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 […]
GOURMET ARCHAEOLOGY
This section provides an introduction to the various ingredients that go into our everyday foods!
ARCHAEOLOGY OF FRUITS & VEGETABLES – Bell Pepper
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 […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF FRUITS & VEGETABLES – Butternut Squash
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 […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF FRUITS & VEGETABLES – Roma Tomato
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 […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF FRUITS & VEGETABLES – Haricot Vert
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 […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF FRUITS & VEGETABLES – Kalamansi
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 […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF FRUITS & VEGETABLES – Dried Tomato
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 […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF FRUITS & VEGETABLES – Pineapple
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 […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF FRUITS & VEGETABLES – Apricot
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 […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF FRUITS & VEGETABLES – Green Apple
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 […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF FRUITS & VEGETABLES – Banana
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 […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF SEAFOOD – Tilapia
WHAT IS TILAPIA? This freshwater native is, along with tuna and salmon, among the most popular fish on dinner plates today. The secret behind their success is a combination of having a bland, non-threatening flavor and being less expensive then most other seafood. This swimming entree is a hardy creature that can survive crowded conditions […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF SEAFOOD – Clam
WHAT IS A CLAM? It’s a popular name for several different types of fresh and saltwater bivalve mollusks. They have 2 adductor muscles, 1 on each shell that allow them to open and close at “painful for your fingers” speeds. Clams feed mostly on plankton and live in groups beneath the sand. Some breeds can […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF FRUITS & VEGETABLES – Cherry
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 […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF FRUITS & VEGETABLES – Red Onion
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 […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF FRUITS & VEGETABLES – Eggplant
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 […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF SEAFOOD – Swordfish
WHAT IS A SWORDFISH? These large marine predators are fearsome solitary hunters with a lifespan of about 10 years. Also known as broadbills due their broadsword of a nose, they ironically lose all their teeth by adulthood. Swordfish normally grow up to 10 feet (3 meters) in length (though the females are larger then the […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF FRUITS & VEGETABLES – White Onion
WHAT IS A WHITE ONION? The most innocent looking of the Allium cepa family, these baseball size bulbs have thinner skins and are more fragile then their pungent cousins. Vidalias in particular are one of the more popular varieties. Whites in general are considered to be “sweet” due to their higher sugar content. And thinly […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF FRUITS & VEGETABLES – Iceberg Lettuce
WHAT IS ICEBERG LETTUCE? Perhaps the least respected of the lettuce family, this steakhouse salad staple is one of the less perishable leafy greens. A member of the daisy family, they can grow up to 1 foot in diameter in about 3 months. Also known as crisphead lettuce, it has a crunchy mouthfeel unique among […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF FRUITS & VEGETABLES – Romaine Lettuce
WHAT IS ROMAINE LETTUCE? This member of the lettuce family grows in a taller, thinner style versus the tubby ball shapes of iceberg or cabbage. It is a much more heat tolerant plant allowing it easily spread to different climates. Originally an Italian delicacy, Romaine was introduced to Western Europe via its namesake Rome. However […]