WHAT IS AN IDAHO POTATO? This tuber is not just an escapee from the Mid-West, it’s also a brilliant marketing campaign. Basically the Idaho potato is a trademarked Russet potato that’s only grown in Idaho. While this state grows over 2 dozen other types of potatoes, none of them are named “Idaho.” Think of Idaho […]
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ARCHAEOLOGY OF FRUITS & VEGETABLES – Sweet Potato (Boniato)
WHAT IS A SWEET POTATO? This tuber favors warmer, tropical climates. It has been a Central American favorite for over 5,000 years! While they might be named after potatoes and have similar nutritional benefits, sweet potatoes are not from the same vegetable family. The main difference between the two is that sweet potatoes have 6 […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF FRUITS & VEGETABLES – Spinach
WHAT IS SPINACH? It is an edible, flowering vegetable originally from Asia (most likely Persia). From there via China it made its way West to Italy and then North America. Today there are two basic types – Savoy (curly) and Flat (smooth) leaf spinach. The latter is easier to clean and more popular in […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF FRUITS & VEGETABLES – Peach
WHAT IS A PEACH? This stone fruit has a fuzzy skin and ranges from red to yellow in color. Originally the peach was cultivated in northwest China (which currently produces over half of the world’s supply). From there the trees spread to Iran and then the Roman empire where they were called Persian apples. Today […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF FRUITS & VEGETABLES – Yam
WHAT IS A YAM? So if you look this word up in Google’s online dictionary, it says “a plant that yields a yam.” But if you think you’re already familiar with this edible tuber, think again. Retail stores often sell sweet potatoes mis-labeled as yams. The authentic yam is not the same. It has a […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF FRUITS & VEGETABLES – Asparagus
WHAT IS ASPARAGUS? These slender, phallic shaped spears are both healthy and delicious. Originally popular in ancient Greece, the wild version back thin was darker, thinner and more bitter. It is a perennial (like the Terminator it comes back year after year) that prefers less acidic soil. The three most popular types of asparagus consumed […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF FRUITS & VEGETABLES – Cherry Tomato
WHAT IS A CHERRY TOMATO? A member of the berry family, these mini spheres come in red, green, black and yellow. Originally cultivated by the Aztecs in the 700s during their unique take on health care (“You don’t feel well? Here, lie down on this stone couch. No, no, don’t worry about the blood. And […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF FRUITS & VEGETABLES – Lime
WHAT IS A LIME? It is a hybrid citrus with a green skin usually 1 to 2 inches (several centimeters). Born in southern Asia, Arabian traders are thought to have introduced this fruit introduced to Europe around 1,000 A.D. The trees can grow up to 16 feet in height WHY ARE LIMES GOOD FOR […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF FRUITS & VEGETABLES – Beet
WHAT IS A BEET? These dark red, circular roots have a thick, brown skin on the outside that provides excellent dirt camouflage. Cut this tuber in half and you have growth rings like in the trunk of a tree. These concentric layers of vascular tissue are indicative of the beet’s quality. More rings means the […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF FRUITS & VEGETABLES – Plum Tomato
WHAT IS A PLUM TOMATO? This popular Italian fruit is a member of the berry family. Red in color, it has a similar oval shape as the stone fruit it’s named after. Plum tomatoes have less seeds then many other tomato varieties, resulting in more flesh per ounce. Tomato afficianados refer to this as being […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF FRUITS & VEGETABLES – Lemon
WHAT IS A LEMON? It is a hybrid fruit from a flowering species of evergreen trees. Originally thought to be a blend of oranges and citron from northern India, they were introduced to southern Italy during the Roman Empire. However this citrus fruit didn’t catch on in popularity for over a 1,000 years in the […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF FRUITS & VEGETABLES – Granny Smith Apple
WHAT IS A GRANNY SMITH APPLE? While this seems like a red blooded American apple, it was actually invented in New South Wales, Australia! Ms. Maria Ann Smith cultivated it on the side while giving birth to 16 children. One day she threw out a box of Tasmanian French crab apples that had gone bad. […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF FRUITS & VEGETABLES – Swiss Chard
WHAT IS SWISS CHARD? This Mediterranean vegetable might not look like a beet, but it’s related to both beets and spinach. It goes by many names including Silverbeet, Seakale, and even Strawberry Spinach. The vibrant stems and leaves can be eaten. But while Swiss chard comes in different colors, they all taste the same. Growing […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF FRUITS & VEGETABLES – Blueberry
WHAT IS A BLUEBERRY? These blue, black and purple edible fruits are from prostate shrubs that grow up to 13 feet (4 meters) in height. While they are native to North America, the blueberry didn’t become popular until the 1900s. Today North America produces over half of all the blueberries in the world. WHY […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF FRUITS & VEGETABLES – Avocado
WHAT IS AN AVOCADO? This member of the berry family is actually a fruit! It comes in a variety of shapes (pear to round) and colors (green to black). They can weigh anywhere from a few ounces (few hundred grams) to several pounds (over a kilo). The avocado’s nickname is the alligator pear due to […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF FRUITS & VEGETABLES – Coconut
WHAT IS A COCONUT? These tropical palm tree seeds look like tiny brown balling balls. They have a white, fleshy interior and coconut juice center. While it might sound like nature’s version of a bonbon, cracking open these shells is not easy. The three indentations that naturally form on the shell led Spanish explorers to […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF FRUITS & VEGETABLES – Yellow Onion
WHAT IS A YELLOW ONION? These pale golden bulbs are among the most popular in the Allium family. Usually 2 to 3 inches in diameter, 90% of all the onions grown in the States are yellow onions. However humans all over the world have been munching on them since before recorded history. If a recipe […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF PASTA – Chitarra
WHAT IS CHITARRA? Chitarra comes from the Italian word for guitar. This pasta is made by running the dough through a board of “strings” which slices the pasta into individual strands. Traditionally this is an egg pasta. Also the guitar wires do not give the pasta the same texture as bronze extrusion does. Industrial versions […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF BREAD – Naan
WHAT IS A NAAN? The name itself is based on the Persian word for bread. A leavened dough with a squashed oval shape, it’s often made in a clay oven. Originally a delicacy for rich noble families, today in the poorer parts of Asia this flatbread is often made on the inside of used metal […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF MEAT – ground beef
WHAT IS GROUND BEEF? Also known as minced, ground beef is made from the tougher and less desirable cuts of meat. Favoring mostly lean skeletal muscles like flank, fat is added to bring the mix up to 20%. While popular because it’s both cheap and quick to cook, the lower the fat content the less […]