Before moving to Module 4, visit a market in your city.
Don't buy anything on the first visit (unless something looks irresistible). Just observe:
- Walk the whole market first. Get a sense of the layout. Where's the fish, the meat, the produce, the prepared foods?
- Identify what's in season. What's piled high? What's abundant and cheap? What's prominently displayed?
- Compare one ingredient across stalls. Pick one thing, tomatoes, oranges, cheese, and look at it in three different places. Notice the differences in appearance, price, and presentation.
- Talk to one vendor. Ask what's good today. See what they point you toward.
- Taste something. Buy one thing that's in season and eat it as close to its natural state as possible. A perfect piece of fruit. A slice of cheese. A handful of olives.
This is the beginning of understanding where food comes from. Not as an abstraction, but as something you can see, touch, and taste at the source.