Archaeology of Fregetables (Fruit & Veg)

WHAT IS A PLUM? These oval skinned stone fruits are among the oldest plants domesticated by man. Similar to peaches and cherries, plums have a firm, juicy interior.  Their exterior skin is smooth with a groove running down one side.   They come in a variety of colors including red, yellow, purple, white and green.  […]

WHAT IS A YUKON GOLD POTATO? This potato was the result of a Canadian science experiment that came to fruition in 1980.  It was a larger version of a tasty Peruvian tuber but with a smoother shape that made it easier to peel.  Yukon Gold potatoes are a great all purpose choice for any type […]

WHAT IS A MEYER LEMON? Named after a Mr. Frank Meyer, these citrus fruits were first imported to the States in the early 1900s.  Smaller and rounder then traditional lemons (Eureka or Lisbon), famous chefs have made them a popular kitchen ingredient.  They grow on trees 6 to 10 feet in height with white and […]

WHAT IS AN ACORN SQUASH? Is it an acorn?  Is it a squash?  Is it a comic book superhero like a Spider or Bat man?  Only in that this winter squash has vertical ridges and a squat form reminiscent of an acorn.  It is related to other members of the gourd family including the zucchini.  […]

WHAT IS A SICILIAN EGGPLANT? As with most eggplants, the Sicilian version is a vine-ripened berry that is related to tomatoes and potatoes.  Introduced in the Middle Ages during its Arab occupation, it has a purple-white skin and is smaller then the more popular Black Magic variety.  This has led to it also being called […]

WHAT IS CELERY? With stalks growing up to half a foot in height (20 cm), this plants favors wet, marshy landscapes.  Thought to have originated in the Mediterranean, it nevertheless can be found all over the world today.  It was the Italians, though, in the 1700s that domesticated the plant and bred out its tendency […]

WHAT IS A STRAWBERRY? Ironically this weed of the fruit kingdom is not technically a berry.  But avocados are, go figure.  The current strawberry varietal most popular today was bred in the 1700s in France.  This garden version is the hybrid product of a North American and Chilean strawberry.  It can grow up to 2 […]

WHAT IS A BELL PEPPER? This fruit, also called capsicum, is a member of the nightshade family. They come in a rainbow of colors including red, yellow, orange and even chocolate brown.  In general with fruits and vegetables, green is a sign of youth.  And with many bell pepper varietals (not all), as it ages […]

WHAT IS A BUTTERNUT SQUASH? Also known as a butternut pumpkin or gramma, this tan squash grows on a vine.  Technically a fruit, as it ripens the skin turns orange in color and the butternut can weigh up to 5 pounds.   A Native American original, the name squash is from the Massachusetts’ Narragansett word […]

WHAT IS A ROMA TOMATO? This plum shaped fruit, like all tomatoes, is a member of the berry family.  Named after Italy’s capital, this egg shaped ambassador is grown in throughout the world.  Roma’s are often used in the production of tomato paste and canned tomatoes.  Compared to their cousins Roma’s have a lower seed […]

WHAT IS HARICOT VERT? These French green beans are more slender then the classic ones sold in the States.  Averaging around 4 inches length, they are shorter and straighter then traditional green beans.  But while they are smaller in size, haricot vert are more tender and flavorful (and expensive) as well.  The fiber or string […]

WHAT IS A KALAMANSI? This citrus fruit is also called a calamansi, calamondin or Philippine lime.  It is thought to be the Asian offspring of a mandarin orange and a kumquat.  They are small, usually only growing to 1 to 2 inches in diamter (25 to 45 mm).  Initially green, the fruit turns a yellow […]

WHAT IS A DRIED TOMATO? The art of removing water from a tomato dates back to the dawn of time.  Lowering the moisture content of foods is a great way to extend their shelf life.  While cherry tomatoes are the most popular, any varietal can be used.  In general they are either sold in slices […]

WHAT IS A PINEAPPLE? This tropical fruit is actually a mass of berry flowers that have fused together around the central stalk.  That is why the outer skin is segmented.  It takes 3 years for a pineapple to fully mature.  European explorers named them due to having an appearance similar to their native pine cones […]

WHAT IS AN APRICOT? This stone fruit was born in China and then traveled the world with various colonizing powers.  Alexander the Great introduced it to the Greeks.  Settlers from England brought this plant with them when colonizing the East Coast of the States.  On the West Coast it was introduced in the early 1700s […]

WHAT IS A GREEN APPLE? While Granny Smiths are always green apples, not all green apples are always Grannies.  There are several other varieties like Crispins and Pippins that also have emerald skins.  However most of the time, what you’re seeing in your local store are Granny Smith apples.  Other types of apples come in colors ranging […]

WHAT IS A BANANA? This tropical fruit is technically a berry.  However some people consider bananas to be an herb.  That is because these seeds are the product of a plant, not a tree.  But as plants go this one can grow up to 50 feet (15 meters) in height.  There are over a 1,000 […]

WHAT IS A CHERRY? They are small, round stone fruits that range in color from yellow to red to black. Available in both a sweet and sour variety, in order for this tree to flower it needs a minimum of 800 hours of “winter” (temperatures under 45 Farenheit / 7 Celsius).  And these trees can […]

WHAT IS A RED ONION? Onion bulbs in general are basically the underground base of the plant stem.  As daylight hours lengthen (past 6), the plant stops making leaves and starts devoting resources to the bulb which swells.   These red violet vegetables in particular are the mildest and sweetest of the onion family.  This […]

WHAT IS AN EGGPLANT? Even though most people call it a vegetable, eggplants are actually a berry fruit.  These dark purple oblongs, like their nightshade cousin the tomato, grow on the vine.  With a thick skin and pale, sponge-like flesh, eggplants look ominous but are actually quite healthy.  The first plants, in their quest for global […]