Category Archives: Culinary

Gooseberry

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Gooseberry

These gooseberry facts certainly won’t lead you on a wild goose chase!

  • Gooseberries are a type of edible fruit related to currants, and they are native to Africa, Europe, and North America.
  • There are two main species of gooseberry that are grown – the European with the scientific name Ribes uva-crispa (sometimes called Ribes grossularia), and the American, that has the scientific name Ribes hirtellum, both of which are from the family Grossulariaceae, a family of flowering and edible currants.
  • American gooseberries are generally smaller but less susceptible to fruit-damaging mildew than the European varieties, that are generally bigger and have more flavour, though the two species have been bred together to improve outcomes, and numerous varieties have been produced.
  • Gooseberries typically grow on a thorny bush, that reaches approximately 1.5 metres (5 feet) in height.
  • A gooseberry is often a green colour with light coloured stripes, but it can be red, yellow, purple, black and white, depending on the species and variety, and it usually contains many small edible seeds in the flesh of the fruit.
 Gooseberry, Fruit, Trivia, Ten Random Facts, Green, Berry, Culinary, Pile, Fresh
Gooseberries
Image courtesy of fsse8info/Flickr
  • Gooseberries are commonly eaten fresh; but they can also be cooked in pies, crumbles and other desserts; into a sauce; in jam; and used to flavour beverages.
  • When picked fully ripe, gooseberries can be quite sweet, and when they are picked prematurely they are usually somewhat tart, however, they are often picked early for commercial purposes, as the unripe fruit has greater storage times, and sour fruit are commonly used in cooking.
  • Gooseberries were of great popularity around the 1800s and early 1900s, especially in Britain, though in the United States of America, a fungal bacteria carried by the plant had begun infesting native pines, so many states initiated bans on the cultivation of the berry.
  • A gooseberry is usually ovoid or spherical in shape, generally ranging from 1 to 2.5 centimetres (0.5 to 1 inch) or more in length or diameter.
  • Gooseberries are very high in vitamin C, high in fibre and a good source of manganese, potassium and vitamin A.
Bibliography:
Gooseberries and Currants, 2015, Cornell University, http://www.fruit.cornell.edu/mfruit/gooseberries.html
Gooseberry, 1996, California Rare Fruit Growers, Inc., https://www.crfg.org/pubs/ff/gooseberry.html
Gooseberry, 2016, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gooseberry
What Are Gooseberries Good For?, 2016, Food Facts, http://foodfacts.mercola.com/gooseberries.html

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Starfruit

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Starfruit

Starfruit are the literal stars distinguishable from the rest.

  • Starfruit is a variety of fruit considered exotic in some areas, that likely originated in Malaysia and Indonesia, and possibly Sri Lanka, India and some other countries of South East Asia.
  • ‘Starfruit’ are also known as ‘five-corner fruit’, ‘carambola’, and in Spanish-speaking countries ‘carambolo’.
  • Starfruit grow on a tree of medium size, that has the scientific name Averrhoa carambola, and it is from the family Oxalidaceae, the family of wood sorrels.
  • Starfruit range from 5 to 15 centimetres (2 to 6 inches) long, and the fruit features five or more large ridges down its length.
  • Starfruit has wax-like skin that is edible, and depending on the variety, a somewhat sour to sweet tasting flesh that is juicy and crunchy, that is comparable to a mixture of apple, grape, pear and citrus.
Starfruit, Food, Culinary, Fruit, Trivia, Ten Random Facts, Cut, Yellow, Star
Cut Starfruit
Image courtesy of alamosbasement/Flickr
  • If a starfruit is cut across widthways, a star shape is revealed, hence its common name.
  • When ripe, starfruit skin typically changes from a green or yellow-green colour, to a yellow colour, with the flesh ranging from cream to yellow.
  • Starfruit is often eaten raw, but it can also be stewed, preserved, pickled, juiced, made into relish, or cooked as part of a dish.
  • Some caution is required if star fruit is consumed while on certain medications, and the fruit can be dangerous for those with kidney-related health issues.
  • Starfruit is very high in vitamin C and is a good source of fibre, and the fruit contains many other vitamins and minerals.
Bibliography:
Carambola, 2015, Better Health Channel, https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/ingredientsprofiles/Carambola
Carambola, 2015, Cape Trib, http://www.capetrib.com.au/carambola.htm
Carambola, 2016, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carambola

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Kumquat

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Kumquat

Kumquats are they hidden away relatives of oranges.

  • Kumquats are a type of citrus fruit that grown on small trees, that have edible skin and flesh, and they are believed to be native to China.
  • ‘Kumquats’ are also known as ‘cumquats’, and the name is taken from the Cantonese word 金橘, pronounced ‘kamkwat’, which literally means ‘gold’ or ‘golden’ and ‘orange’ or ‘tangerine’.
  • The official species name of a kumquat tree is Citrus japonica, from the family Rutaceae, the family of citrus, however, they were formerly of the Fortunella genus, and as such, the old scientific names for the fruit are still commonly used.
  • Kumquats are typically sturdy fruit, and the plants generally have the ability to withstand fairly hot and cold growing temperatures, unlike many other citrus species.
  • The flesh of kumquats is particularly strong and sour, however the skin is usually sweet in comparison, and for this reason, it is common for the flesh and skin, or ‘peel’ as it is often called, to be eaten together.
Kumquat, Ten Random Facts, Trivia, Fruit, Vegetation, Citrus, Orange, Golden
Kumquat
Image courtesy of Eugene Kim/Flickr
  • Kumquats are generally of an ovoid or roughly spherical shape, depending on the variety, and they can have a diameter of around 1.6 to 4 centimetres (0.6 to 1.6 inches).
  • There are four main varieties of kumquats, with the nagami variety being the most commonly grown due to its hardiness and productiveness.
  • Kumquat skin changes from a green colour, to a bright orange-yellow or orange-gold colour when ripe, with colour varying according to the variety.
  • Kumquats can be eaten both fresh and as a marmalade or jam, and they are sometimes dried, pickled, sugared or cooked.
  • Kumquats are very high in vitamin C and are a good source of fibre, and they contain many other vitamins and minerals.
Bibliography:
Kumquat, 2016, Purdue Agriculture, https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/kumquat.html
Kumquat, 2016, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kumquat
What Is A Kumquat, 2014, Kumquat Growers, http://kumquatgrowers.com/what.html

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Dragon Fruit

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Dragon Fruit

I couldn’t think of a better name than ‘dragon fruit’ for such a fruit.

  • Dragon fruit is an edible exotic fruit that grows on certain species of cactus plants.
  • ‘Dragon fruit’ is also known as ‘pitaya’, ‘nanettika fruit’, ‘strawberry pear’ and ‘pitahaya’.
  • Sweet dragon fruit come from the genus Hylocereus, of the Cactaceae family, the family of cacti, and the scientific name of the most commonly grown of the edible species is Hylocereus undatus, while sour pitaya are from the Stenocerus genus.
  • Dragon fruit are native to the Americas, and have since been introduced to eastern and southern Asia, where the fruit is now cultivated extensively.
  • The weight of dragon fruit ranges from 150 to 1000 grams (5 to 35 ounces), although more commonly they range from 150 to 600 grams (5 to 21 ounces) and they are usually an ovoid or round shape.
Dragon Fruit, Trivia, Ten Random Facts, Red, Fruit, Lone, Vegetation, Culinary, Food
Dragon Fruit
Image courtesy of John Robinson/Flickr
  • The skin of dragon fruit is usually, pink, red or yellow in colour, often with spiky leaf-like appendages generally tipped with green, and a red or white coloured flesh that contains numerous small, black, edible seeds.
  • Dragon fruit has a mild flavour and is often compared to passionfruit, watermelon, raspberries and other fruit, depending on the species, and are usually sweet; though those from the Stenocerus are mostly sour.
  • The large dragon fruit flowers require pollination during the night as they generally whither in the day and only last up to 24 hours, after which the fruit develops and is ready for picking from 30 to 50 days.
  • Commonly, dragon fruit is eaten fresh or as an accompaniment to ice cream or other desserts, and it can be frozen, or used in drinks, jams and jelly.
  • Dragon fruit is high in vitamin C and antioxidants, and is a good source of iron and fibre.
Bibliography:
Fruit, n.d, Red For Pitaya’s Dragon Fruit, http://www.aussiedragonfruit.com/Fruit.htm
Pitaya, 2016, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pitaya
McMahon G, Pitaya (Dragon Fruit), 2003, Northern Territory Government, http://www.nt.gov.au/d/Primary_Industry/Content/File/horticulture/tropical_fruits/FF12_pitaya.pdf

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Sugar Apple

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Sugar Apple

Sugar apples are sweet delicacies with no added sugar. Amazing, right?

  • Sugar apples are a type of fruit grown on trees that have their origins in the Americas.
  • The scientific name of the plant bearing sugar apples is Annona squamosa and it is from the family Annonaceae, the family of custard apples, however many commercial varieties are hybrids of Annona squamosa and Annona cherimola, of which the fruit is sometimes known as ‘atemoya’.
  • A ‘sugar apple’ is also known as ‘ata’, ‘aati’, ‘annon’, ‘sweetsop’, ‘pineapple sugar-apple’ – which usually refers to the hybrid ‘atemoya’, ‘sweet apple’, and ‘custard apple’, although the latter term can also refer to fruit of other species in the same genus.
  • Sugar apples are a heart, conical or roundish shape, and generally reach a diameter of 5 to 15 centimetres (2 to 6 inches) or more and can weigh between 100 grams and 3 kilograms (3.5 ounces to 6.6 pounds), depending on the species or variety.
  • Sugar apples are typically bumpy in appearance, and their skin is generally a dark green colour which changes to a light green, sometimes with a yellow, blue or red tinge when ripe, and, the flesh is a white or creamy colour.

Sugar Apple, Custard Apple, Trivia, Ten Random Facts, Green, Cut, Fruit, Exotic, African Pride, Trivia, Vegetation

Custard Apple
Image courtesy of Hort Innovation
  • The flesh of sugar apples is quite slippery and juicy, and has a soft texture; and depending on the variety, it may have segments.
  • Sugar apples notably have a flavour comparable to custard, and are otherwise particularly sweet, and they are usually eaten raw and sometimes made into a drink with the addition of ice-cream or milk.
  • Sugar apples are popularly cultivated in a number of regions around the world, including parts of Asia and Australia, as well as other tropical or sub-tropical areas.
  • Around 20 to 40 black seeds can be found in most sugar apple varieties, which contain a toxin and thus should not be consumed.
  • Sugar apples are extremely high in vitamin C and are a good source of vitamin B6 and fibre, and they contain many other vitamins and minerals.
Bibliography:
Sugar Apple, 2016, Purdue Agriculture, https://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/sugar_apple.html
Sugar-apple, 2016, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugar-apple
Australian Custard Apples, 2016, Hort Innovation, http://www.custardapple.com.au/

Garlic Bread

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Garlic Bread

There’s no garlic bread on the menu? Okay, that’s an issue.

  • Garlic bread is a bread-based food item typically flavoured with garlic and butter, margarine or oil.
  • Crusty bread, such as a baguette, is commonly used to create garlic bread, and the already cooked bread is spread with a combination of butter and garlic, or soaked or drizzled in oil and rubbed in garlic, and occasionally cheeses and herbs are also added.
  • Garlic bread is popularly served as an entree or accompaniment to a main meal, especially with Italian food.
  • Garlic bread is generally heated in an oven or a frypan, or grilled, typically until toasted lightly.
  • Preparation of garlic bread can be undergone in two main ways – firstly, cutting the bread in slices and then adding flavours to each slice, or partially cutting the bread and drizzling the cut area with oils and herbs.
Garlic Bread, Trivia, Ten Random Facts, Food, Culinary, Slices, Toasted
Garlic Bread
Image courtesy of Marco Arment/Flickr
  • Garlic bread is derived from the Italian bruschetta, a thickly sliced bread-based dish rubbed with olive oil and garlic gloves, which was originally considered peasant food, and most likely a tradition passed down from the Ancient Romans.
  • It is common to find ready-made garlic bread, frozen or refrigerated, sold at supermarkets, so that it is only required to be heated at home.
  • Garlic bread was likely brought to America by Italian immigrants, originally as bruschetta, but due to the lack of olive oil and other ingredients, butter was substituted and later adapted to make a different dish.
  • The texture of garlic bread can be either crisp or soft, which generally depends on the preparation type, but also length of cooking, and to obtain a soft texture, the prepared bread is generally wrapped in aluminium foil and placed in the oven.
  • During preparation, garlic bread can be cut a number of ways – on a diagonal down the length of the baguette; straight across; length-ways from end to end; sliced in half length-ways and then sliced diagonally or straight across; or partially sliced through, straight across or diagonally.
Bibliography:
Bread, 2015, Food Timeline, http://www.foodtimeline.org/foodbreads.html#garlicbread
Garlic Bread, 2016, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garlic_bread
Garlic Bread, n.d, ifood.tv, http://ifood.tv/bread/garlic-bread/about
There is No Such Thing as “Garlic Bread”, 2011, The View from my Italian Kitchen, http://ronjamesitaliankitchen.blogspot.com.au/2011/04/theres-no-such-thing-as-garlic-bread.html

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