Holes and Peaches

This year, I’m helping one of my students to study for SPM Literature in English. One of the books that we are reading is Holes by Louis Sachar. Well, this is really a good book, and I would recommend it to everyone.

My copy of "Holes"

In Holes, Miss Katherine Barlow made the most ‘fabulous spiced peaches’ in Green Lake – peaches preserved in cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and other secret spices. She gave 16 jars of spiced peaches to Sam, the onion picker in exchange for his services repairing the schoolhouse. But as fate would have it, Sam’s boat sank in the middle of the lake. The lake dried up and there would be no rain for the next 110 years.

Fast forward 110 years, Zero, who ran away from the Camp Green Lake Juvenile Correction Facility seeked refuge under the sunken boat, and lived on the very same jars of spiced peaches he called Sploosh. It looked like mud, but “it was a warm, bubbly, mushy nectar, sweet and tangy.” It felt “like heaven” and “was too good to resist”.

Okie, so my student and I revised the book this week. I always loved discussing the issues and themes in the book with her. But after that, the description of those peaches lingered in my memory and left me with a strong craving for peaches. Lol.

So out I went to buy a can of peaches. I was at Boulevard Hypermarket, and they were a 2 - 3 brands to choose from. I ended up buying this can. Well, I had reservations about this brand of peaches because the label said, "Made in China". I really haven't eaten Made-in-China peaches before.

I decided to buy a can of peaches

Besides, it said "Premium", and then it had a "Superbrands" logo on it. And so I decided to give it a try. I squatted down at the aisle for a long time, because the peaches were at the bottom of the shelf. Most of the cans were dented, and I picked up can after can to find a perfect one.

At home, I chilled my can of peaches in the fridge. Tonight, after dinner I persuaded my friend to have peaches for dessert ;p.

I opened the can and was satisfied to see the peach halves, golden yellow in colour.

Perfect peach halves

Excited, I bit into a piece, and was immediately disappointed. Why? It was sweet, but it wasn't tangy at all. I thought peaches were supposed to be sweet and tangy at the same time. What a big disappointment.

Well, contrary to the description in the book, my peaches neither "felt like heaven" nor "was too good to resist". After a few bites, I gave up and shove the peaches back into the refrigerator. What do I do with them now. Make peach cobbler?