Ensenada's Fruterías

I keep meaning to tell you about Ensenada's fruterías. If you keep your eyes open, you will spot them in unexpected parts of the city and surrounding areas. Set in improvised settings, central to a neighborhood, where working folk can drive by and stop for a quick shopping trip or locals with few transportation options can walk to. They usually sprout on improvised spots. Such as this one, made of wood and wire or more simple ones like the ones on busy intersections set on the back of a truck, covered with an improvised tarp.

Some are more elaborate with brick and mortar walls, generally because someone converted their garage or another room of their house into a store.
In a region that exports most of their more visually appealing produce to the U.S. and local supermarket chains keep the least attractive ones. Fruterías are a salvation, not only because one can find fresh produce by local farmers, but also because dinner, household staples and locally prepared preserves can be found, along with remedies, local news and community bonding opportunities.
The most precious part of the fruterías, are the coolers carefully labeled with the name of ones' favorite neighborhood flour tortilla maker. Delicious!!! These are usually very safe to consume, since your neighbor lady is interested in keeping up her reputation as the best tortilla maker in the neighborhood. If you come to Ensenada please stop at the nearest frutería and help these businesses keep going.

They are of great service to the community and a great source of income for entire families. Usually in the mornings during school hours, the store will be managed by a Mother or Grandmother in the company of a few toddlers and or preschoolers. Only to be replaced by a teenager in the afternoons and usually an adult man after dark.