largest market translates in to window of opportunity and a great advantage for our increasing participation in the market.

Berry Paradise fields meet a set of characteristics difficult to emulate:

• Excellent locations within the areas of production and only 17 hours from the U.S. border.

• Good soil and above all good weather.

• Important surface in one place.

• Clean, deep well water.

• Drip irrigation system.

• Agriculture protected through tunnels in 100% of their fields, resulting in improved quality and quantity of product.

• Refrigerator in each field to ensure the quality.

• Protection anti-granizo, monitored satelitamente.

• A great experience in the production because we have one of the best technical teams in Mexico.

• Our fields are distinguished for being the best in Mexico, especially the blueberry fields.

Watch this video for an eye opener in fruit production in Mexico

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTG-o0E0MvQ

This is a follow up to the price comparisons made by Sharon. This time we are in the grocery store.

Here are the happy couple on the Malecon (boardwalk) under clear blue skies in Chapala.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Ed and Sharon are typical of the people that we have become friends with here in Aijic - fun loving, friendly, caring, adventuresome, generous and helpful. Need I say more?                       

We feel fortunate to have met them and look forward to their return to Ajijic in April, 2011.

Ed and Sharon, our Super Shoppers

Sharon's grocery store food prices are available to view by clicking on the link below.

Book1E2.pdf (144.88 kb)

We don't miss out on anything here in Ajijic!!

Our friends from Florida have visited Ajijic a few times and became instant participants in the community.

Sharon put the lists (one seen below) together and she "Hopes this is helpful for someone considering Ajijic as their new home."

She writes:

"We eat very little meat and our total food bill for one month in Ajijic was $199.00.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Our total expenses for one month (not including condo rental or car rental) was $580.85. This included eating out 10 times.

You can't beat it. Along with the beautiful weather we had for the month, wonderful friends and being involved with the orphanage, it was a very memorable Christmas."

Sharon and Ed visited the local Wednesday street market ("tiangus") for fresh fruits and vegetables.

"Total at tiangus for one visit was $8.06.                                                                                                                                                                                                               Total at tiangus on second visit was $7.25.                                                                                                                                                                                                            Total at tiangus on third visit was $9.44 (this included vegies for N.Y. eve party).

Tiangus food list

5 red delicious apples                              $1.05                                                                                                                                                                                                       6 avocados                                             $0.80                                                                                                                                                                                                       5 bananas                                              $0.48                                                                                                                                                                                                    Bag of green beans                                 $0.81                                                                                                                                                                                                      Head of broccoli                                      $0.40                                                                                                                                                                                                         10 carrots                                               $0.40                                                                                                                                                                                                  Large cauliflower                                      $1.04                                                                                                                                                                                                        3 cucumbers                                           $0.32                                                                                                                                                                                                       4 grapefruit                                            $0.56                                                                                                                                                                                                        1/2 kilo grapes                                       $0.81                                                                                                                                                                                                        2 jicama                                                 $0.48                                                                                                                                                                                                        32 oranges (we juiced them)                     $1.21                                                                                                                                                                                                    1/2 lb.Bag of peanuts in shell                   $1.21                                                                                                                                                                                                       8 small white potatoes                             $0.81                                                                                                                                                                                                       6 tomatoes                                             $0.48"

"Then of course, there are the delicious huge raspberries that we could not get enough of, that were $1.61 a quart."

AND Men's haircut $6.54 (including tip), compares to $17.00 in Florida city where they live.