TRENDSETTING MARCHE

Anyone familiar with the history of "development" and "modernization" knows that poor nations are often described by Western experts as traditional and resistant to change (i.e. "Why are "they" unwilling to adopt "our" lifeways, values, and practices?"). Development experts typically blame this resistance for a slew of economic, social, and political maladies such as persistent poverty, illiteracy, and instability. In essence, those poor third worlders are responsible for their own ill fate.

Years later, these same experts often exonerate struggling farmers, merchants, and artisans as forward thinking practitioners. Ouidah's farmer's market might be considered a "cutting edge" example of the highly acclaimed sustainability movement with its fresh produce, local artisans, petit merchants.

The Marché Kpassé is held like clockwork every five days. An astute anthropologist might find that every five days is the optimal time to replenish perishables. Or perhaps the economic elasticity of local families typically extends a period of five days.

Vendors arrive with small quantities of produce, household staples, cloth, and other edibles. No wholesalers or other signs of economies of scale here. Whatever fits on the back of a motor scooter or atop one's head is the extent of merchandise stocked by most vendors.

Fresh, local, and in-season is great in theory, but the practice is a mixed bag. In Ouidah in June and July, you better like tomato, chile, corn, okra (okra!? Yeah, I know), onion, garlic, oranges, and pineapple. The flavors are all pretty sensational and the smells are intense. Another upside of "in-season" is the price. A small basket of tomatoes sell for 25 cents. Pineapples (really sweet and juicy) 40 cents. Oranges run about 5 cents apiece.

On the downside, the range of choices is pretty narrow for the spoiled Westerner. No blueberries from South Africa or summer peaches from northern Europe here. But with a bit of effort, intrepid shoppers can seek out risk-taking sellers who stock green beans, carrots, beets, potatoes, and bananas.

Living in the belly of the sustainability beast is great at cultivating anticipation among cooks and foodies, too. I'm looking forward to experiencing the changing seasons and tasting the next round of fresh and local flavors.