Sidewalk Scenes October 2025

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*** Planetary Good Food Impressions *** New Feature: Food Traditions and Food Culture *** ‘Salty & Cara’: The Apple Paradigm 4 ***

Here’s the Outlook:

  1. At the beginning of this month, I had the chance to get a short insight into some of the new revelations from the 2025 report of the EAT Commission. New and extended ideas about a diet that could feed the world – the Planetary Health Diet – were shared. There were some difficult aspects on display, like injustice and destruction linked to our current food system. But, there was also inspiration and shared values on good food. I am still browsing through the new report, that is now available via the website of the Lancet magazine and also the page of the EAT Forum. What I am especially loving right now is their new campaign about how many brilliant examples for sharing good food are already there, around the globe. You will find some links on the InfoByteSized page, under the ‘T’, as in ‘Think Oval’ (my post from Easter 2024), and the Planetary Health Diet passage. Do rEAd(T) up on the good stuff!
  2. As I already announced a month ago, the new feature is about “Food Traditions and Food Culture”. So, from October this year until January next year, I will put a special focus on that. The ‘Featured’ category and the tag “featured posts” will give you an assortment of what has been written and what is new on the Parsley-Lane Blog concerning this topic. Follow me down the lane.
  3. Below, you will find the fourth episode of the story “The Apple Paradigm” from the Salty and Cara Adventures. A juicy fable, set in a world inhabited only by fruits and vegetables—and a few insects, of course. It’s a tale of love and crime, raw, but served hot. Not sure what’s cooking? Check out [Overview and Table of Contents].

By Mag M. Schaper

Salty & Cara – The Apple Paradigm (Part 4)

Fifth Story, fourth Episode: Salty receives disturbing news. The situations is very dangerous, because some powerful tree fruit are involved.

Heavy Packages

As usual, Courgette was already in the office when Salty arrived. His father had started the day very early, and she had never made a change. She even kept up with his staying late, because that also made no difference to his late father‘s routine.

„Maxwell Calabaza just called.“

„Really? How come the chief of police is at his desk at this hour? Normally, he does not arrive at the precinct after everybody has had the third round of special nutrient.“

„He just got back from a meeting with the mayor. He announced that you will be receiving a package that needs to be handled with absolute confidentiality. Even I am not supposed to know about its contents.“

„He knows that will not be possible, you know about everything around here.“

„That is true. Also, as you know, I will not talk about anything I have seen around here. Even at the point of a knife. That has not changed since your father‘s days either. And Max is aware of that as well, for he has known me since when your father was still with the police. In fact, he introduced us.“

„I see. So, this is a warning. We should not involve anyone in the investigation because we do not know who is playing what game.“

„Exactly. But that was not the only package you will be receiving this morning. Joe just brought in another one.“

„Joe? I did not … Oh, that sly old banana. It‘s the package from a mansion up in Gentle Slopes, right? From one of those high, old tree families.“

„Yes, he said to tell you not to worry. He met up with the courier you had sent this morning and convinced him that he needed to take his place.“

„That is actually not a bad move. Because he would get a lot more inside information from picking up the parcel than a normal courier would. That means Hanano is involved as well. I wonder why.“

He opened the package, and a picture fell out. It showed the beautiful pear and another pear standing beside her. Supposedly, her brother.

His old secretary picked up the picture and took a look at it, as she handed it to him.

„Well, for one, he is probably worried about that dame. Those always come with a lot of trouble.“

„I have not experience whatsoever with any ‚Dame‘. As you know, I am planning to get bonded with Cara. And no weather condition, crook, or ‚Dame‘ is going to stop that from happening.“

Courgette smiled: „I know, Quentin. But that is not what I meant. That type either attracts trouble like a magnet, or she has a hidden agenda that is not sweet at all.“

„I’m guessing the latter. She seemed a little too surreal to be true.“

„That bad, huh? Now I see why Hanano and Joe would be worried.“

The entrance signal chimed.

„That must be the Mayor‘s parcel. Would you please …? Oh, right, I have to accept it myself: ‘For my eyes only‘ ….“

He went, got the parcel, and started reading. Then he sat down.

„Oh no. That is awful. He mentioned that there are some really bad things going on in New Valley right now, but this is …“

„Not that I am paying any attention, but what is going on?

He handed her the message on top of pile of documents he had just been sent.

„This says that his daughter Bosca did not die from an unfortunate incident connected to that poison the press named ‘Blue Dew’. She was murdered. And someone warns him that more bad things are coming his way if he does not do exactly what he is told.”

She read the note and sighed sadly.

„That poor apple. He is such a good mayor. The best we have had in a long time. The one before him was his father. But he was a totally different kind. Always hanging with the upper pears and doing what they wanted him to do. He made many Swallowtails that way, too.“

„And I suppose part of his price was that his son would be the next mayor.’

„I can imagine that, yes. Not that it ever was officially discussed. He just won the election shortly after his father decided to leave his post and retire up in Gently Slopes. Adam Anacuta was the youngest mayor ever to be elected.“

„Well, someone is not happy with him. Seems like the apple has fallen too far from the tree.“

„I have not experience whatsoever with any ‚Dame‘. As you know, I am planning to get bonded with Cara. And no weather condition, crook, or ‚Dame‘ is going to stop that from happening.“

Courgette smiled: „I know, Quentin. But that is not what I meant. That type either attracts trouble like a magnet, or she has a hidden agenda that is not sweet at all.“

Side Notes:

Needless to say, the stories about Salty and Cara are pure figments of my imagination. No resemblance to any person or place – present or past – is intended. But I am sure you have already figured that out 😉

The “Salty & Cara” Adventures were invented and written by Mag M. Schaper (copyright 2022 – 2025). All images and content are copyrighted. All rights reserved. For more information, see the Legal Notice.