Wednesday, November 4/2026

 

We’re probably the only people at the local grocery store - ok, supermarket, but that’s almost overstating it - who care about getting the itemised receipt with our purchases. And it really isn’t to check for accuracy - it’s normally accurate. It’s to learn the Turkish names for what we buy. Sometimes they’re similar to the English, and occasionally to the Polish but often resemble nothing we’re familiar with.

So, home with a heavy (estimate two pounds by comparing to an 850 gram container of yoghurt but will really have to acquire a kitchen scale for the Cyprus home) kohlrabi. By process of elimination, conclude it’s the item called glumra on the receipt. (Predictive text wanted me to write “glumly” and in this case can see its problem). But repair to Google Translate and enter glumra. No joy. No translation available. AI, at Google’s behest, somewhat more forthcoming. “The term “glumra” likely refers to kouloumbra (κουλούμρα),the Cypriot name for kohlrabi…Because kohlrabi is a highly popular staple in Cyprus, locals and visitors often phoneticize the Greek Cypriot name as kouloumbra, kouroumba, or colloquially glumra”. Pleased enough at the explanation that I forgive AI for using likely as an adverb.

Price 50 lira ($1.43 CAD, £0.74)