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Produce Quiz --- What am I?
Throughout history, legendary
stories of my plant as a guardian have been told. I am the berry of an
evergreen plant that is native to the coniferous forests of the Northern
Hemisphere. My plant can be used as a shrub or can be as tall as 40 feet and
very dense. The flowers of this tree produce me. I am born green and over
time, I turn blue-black or purple with a grape-like layer of skin. I, along
with other parts of my tree have a very strong aroma. You will probably smell
me before you see me. My taste is very bitter and to achieve full flavor I must
be crushed. My most popular use is the making of alcoholic beverages. For
culinary uses, I am best paired with game meats such as venison, boar or squab.
I can also be found in sausages, pot roasts, jellies and marinades. For
medicinal uses I am considered a relief agent for rheumatism and arthritis and
also used as a tonic, antiseptic, diuretic, and a cleansing agent. I'm not a
card, but I've been through the mill. If you drink too much of me tonight,
prepare to pay the bill. (12/31/98)
I am an orange of the navel
variety. I am a freak, a limb sport, a genetic mutation. Nobody grafted me
originally, I just appeared as a different limb on a regular navel tree growing
in Venezuela. Even today, I am considered a chimera, which means I am
genetically unstable. But I've been partying with some mandarins and bloods
lately and you wanna talk unstable? Anyway here's what makes me cool. First, I
often have variegated leaves, which is pretty neat compared to the bland old
green leaves of a regular orange tree. But my internal color is what gives me
star quality. Not bloody red, but pink, salmon pink, similar to a Star Ruby
grapefruit. In the USA I grow best in California although I was first cloned in
Florida groves, I lacked the rich flavor and bright color my western crop
provided. Finally, my flavor can't be beat. If you are lucky enough to find
and peel me, you'll taste my wonderfully distinctive, rich, sweetness. Sometimes
described as the "tutti-frutti orange" I am available late fall
through early winter and I don't hang around long. Remember I am unstable, so
grab me while you can 'cause you never know what I'll turn into next.
(12/24/98)
As the fruit of the Swiss Cheese
plant, I am a member of the arum Lily family. My large beautiful sturdy leaves
make me a very suitable houseplant. Originally from Mexico (called Mexican
Breadfruit, later known as the shingle plant) my survival techniques have
allowed me to thrive around the world. We are very complicated to eat, but worth
it. I will not ripen evenly! The green scales of my almost foot long lizard
tail shaped body will loosen to expose my off-white colored,
banana/mango/pineapple flavored spadix. When unripe, my oxalic acid and sharp
calcium oxalate crystals will irritate and often numb the membranes of your
mouth, tongue, and throat. Not to worry, you will only FEEL like you can't
breath. To avoid this breathless possibility, I am often wrapped in plastic so I
will ripen more quickly and evenly. Excellent in fruit salads or eaten out of
hand, I am also stunning in a cornucopia or fruit display. (12/17/98)
Known as early as the 15th
century when we were mentioned in European literature, it wasn't until the 16th
century when we were domesticated in the Netherlands and Denmark. We grow on a
dense thorny stub that can be as tall as three feet. Once popular in North
America, we were host to a fungus that destroyed millions of pine trees. As a
result of this fungus our plants were demolished and cultivation has been very
scarce in this area ever since. We are very tart, but can be eaten raw out of
hand. We can also be used fresh in salads or doused with sugar, but we seem to
be most popular in preserves. When jellied we are a good compliment to lamb.
Cooking into soups or strained for juices are other applications we have been
prominent in. We are rich in vitamin C and goose free. Also strong in
potassium we are a good source of iron and magnesium. (12/10/98)
We are a huge group with
thousands of families. Although details will definitely vary from family to
family, many common nutritional characteristics keep us together. We have been
lobbying for our own country, but there is no one place on the planet that can
contain us, we need it all. Primarily we are refreshing, sweet, and beautiful.
We are excellent thirst quenchers and have an average water content of 80 to
95%. We are generally low in calories (30 to 100 per half cup) and usually
contain from 13 to 23 grams of carbohydrates per serving. Except for the nuts
and some other crazies we are virtually fat free and are not great sources of
protein. We are very rich in vitamins (A, B6, and C) and minerals (potassium,
calcium, iron and magnesium). The brighter and darker we are, the more vitamins
and minerals we contain. We are huge in organic acids including citric,
tartaric, malic, acetic, and oxcilic. We are rich in both soluble and insoluble
fiber making us very digestible and cleansing. Best of all we taste great and
provide an excellent source of energy. We are the ultimate way to reach five a
day! (12/3/98)
We were used by the Romans to
flavor sauces and vinegar. Over two thousand years old we are native to the
Mediterranean region where we were also considered an aphrodisiac. We are both
annual and a perennial, thriving in the winter months as well as the dog days of
summer. Although it varies from cousin to cousin, we are all rich in carvacrol
and thymol. Used in the curing of salami were are also a part of that de
Provence thing, but we get a lot of competition there. We are very popular in
flavoring all sorts of legumes, (we counteract flatulence), and have even been
used as a salt substitute. We go all out with intense, peppery flavor, but
start late, overuse or overcooking renders us very bitter. We will inhabit any
stuffing with great results and while our leaves can be used on there own for
teas, we never meet a sausage we didn't like. Primarily culinary, we have
always had tremendous medicinal value. We have been quite effective in
improving digestion, increasing perspiration, stimulating the uterus and nervous
system, relieving menstrual disorders, and soothing sore throats. We do stay
away from expecting moms as we have learned that we are just too much for them.
(11/27/98)
I am what I am, what I am, and I
am definitely not a potato. Although my origins are not exactly known, there is
solid evidence of my existence over ten thousand years ago in Africa and East
Asia. I was introduced to South America later. Today, over 25 tons of us are
grown throughout most countries in the tropics and subtropics, making us an
important world food crop. As well as being a food source, we also have
religious meaning. Houses are built in our honor and we are often the food of
special occasions. We have about 200 different varieties with only one variety
growing in temperate zones. My shape is round or oblong and my size varies
incredibly. I can be as small as twelve ounces or weigh as much as six hundred
pounds and over six feet long. My skin is thin but coarse and ranges in color
from white to pink, brown, or black. My flesh is light colored and sometimes
has a pink, yellow or brown tint. Compared to most other tubers, my flavor is a
bit less sweet and much earthier. When fried, I make a savory treat. Serve me
with a sauce if you bake me, 'cause I'll get very dry. I can be grated and made
into breads or cakes, and I can even be candied. I am an excellent source of
potassium as well as vitamin C, B6, folic acid and copper. (11/20/98)
Don't call me spud! I am a
card-carrying member of the Convolvulaceae family and deserve your respect. I'm
as old as the hills, and your species has only traced us back 12,000 years, (we
knew the remains in the Peruvian caves were a clue), but we are a lot more than
prehistoric Dino food. We are native to Central America. It was that lowly
pirate Columbus who sacked us and stole away to Europe, his home, not ours. As
far as the interlude in Polynesia goes, we're still not talking. By the 15th
Century, I was well-known in China and the Philippines. By the 16th Century, I
had become established in the southern United States. Above ground, I am a long
creeping stem that can grow up to 16 feet and produce leaves that are often used
in place of spinach. Although I have over 400 relatives, we are usually
classified into two different categories, either firm and dry, or soft and
moist. Always cooked and usually consumed whole as a starch, our amazing sugar
content (3%-6%), inspires additional uses in cakes, pies, breads, puddings,
marmalades, cookies and muffins. I have a thin edible skin that can be rough
and can be white, yellow, orange, red, or purple. My flesh ranges in color from
white to yellow to orange. The darker my color the greater my content of
Vitamin A, of which I am an excellent source. I am also a good source of
potassium and vitamin C. (11/13/98)
Best known for my dried seeds my
name comes from the Latin for "Greek Hay". My vast, quiet legacy
includes being used by Egyptians to embalm their dead, to an ingredient in oral
contraceptives. I am an herbaceous annual and I stand about 18 inches tall. My
laurel shaped leaves are very pungent, as are my long thin pods that house 10 to
20 quadrangular, brownish-yellow, pulse like, pea size, seeds that are very
bitter. Trust me, if you were stuck in one of those pods, you'd be bitter to.
Either way my seeds must be dried to remove my bitter edge. Grown in the
Mediterranean region for hundreds of years, I am most often associated with the
foods of India, particularly curries. My leaves and stems are used in fresh
salads, as are my sprouted seeds. Roasting my seeds yields a caramel flavor and
I am often found as an ingredient in candy and syrups. My dried leaves, also
known as methi, are often used in Middle Eastern root vegetable dishes. As a
pharmafood I was a regular in Roman herbals. Egyptians used me as quinine and
made flour from our seeds that was used to treat boils and abscesses. My seeds
have a high calorie and mucilage content and are believed to be lactogenic,
tonic, as well as an aphrodisiac. (11/6/98)
I was one of the first foods
ever to be grown by a human, dating back to at least 6700 BC. I am the seed of
an annual herbaceous plant and mentioned in the book of Genesis. Like other
heirloom vegetables I have been scorned by the snooty. In his play Plutus,
Aristophanes defines the newly wealthy as not needed to like us any more.
Enforcing our once lowly status we are widely believed to be the main ingredient
in the "mess of pottage", with which Jacob purchased Esau's
birthright. If they could only see us today! Originally grown in Mediterranean
regions I have proven to prevail beyond hot climates, thriving in the light warm
soils and warm climates of Britain. I am often mistaken for a vetch as I am
small with white or mauve flowers, with short, flat, oblong pods under a
half-inch in length containing one or two seeds. Always dried, we are most
popular green, used in soups and stews. Today I run the gambit of colors
including crimson, red, black, gold, ivory, yellow, orange, and brown. We are
divided into groups, large and small. While our baby green variety is still
considered the tastiest but we think we are all earthy and wonderful. Finally
in high fashion, today we are seen as sprouts in salads, Pureed to make
croquettes, or combined with curries or rice. We are an excellent source of
folic acid and potassium and a good source of iron. (10/29/98)
In China I mean an official or
the language spoken by officials. But throughout the rest of the world I easily
make up the largest and most varied group of edible citrus. Some consider me a
single fruit but I am truly a category all by myself. We arrive disguised in
different textures, some seeded, some not , and all our trees look different.
Dancy probably started the whole deal. What we do have in common is our "slip-skins".
We strip down real easily which makes us popular at bars on the weekends, but
we can really be enjoyed any time. We are divided into four categories ranging
in location from Japan to the Mediterranean basin and from Indonesia, to the
commons from everywhere else. We have been very inbred so we roll around a lot
and often fall down while waiting in line for our shot at cross-pollination. We
have our greatest commercial success in the orient, and Japan remains reigns as
one of our largest producers. We like to be a bit cool when young. but high heat
during our maturity makes us really sweet. We love to hang around in the hot
desert sun, waiting to be plucked, packed and shipped. We are best eaten out of
hand, but are excellent for sweet and sour sauces, and are used liberally in
rice salads, chicken salads or with seafood. We can also be spotted decorating
cakes, pies, in Bavarian creams, or with chocolate fondue. Obviously we are an
excellent source of vitamin C, but we also supply potassium, vitamin A, and
folic acid. (10/23/98)
I am hard skinned, brilliant,
orange or white and get lit-up regularly. When I get mega-fat (over 400 pounds)
I win prizes. When I'm just a wee little thing, my guts are often removed and
I am used as a bowl. My face is carved, my seeds are roasted and my oil is dark
brown and very popular in Austria. I am undoubtedly the most famous member of
my family, being a traditional part of many holidays. Discovered as early as
1540 in South America, four years later I had arrived in the St. Lawrence region
of Canada. In France I was sprinkled with houseleek (a common stonecrop that
used to grow on walls and used as a powerful medicine) to maintain my shelf life
and to avoid spotting or rotting. In fairy tales I have been turned into
coaches. My culinary uses are vast. My fiery color, orange or rich yellow,
brings any dish I am used in to life. My flesh melts easily and makes me very
suitable for purees, soups or sauces. I can also be cut into firm chunks then
fried, steamed, or roasted. I can even be stuffed and used as a casserole dish
as long as I'm not to big for your oven. While even my seeds can be hulled,
dried and eaten (like they were at the table of Montezuma) I am most famous for
my pies. I am an excellent source of potassium and vitamin A, and a good source
of vitamin C, folic acid, and copper. (10/16/98)
Like the onion, I have been
around for so long (9000 years at least) that my mother, the original wild plant
is gone. I have learned to adapt to many different growing conditions in the
same way that I have learned to respond to many different names. From my
immature leaves and shoots to my white, cream-colored or purple-gray flesh, most
of me can be consumed. My prolific cultivation and harvest easily explain my
use as a staple food throughout one third of this planet. Just to show off, we
proved we could yield over 1,000 bushels on one acre of rich damp soil in just
two years! That ought to leave a challenge for the rabbits. Although I have
over 100 siblings and appear in shapes from oblong to round, we all come with
thick brownish ringed skin that is rugged and hairy. I do require caution as I
contain toxic crystals of calcium oxalate, a sticky juice, just beneath my skin
that can produce an allergic reaction if direct contact is made. A simple
solution is to use gloves or running water when peeling my skin. You will have
to put on the heat to consume me as my leaves and roots contain an indigestible
starch that is neutralized when cooked. I have a high starch content, a sweet
taste often considered to have an artichoke-chestnut flavor, and can be used in
the same way as a potato. I have been boiled and ground and fermented into poi,
sliced, dried, and smoked as a traveling food, and wrapped in banana leaves when
cooked in the umu pit. My leaves can be puréed, mixed with minced onion
and coconut milk for umukai. I am rich in thiamin, vitamin C and potassium.
Low in protein but rich in starch I am easily digested. (10/9/98)
You began by calling me a turnip
mutant while I am actually a cross between a member of the cabbage family and
the turnip family. It is believed that I first appeared in Hungary sometime in
the 17th century and I don't think Alex Haley would argue. Then I saved your
lives in Europe during World War II, being a prime source of nutrition when food
supplies were scarce, and what do I get? Insults!! Today you have all but
ignored me. In Northern Europe, I am currently used as fodder for cattle!
URGGHH!! This is the thanks I get. Longer and rounder than the turnip I am
usually yellow but some of my cousins are white. Truth is I have more of a kick
than the turnip you all rave about these days and I am more distinguished with
my top hat where my leaves for. Stick that up your turnip and mash it! Eaten
raw or cooked I am always more interesting than the turnip and can be used in
soups, stews, pureed, or added to mashed potatoes. If you find me to strong, I
can be blanched for five minutes before cooking. I am an excellent source of
potassium and a good source of vitamin C. I am also a good diuretic and great
for breaking windows. (10/2/98)
Native to Central America I am a
tropical evergreen that can grow as tall as 33 feet but because my long trunk is
not sufficiently woody and my leaves only grow on top I am technically not a
tree. Though I am ripe when my green skin is streaked with yellow I am often
picked green and ripened at room temperature. This allows me to survive the
long distances I often have to travel to get to your market. Long enjoyed by
Latin American Indians the Spanish and Portuguese made me famous worldwide and
now I am cultivated in most subtropical climates from Brazil to India. I am
cylinder shapes and can have a bulbous end like a pear or be 18 inches long. My
weight can range anywhere from 12 ounces to 20 pounds. I always have a center
cavity filled with tiny edible black seeds that resemble peppercorns and have a
peppery taste. My flesh ranges in color from brownish-red to pink to
golden-yellow. I can be eaten like a melon and often doused with Port, rum, lime
or lemon juice. When added to fruit salads I help keep other fruits firm. Often
I am pureed, pressed to make juice, cooked to make jam, chutney or ketchup, or
stuffed with other fruits, chicken or seafood. I am also used as a meat
tenderizer. When unripe my green ripe rind is often baked or boiled and eaten
like a sweet squash. While my seeds clear the intestines, my flesh is an
excellent source of vitamin C and a good source of potassium and vitamin A.
(9/24/98)
Although I am sold and eaten as
a mushroom, I am not actually a mushroom. I am an orangish mold like sac fungus
that parasitizes several white mushroom species of the Lactarius and Russula,
creating my very disfigured and varying shape. My shape often tries to look
like the horn end of a trumpet but my edge is wavy or lobed. My base or stalk
is very thick compared to my end and my entire surface has a texture not unlike
sandpaper. Hungry yet? I am usually three to six inches high and four to eight
inches wide. I am foraged from midsummer through midfall throughout most of the
United States and we thrive in damp areas on the ground under trees. We are the
ultimate grilling mushroom, and when compared to any of those cultivated
'bellos, we blow them away in flavor and texture, baby or not. Not at all
related to surf or turf, I would still be great on the plate. (9/18/98)
My tree looks like a pear tree
but it is not. We have though leathery leaves, single white flowers, and giant
distorted fruits looking like a small russet-brown apple. Hardier than the
quince I originated in Persia and became very popular in Asia and throughout
Europe where we still grow wild today. Theophrastus makes mention of us as early
as 300 BC and Pliny the elder refers to three types enjoyed by the Romans.
Today there are very few of us left. While our Stoneless variety has
disappeared, our larger cousins, Dutch and Monstrous, are available. We are
harvested in the winter and need to be stored in a cool dry place until very
soft, almost rotted. Our pulp was once popular raw, mixed with liqueur and
cream, but I am much better off when made into fragrant jams or jellies. I can
also be made into fudge. (9/11/98)
Although I am a member of the
nightshade family and related to the potato, pepper, tomato, and eggplant, I am
actually a berry. Native to Mexico I have been cultivated since the Aztec
civilization. I am about one inch in diameter and most often picked when green.
I will ripen to a yellow or purple when ripe. My feel is firm and my skin is
always glossy as I am protected by my orange/brown cape with purple veins. My
cape is so spectacular that sometimes is peeled back and put on display. My
taste is somewhat acidic and some say I have hints of lemons, apples or herbs.
I am most popular in Mexican cooking used fresh in salads, salsas, guacamole,
gazpacho, and the famous mole-verde sauce. I am an excellent source of potassium
while also provided sources of vitamin C, magnesium, and niacin. As a
pharmafood I have been known to reduce fever, remedy rheumatism, and act as a
cleansing agent. (9/3/98)
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