WHAT IS A HONEYDEW? This fruit, also known as a honey, musk or White Antibe melon, is a descendant of the gourd family. It’s oval in shape, grows up to about half a foot (20 cm) in length and can weigh up to 6 pounds (2.7 kg). While originally from West Africa, Christopher Columbus introduced […]
GOURMET ARCHAEOLOGY
This section provides an introduction to the various ingredients that go into our everyday foods!
ARCHAEOLOGY OF SEAFOOD – Halibut
WHAT IS A HALIBUT? This pancake of a fish is famous for being flat with both eyes on top. They live on the bottom of the ocean floor and so their unique shape offers obvious evolutionary advantages. Capable of growing to almost 9 feet (2.7 m) in length, their great size has lead to their […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF PASTA – Pizzoccheri
WHAT IS PIZZOCCHERI? If buckwheat pasta had a name, it would be called, well, buckwheat pasta. But the most famous among them would be pizzoccheri! This flat ribbon cut is in the tagliatelle family. The name comes from pinzochero or “bigot”. No, pizzoccheri isn’t racist or anti-Semitic. Back then use of the word bigot had a […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF FRUITS & VEGETABLES – Zucchini (Courgette)
WHAT IS A ZUCCHINI? This green squash, while technically a fruit, is treated as a savory vegetable. The name comes from either the Italian word “zucchino” (undeveloped marrow) or an abbreviation of the word for squash. It’s been cultivated in Central America and Mexico for over 7,000 years. This means that eating zucchini pre-dates the […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF FRUITS & VEGETABLES – Black Truffle
WHAT IS A BLACK TRUFFLE? It is the most famous member of the Tuber melanosporum family of fungi. Unlike mushrooms though, truffles grow completely below ground. While a black truffle might look a bit like a potato (another tuber), they certainly don’t cost the same. In France’s Perigord and Provence regions, eating them is said to […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF FRUITS & VEGETABLES – Carrot
WHAT IS A CARROT? This root vegetable is a taper that comes in a variety of colors (red, white, blue, purple), but is most often orange. Carrots take 3 to 4 months to reach their full size. They grow best when planted next to companion plants that are fragrant like onions and leeks. Popular in […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF MUSHROOMS – Shiitake
WHAT IS A SHIITAKE MUSHROOM? This Japanese mushroom is named after the tree (shii) that it originally grew on. They grow on average to 2 to 4 inches in size on decaying hardwood trees. Today they are one of the most popular mushrooms in the world due to their smoky and meaty flavor. Already ten […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF FRUITS & VEGETABLES – Broccoli
WHAT IS BROCCOLI? This infamous member of the cabbage family is a giant bundle of flowers similar to cauliflower in appearance. Popular in Italy for over 2,000 years, the name comes from the word “broccolo” or “flowering crest.” When first imported into England in the 1700s it was initially called Italian asparagus. In general broccoli […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF SEAFOOD – Blowfish (Pufferfish)
WHAT IS A BLOWFISH? So named as it’s one of the only fish in the sea capable of performing oral sex. While this is completely untrue, puffer fish will in fact go to amazing lengths to get laid. They’ll spend days meticulously building “love nests” with which to seduce potential mates. To be fair, things […]
ARCHAEOLOGY OF FRUITS & VEGETABLES – Idaho Potato (Russet)
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 […]
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 […]