Chard

Swiss chard is rich in vitamins, minerals, protein, and dietary fibre.

Today the 6th of August of 2023 has been a fabulous day here on Lulu Island to do with my Fijian neighbours, the Wongs, who are partly Chinese and partly East Indian. Moli the grandma has given us about a dozen green figs from her backyard trees. (Incidentally, her name means "orange" in Fijian.) In return, Mama has me give them Swiss chard and three green poblanos, grown by my elder brother Fernando in Vancouver. Moli has given us her exotic cooking. In Moli's kitchen, her husband Leong and she are watching a Sunday church television show. I know that the Wongs are Catholic, but the show is not. In the corner of Moli's kitchen is fully decorated with Fijian masks, etc., which intrigue me, being an art collector myself. I talk with her grownup kids Sandra and Isaac. The Wongs resemble Japanese to me. Sandra and Isaac will be visiting Western Europe in September. Sandra and Moli have previously been to Greece. I recount my experience there with amazing whitewashed buildings with blue roofs. I say to them that some Japanese fantasize to live in a Mediterranean village. I say that some of my Greek-Jew ancestors from Greece settled in Panama, so I have relatives there today. My great-grandfather instead went to the Philippines. Sandra has visited Costa Rica. We agree that tourists should not be so "snooty" and should learn some of the local lingo. Such makes friendlier relations. I go home to make "horchata de arroz" or rice drink mix from El Salvador, given by my elder brother.

From figs and Swiss chard to edible nasturtiums, Finley grows fruits and vegetables that are rare in the inner city, where he says residents have better access to fast food and liquor stores than to healthful produce.

There was to be no official opening ceremony, but nevertheless the inhabitants of Chard were not going to neglect this opportunity for a bean-feast, for they were also to celebrate the demolition of the town's East Gate.

Three men got out and surrounded Mr Chard. They were police officers, and he was under arrest, charged with taking indecent pictures of his children under the Protection of Children Act 1978 (POCA).

Today you can order a glass of Chard almost anywhere, but in the 1960s it was relatively unknown outside of France. Can you imagine such a time?