she who eats...a peach

ah, the poesy of peaches!

the first of the japanese peaches have arrived. inspired by chika's evocative post on she who eats, and the rather pragmatic words of missy elliott (is it worth it? let me work it!) i shelled out the small ransom that one fruit held.

the romantic side of me sees a voluptuous blushing beauty, with skin like velvet, and a plucked-from-the-branch ripeness that botticelli would fall head over heels for. the aberrant side of me sees me living in it with a giant worm and a little boy named james. this thing is *ginormous*.



lilo is 3 inches tall; james' giant white peach is just a shade shorter, and rotund. the flesh is a creamy pale yellow, veined with dark arteries of pure, sweet juice that burst with every bite. the skin literally blisters with juiciness when you cut into it. the taste is much more delicate than that of a yellow peach but is pronounced enough to make you greedy for more; it is soft, sweet, even, and somewhat lacking in tartness. the velvety skin really adds another dimension to the flavour.

it was gone in seconds.

Shall I part my hair behind? Do I dare to eat a peach?
I shall wear white flannel trousers, and walk upon the beach.
I have heard the mermaids singing, each to each.

--T.S. Eliot, "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock". 1917.

no to the hair whimsy and white flannels, mermaids are always a bad sign, but give me a peach like this any day.