Sheila’s neighborhood was part of the “poorer” middle class. They weren’t wealthy, but they ate very well at home. Every morning, her father would buy fresh produce and meat from the main street’s butcher shop.
Street vendors were an essential part of daily life. One vendor sold hot boiled beets, wrapped in wax paper. Since pressure cookers weren’t common, beets took too long to cook in a regular pot, so many people eagerly bought them. Sheila’s mother loved them. They would peel and eat the steaming beets immediately, even if they burned their tongues.
Another vendor sold roasted sheep’s heads—one of Sheila’s favorite delicacies. These were expensive, but when her mother bought one, it was a celebration. They devoured everything—the brain, tongue, cheeks, even sucking the bones dry.
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