Yesterday a student brought a big grocery bag full of peaches to school to share with all the teachers. They came from his grandfather's orchard. They are very sweet a juicy but a little crisper than peaches in the U.S. Today we were eating them in the staff room, and my two Korean friends looked at me aghast when I bit into one.
"Ellen! No! You're supposed to PEEL it!"
"Peel the peach?" I asked. I know that Koreans peel apples and pears because of pesticides, and they peel grapes (concord grapes) because they don't like the peels. They don't peel nectarines or plums, and peaches seems similar to those, so I was confused.
One of the teachers explained to me that people have allergic reactions to the fuzz, and it's not good to eat it. I’ve never heard this before. I've been eating peaches, peel and skin and all, my entire solid-food-eating life, and while my allergies can be a bear, I've never noticed any connection to peach fuzz. I always heard that the peel is the best part of the fruit to eat because that's where most of the vitamins are stored. I can understand peeling it to remove organisms (big problem in tropical countries, not a problem in Korea) or pesticides and chemicals, but because the fuzz isn't good for you . . . what's up with this?
So tonight, when I got home, I ate a Korean peach, peel and fuzz and all, in the privacy of my apartment. I hope I survive the night.
I refuse to peel grapes.
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Well, considering I don't like peaches, fuzz and all. I hope you enjoyed yours in the privacy of your own home. I won't tell your coworkers what you did. Your secret is safe with me.
You don't like peaches? Really? Wow. All the more for me.
Considering that you don't like peaches, it was awfully nice of you to give The Peach Mike's (aka "Larry's") hairbrush:
[Narrator]
"Having heard his wonderings, Bob the Tomato enters the scene. Shocked and slightly embarrassed at the sight of Larry in a towel, Bob regains his composure and confesses ..."
[Bob]
"Larry, that old hairbrush of yours ... Well, you never use it, you don't really need it. So, well, I'm sorry ... I didn't know. But I gave it to the Peach - 'cause he's got hair!"
[Narrator] "Feeling a deep sense of loss, Larry stumbles back and laments..."
[Larry]
"Not fair! Oh, my hairbrush. Not fair! My poor hairbrush. Not fair, not fair, no hair, not fair, no where, no hair, not fair, not fair, not fair! My little hairbrush!"
[Narrator]
"Having heard his lament, the Peach enters the scene. Himself in a towel, both Larry and the Peach are shocked and slightly embarrassed at the sight of each other. But recognizing Larry's generosity, the Peach is thankful ..."
[Peach] "Thanks for the hairbrush."
[Narrator]
"Yes, good has been done here. The Peach exits the scene. Larry smiles, but, still feeling an emotional attachment for the hairbrush, calls out ..."
[Larry]
"Take care of my hairbrush. Take care, oh my hairbrush. Take care, take care, don't dare not care. Take care. Nice hair. No fair. Take care, take care ... of my hairbrush."
[Narrator] "The end!"
That was really poetic. And thank you so much, because I really needed to be reminded that I am Bob and Mike is Larry. Me=Tomate y Mike=Pepino that's in Spanish!
YOU DON'T EVEN LIKE PEACHES AND YET YOU GAVE AWAY MY HAIRBRUSH?!?!?!?!?!?! "Escuchen el pepino..." ah jane, those children are probably scarred for life.
Tomate y pepino! Take heart, Larry. Bob may have given away your hair brush, but at least you can sing and dance. As proof, I offer another fine example of "Silly Songs with Larry." Share this one with your friends in Mexico, Jane.
Dance of the Cucumber (The Traditional Agentinian Ballad)
Miren al pepino(Watch the cucumber)
miren como se mueve (see how he moves)
como un leon (like a lion)
tras un raton. (chasing a mouse.)
Miren al pepino (Watch the cucumber)
sus suaves movimientos (Oh, how smooth his motion)
tal como mantequilla (like butter)
en un chango pelon. (on a bald monkey.)
Miren al pepino (Look at the cucumber)
los vegetales (all the vegetables)
envidian a su amigo (envy their friend)
como el quieren bialar (wishing to dance as he)
Pepino bailarin, pepino bailarin, pepino bailarin (Dancing cucumber, dancing cucumber, dancing cucumber)
¡Baila, baila, ya! (Dance, dance, yeah!)
Miren al tomate (Look at the tomato)
¿No es triste? (Isn't it sad?)
El no puede bailar. (He can't dance.)
¡Pobre tomate! (Poor tomato!)
El deberia poder bailar (He wishes he could dance)
Como el pepino (like the cucumber)
libre y suavemente. (free and smooth.)
Pero el no puede danzar. (But he can't.)
Escuchen el pepino (Listen to the cucumber)
oigan su voz fuerte (hear his strong voice)
como un leon (like a lion)
listo a devorar. (about to eat.)
Escuchen al pepino (Listen to the cucumber)
que dulce as su canto (oh how sweet his voice)
la voz de su garganta perece un triar. (the breath from his throat is like a chorus of little birdies.)
Escuchen al pepino (Listen to the cucumber)
los vegetales (all the vegetables)
envidian a su amigo (envy their friend)
como el quieren cantar. (wishing to sing as he)
Pepino cantador, pepino cantador, pepino cantador (Singing cucumber, singing cucumber, singing cucumber)
¡Canta, canta, ya! (sing, sing, yeah!)
Escuchen al tomate (Listen to the tomato)
¿No es triste? (Isn't it sad?)
El no puede cantar. (He can't sing.)
Pobre tomate. (Poor tomato.)
El deberia poder cantar (He wishes he could sing)
fuerte y ducle como el pepino (strong and sweet like the cucumber)
Pero no puede ... (But he can't ...)
¡Ni siquiera da un silbido! (Can't even whistle!)
OK, Ellen,
I can vouch for the peach fuzz allergy...When I was growing up, (a lot longer ago than before you were born), peach fuzz was very, very fuzzy. We always peeled, (but then that was mostly Mexico, where oreganism were a real concern). Recently, I've noticed that most peaches I get at the grocery are only slightly fuzzy... after washing, almost as smooth as nectarines. I don't know if that is a function of variety/selection, etc., or a function of field washing/preparation for shipping. But I also had gotten in the habit of eating peach skins.
I said "most peaches" above, because I recently bought some peaches from a road stand (said to have been grown in Chesapeake), and I washed in farmers spigot, and took a big bite. By the 3rd bite my lips were tingly, and I remembered the other reason why I'd always peeled peaches...I quickly put benadryl cream on my lips (just happened to have in my purse for mosquito bites), but the tingling continued for over an hour. (I finger-peeled the rest of the peach and enjoyed it thoroughly!) So, I guess the "allergy" or "intollerance" is a topical reaction to the fuzz of really fuzzy peaches. I get the same reaction on my skin when I pick tomato plants (if I have the pleasure of picking tomatoes, I try to have long sleeves on), and when I cut a pineapple, my mouth will break out if I try to get some "good fruit" off the peelings. I'm just glad I can eat it when prepared, and so far my hands/skin tolerate the preparation process.
Now tell me this: do you peel kiwi? Evidently locals eat kiwi skin and all, but I've never been able to get past that fuzz...
Ellen, we have ESP!!! At VBS this year, Jane and I were given ALL the kids for 45 mins. on the last day before the concert and told to entertain them, so we printed out the dance of the cucumber lyrics. i sang the spanish (horribly) and jane translated, complete with chasing me around the cafeteria. i think you would have been proud...or at least amused.
Hi Ann. It's so good to hear from you. How are you settling in to your new home? You and Papa Duck have crossed my mind quite a few times lately.
Wow. I really never knew that people could be allergic to peach fuzz. Another person (thanks, Jim!) sent me a link to a medical journal article that says that peach fuzz can cause "sensitization in genetically predisposed subjects," namely those in Mediterranean countries. Interesting. Article is here if anyone is interested.
As for kiwis, I usually cut the top off and eat the insides with a spoon. Or I peel them with a carrot peeler, but the first method is more fun and less messy.
Take care!
Mike, I would have loved to have seen your rendition of "Dance of the Cucumber"! I'm sure it was outstanding. I heard great things about VBS, but no details, so thanks for filling me in. I wish I could have dropped by, but it was important for me to spend time with my family during my all-too-brief trip to Illinois. No question about proud or amused. I say both!! I had the kids at church doing the "Father Abraham" song on Sunday. I think we added an extra 10 lines or so. It was fun. So what's the countdown to college? Are you ready? Nervous? Excited?
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