A sure sign that autumn is here

ONE of the signs that autumn is here (apart from the storms and rain) is the appearance of jujubes in the markets.
They are known as ginjols in Majorcan, and their Spanish name, much harder to pronounce, is azufaifas. Actually, you will seldom see the Spanish name on price tags, and I have come across some stall-holders who are not familiar with it. Those who like the jujubes shun the large green ones, even if they are labelled ‘Majorcan,' claiming that they are insipid and cannot compare with what they call the ‘authentic' Majorcan variety which is small and dark brown in colour when ripe. Needless to say, the latter are hard to find in the market. The larger ones cost just under four euros a kilo, but cheaper ones can be found if you take the time to look.