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Produce Quiz --- What am I?
I am native to Persia.
Cantaloupes are a member of my family but watermelons are not. Persia and
Transcaucasia were my main areas of origin and development. I am round and
often ribless with a distinctly netted skin though sometimes smooth. My first
recorded appearance was in Egypt in 2400 B.C. I have salmon-colored,
orange-yellow, or green-white flesh with a seed cavity in my center. Galen, the
Greek physician, praised me for my medicinal qualities of reinvigoration and an
appetite stimulant. I can not be crossed with watermelon, cucumber, pumpkin or
squash. Spaniards introduced me to North America where I was harvested and
enjoyed in the colonies. By 1683 I had made it to California. When ripe, I am
slightly soft at the blossom end and give off a sweet, perfumy scent. I must be
picked mature to impart my flavor and perfume. Storing us at room temperature
until we are ripe will greatly increase our taste. Charles VIII of France is
known for introducing me to central and northern Europe from Rome. Several of my
relatives got their names from the areas they were grown in. I am used in the
making of sweet and sour pickles. Best eaten fresh out of hand, but taste great
when combined with prosciutto. Sometimes my halves are filled with sweet wines
such as Marsala, port or Maderia. (4/30/98)
Believed to be native to Jamaica
I have also been called the "forbidden fruit" of Barbados. Introduced
to Florida in 1823 by the French Count, Odette Phillippe, my popularity did not
spread quickly. By the end of the 19th century I had caught on around the world
with growing areas in California, Arizona, Texas, Israel, Argentina, and South
Africa. Grown in clusters like grapes, half of my crop is used for juice. My
tree grows as high as thirty feet. I am round with a diameter of 4 to 6 inches.
My thick skin is green when unripe and ranges in color from yellow to pink when
ripe. I need cool nights or ethylene to ripen so I am usually picked green. My
flesh ranges in color from yellow to red. I am usually seedless, but not
always. My taste is always juicy and runs from sharp tasting and acidic to
sweet and fragrant. Best drunk or eaten out of hand, I am also used in fruit
salads, grilled to accompany entrees, sorbets, cheesecakes and flans. I am an
excellent source of vitamin C & A as well as potassium and folic acid. As a
pharmafood I stimulate appetite and I am used for my digestive, stomachic,
antiseptic, tonic, and diuretic qualities. (4/23/98)Believed to be native to
Jamaica I have also been called the "forbidden fruit" of Barbados.
Introduced to Florida in 1823 by the French Count, Odette Phillippe, my
popularity did not spread quickly. By the end of the 19th century I had caught
on around the world with growing areas in California, Arizona, Texas, Israel,
Argentina, and South Africa. Grown in clusters like grapes, half of my crop is
used for juice. My tree grows as high as thirty feet. I am round with a
diameter of 4 to 6 inches. My thick skin is green when unripe and ranges in
color from yellow to pink when ripe. I need cool nights or ethylene to ripen so
I am usually picked green. My flesh ranges in color from yellow to red. I am
usually seedless, but not always. My taste is always juicy and runs from sharp
tasting and acidic to sweet and fragrant. Best drunk or eaten out of hand, I am
also used in fruit salads, grilled to accompany entrees, sorbets, cheesecakes
and flans. I am an excellent source of vitamin C & A as well as potassium
and folic acid. As a pharmafood I stimulate appetite and I am used for my
digestive, stomachic, antiseptic, tonic, and diuretic qualities. (4/23/98)
Particularly favored by the
Greeks and Romans, I am a hardy perennial that originated in the Mediterranean
region. I have been used as a vegetable, herb, and a medicinal plant. In Latin
I mean "little hay". Greeks considered me a symbol of victory.
Romans believed I improved eyesight. The base of my plant is made up of
overlapping growing out of a white, fleshy, ribbed bulb. I can grow as high as
six feet and I am topped with small yellow flowers, with two seeds in each. I
am best eaten raw to preserve my flavor, but I can be blanched, then sautéed
or braised with other vegetables. I combine well with cream, taste great
grilled with lemon, and make a killer au gratin. My seeds are used to flavor
bread, cheese, soups, pastries, and wine. My essential oil is used in the
making spirits, wine, and perfume. I am an excellent source of potassium. As a
pharma-food it is believed I have the properties of a diuretic, an
antispasmodic, a stimulant, and the ability to sooth gastric pain. I am also
known to be an aid to digestion and to prevent flatulence. (4/16/98)
Originally grown for decorative
purposes, today we bring food to life. Over 7000 years old, we were first grown
in South and Central America, and are members of the nightshade family. We have
about ten different species and over 200 varieties that have been positively
identified with more on the way. We have been used throughout history for our
therapeutic qualities, as a condiment, as well as a vegetable. Throughout the
world we are the major ingredient of many a cook-off. Columbus introduced us to
Europe, while Magellan turned us onto Asia and Africa. We are smaller and more
pointed than our sweet cousins. We run the full range of colors, from white to
black. Our flavor ranges from very hot to volcanic. We are liquefied, roasted,
stuffed, chopped, bottled, dried, and ground. We are high in vitamin C and
fiber, but half of our fiber is in our seeds, which are usually tossed away.
Our heat stimulates salivation and causes gastric juices to flow, thereby aiding
in digestion. We are soluble in oil but not in water. For safety's sake it is
good to have some milk or citrus close by when we are on the table. (4/9/98)
I am an evergreen, native of
Brazil. I proudly stand up to 40 feet high. I grow in warm subtropical, and
cool tropical regions. I am harvested five to six times per year, as I am
separated from the one to four inch spear shaped leaves protecting me. I am
round and about one inch in diameter. My thick black, maroon or purple skin
gives way to my white or pinkish translucent pulp. I grow out of the larger
branches and the trunk of our tree. Highly cultivated in Rio de Janeiro, I have
also been seen in the United States and most recently in Australia. Often
enjoyed fresh, we also can be used in fruit salads or as a garnish. We also
make succulent jams, jellies, juices and wines. Our high natural sugar content
makes a satisfying snack and we are a good source of vitamin C. If it's any
help I rhyme with fiminilastawallababba. (4/2/98)
I come from the frost-proof
hillside groves of Jamaica, mon. I am a late-ripening hybrid of unknown
parentage, though thought to be a cross between an orange and a tangerine. I am
very large (up to eight inches in diameter), bright orange, aromatic and sweet.
I am most popular for my very high juice content. I am a bit difficult to peel
and I have many seeds. Not quite as grotesque as the Ugly Fruit, I still try to
avoid mirrors. I am a member of the Rutaceae family. I grow on an evergreen
tree with glossy leaves and green stems. I am formed from an intensely scented
white flower. I am excellent eaten out of hand, but you'll have to change your
shirt once you've consumed me. I can be used as a dessert sauce or as a fruit
sauce for game, but I am best when juiced. Isn't everyone? I am very high in
vitamin C. (3/26/98)
I am the dried unopened flower
bud of an East Indian evergreen tree, now grown widely in Africa. Many
consider me one of the most important spices in the world. Originated in the
Moluccas, I was used by Chinese cooks hundreds of years before the Christian
era. In 1605, after the Dutch drove the Portuguese out and established a
monopoly I was restricted to one island for cultivation. By 1770 the French had
succeeded in smuggling my seeds to Mauritius. We flourish only in tropical
maritime climates and are grown today in Indonesia, Madagascar, Tanzania, Sri
Lanka, Malaysia, and Grenada. Although I look like nails, I have a warm,
strongly aromatic perfume and flavor. Eaten raw I can be very bitter, but the
heat of cooking tempers my flavor. Necessary for meats, cakes, cookies, and
warm winter drinks. Stud an onion with me for extra flavor. (3/19/98)
I am a small evergreen tree,
evolving from wild plants in the Amazon forests. I was originally cultivated by
the Indians of tropical Central America. My seeds (beans) were exposed to the
Europeans via Columbus. Today my popular growing areas are Central and South
America, the West Indies, West Africa, and South-East Asia. My flowers are
white to reddish, which turn into pods growing directly out of the main stem and
branches of my tree. Our pods, which can be green, yellow, red, or purple,
contain 20-60 seeds. Excruciating care is used in extracting, drying, and
fermenting my beans that are often shipped to countries with more temperate
climates for processing. Our beans are then roasted and ground. We are then
turned into liquids, solids, butter, or powder. Today we are one of the most
famous tastes on this and several other planets. Parks and towns have been named
after us. Dermatologists have made fortunes attempting to counter our effects
on human skin. I am poisonous to dogs. Containing both theobromine, (a mild
relative of caffeine), and magnesium, (often used as an ingredient in
tranquilizers), I have the ability to wake you up and calm you down at the same
time. In the United States, February is my most popular month, followed by
December. Switzerland is the largest consumer of us, averaging 19 pounds per
capita. In the Toltec and Aztec cultures I was used as a currency, today I
inspire decadence. (3/12/98)
I am a cruciferal. Known to
bring good luck to those who ingest me I am an herbaceous annual plant native to
Europe and Western Asia. Romans used my seeds as well as my leaves. As a
member of the cabbage family I am related to watercress, mustard, and radishes.
I can grow as high as twenty inches, but many times my tender baby leaves are
harvested when they are about three inches long. My leaves are similar in shape
to radish and dandelion, but our nutty bitter flavor is by far the best. I am a
pretty perishable green and should be used in a couple days after harvest. Some
people store me in a glass of fresh water (like cut flowers) that is changed
daily, but most refrigerate me with a damp cover at my base. Raw I am a feature
in many salads, a component in other salads, and combine magically with cheese
(goat) and citrus (blood oranges). I can even add a zip to your best potato
salad. Cooked I make a great base for fish or beef entrees, or wilted as a
side dish. If your careful I can even be fried. Strong in fiber, I am also a
source of vitamin A, vitamin C, and calcium. As a pharmafood I am considered to
have the properties of a stimulant and a diuretic. (3/5/98)
I have got to be cooked. Well,
at least I have to be cooked if you are to eat me. I start green (doesn't
everybody?) then ripen to yellow and brown At peak ripeness I can turn a dull
licorice-black. As I ripen my starch is converted to sugar, but not nearly
enough to eat me raw. I can grow as long as fifteen inches and my skin is very
thick. I am native to Malaysia and grown mainly in Africa, India, the West
Indies, and South America. In East African countries such as Tanzania and
Uganda I am fermented to make beer. With my flavor and texture being similar to
a sweet potato I am mainly used as a vegetable. I can be cooked in soups or
stews. I blend well with apples, sweet potatoes and squash. I can also be
baked, fried or made into fritters. I make a great chip. I am rich in
potassium and I am a good source of vitamin C, vitamin B6 and magnesium. I also
provide vitamin A and folic acid. (2/27/98)
ecuasneergdeirfraepmulptnarrucmoolrieheerupetsapdalaspuosretawepirenivneergs
agnettorwolleyneergderkcalbepargyesrejtnalpretsulcesuohtohpordraetcinagro
redwoprekaerbdeirdnusdecilsdeppohcdeciddelffur
etihwsreffutsarbezeniwydnarbepirtslevram. (2/19/98)
Dating back to the fourth
century AD I was held in high regard by the Greeks & Romans for my
medicinal properties. I am similar to spinach, but easier because you can eat
my stems. Often called a leaf beet, I am grown for my leaves, not my root. I
come in both white, red, and rainbow varieties, but my color turns a darkish
green when cooked. My hardy leaves keep better than spinach and because I
contain significantly less oxalic acid than spinach my nutrients are absorbed
better by the body. Our younger leaves are used in salads, while our older
leaves are used in braising mixes or steamed and served with lemon. Mixed with
raisins, apples, pine nuts, lemon and cheese I create a traditional specialty of
Nice served on Christmas eve called tourte de blettes. I am also used in ham
quiche. Eaten raw I am an excellent source of vitamins C and A. Cooked I am an
excellent source of iron, copper, vitamins C, and B6. We are also used as a
laxative and a diuretic. Although we share a first name I no relation to the
cheese! (2/12/98)
I am a member of the Compositae
family, but you will never guess what I am . Often thought to be a cross between
lettuce and celery, this is simply not true. My flavor, however, is reminiscent
of a celery crunch and lettuce flavor. I have often been described as a nutty
cucumber. Relatively rare in North America (where I was introduced in the late
nineteenth century, probably with missionaries returning from China), I am very
well known in Asia, where my stems are consumed raw or lightly cooked like
celery, but I do require a peeling of my outer bitter layer. While my leaves are
usually served cooked, I am usually cultivated for my tender stem. Rich in
folic acid and water, I am very low in calories. My stem is greenish white,
covered with leaves, and crowned with a tuft of small leaves. My leaves can be
narrow or broad, dull or glossy, smooth or crinkled. My leaves are usually
green but some of us have red leaves. I am excellent in salads (cut matchstick
style) with spicy dressing, soups, or boiled and served with cream sauce, but
most often I am stir-fried with chicken, fish or other vegetables. (2/5/98)
Who are we? Despite our lack of
importance as a source of nutrition, we contribute hugely to the enjoyment of
what you eat. We are the fragrant leaves of any various annual or perennial
plants that grow in temperate zones and do not have woody stems. We come fresh,
dried, or freeze-dried. In our dried form we are the strongest but lose our
pungency quickly. We add scent, flavor, and color to such a degree that
certain foods can not exist without us. My flavor comes from essential oils
stored in leaves, stems, and flowers which are released through heat or
processing. In combination we have been known at times to be French. We are
essential in soups, stocks, tomato sauce, pesto, pickles, tea, oils and butters.
We can be blended, infused, roasted, used as garnish, or cake decorations. We
aid digestion and can help freshen breath. We also have many medical uses from
aiding sleep, relieving sinus congestion, to emotional stability and heightened
sexual sensitivity. Our lure is tremendous and our popularity is always
growing. From chefs, to pharmacists, from fragrance manufacturers to healers,
from Babylonian clay tablets to sophisticated infusions we will someday take
over the world. Oh yeah, we also taste good. (1/29/98)
We are very traditional winter
tubers. Native to the Mediterranean, we were widely used by the Greeks and
Romans, but it was not until the Middle Ages that the variety you use today was
developed. we reigned in popularity until the introduction of the potato.
Related to carrots, with a texture like turnips and leaves resembling celery we
have a yellowish fruity flesh with a flavor reminiscent of hazelnut. We're best
in the winter when exposed to a light frost and our starch is converted into
sugar. This is why we are usually harvested after the first frost. On average
we measure seven to twelve inches in length and two to three inches in diameter.
For the newborns you can just clip the ends and go. Adults require a good
peeling and elders have to be peeled and cored. Similar to the ways of the
Romans we are still very popular in stews. We have also been used to make beers
and wines. Our golden colored, rich sherry-like wine is still popular today.
Other uses include puree, fried (like french fries), roasted (parboil for a bit
first please), glazed (like carrots), or shredded in salads. We also taste
great on our own, either cold with a vinaigrette, or simply as a side dish. Our
flesh turns black when exposed to the air so use us immediately or place us in
vinegar or lemon water to retain my color. We are an excellent source of
potassium and folic acid. We also contain vitamin C, magnesium, pantothenic
acid, copper, phosphorus and vitamin B6. We are high in calories and
carbohydrates. (1/22/98)
Pliny said I could prevent
fatigue, but he didn't know my prices and shelf life! Pilgrims in the Middle
Ages put me in their shoes before long journeys on foot. Named after the
French word for "little dragon" and related to wormwood, I can be
strangled by my roots if not regularly divided. Due to my serpentine root
system I am a good treatment for snakebite. I am also considered to enhance the
growth of most vegetables when planted among them. I will sweeten your breath
and numb your tongue if chewed. I prefer France in the Spring and Russia in the
Winter. Often associated with vinegar or fish, I am also good with mustard,
chicken, fresh salads, lamb, potatoes, artichokes, cheeses, eggs and sour cream.
As a pharma-food I am known to stimulate appetite, relieve flatulence, and help
ease toothaches. I am able to protect foods as an antioxidant. As a useful
antifungal I am also an ingredient in perfumes, soaps and cosmetics. (1/15/98)
I come from a tree that you
should respect if you were taught properly as a child. I am found throughout
Europe, western Asia, and North America. I have been a part of human history
for centuries. My wood has been used to make the Greek instrument sambuke and
was believed to be the wood used for Christ's cross. I have been called a
remedy against all infirmities and would ward off witches if gathered on the
last day of April and placed around the outside of your home. I have been used
as black hair dye, and as a signal for the right time to harvest wheat. I have
been characterized by Shakespeare, and medicinally used by the Shakers. We,
along with our white flowers, are great when cooked, but stay away from us raw
as we contain a poisonous alkaloid which is destroyed when cooked. We are deep
purple and used in jams, jellies, chutneys, preserves, and wine. Our dried
blossoms are used in tea blends. My fresh flowers can be added to salads or
batter-dipped and fried like fritters. With all this history, all these uses, I
deserve your respect. (1/8/98)
I am a proud, but often ignored
fungus. I'm the one you'll use when the others are gone, and though I'm not as
pretty I'm a better value and taste very similar. Having nothing to do with
candy, dentistry, landscaping or pork, my name is often misleading. Most
foragers are happy to know that I am maggot free and I have no poisonous
look-alikes. I have a white, pale orange, pale pinkish-tan, or orange-brown
cap and stalk which is two to six inches in diameter. My cap edge is rolled in
when I'm young but becomes lobed or wavy as I mature. One of my more unique
features are the pointed spines beneath my cap. I am found wild throughout the
Unites States and Europe from midsummer to midautumn and throughout the winter.
I am a firm fleshy fungi with a very delicate flavor so don't disguise me. A
simple sauté often suits me best. Slim Jim from the Old Hotel Milano put
me to my best use with a sauté including reduced pancetta, rosemary, and
pine nuts. This recipe had customers begging for more. For vegetarians you can
substitute olive oil. I am also a great addition to sauces and soups. I am rich
in potassium and iron. (1/1/98)
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