Tag Archives: Culinary

Strawberry

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Strawberry

Sweet, juicy, mouth-watering strawberries.

  • Strawberries are also called ‘garden strawberries’ and are from the family Rosaceae, which is the family of roses, and are not proper berries.
  • There are more than 20 species of Fragaria, or strawberries as they are known, with Fragaria × ananassa being the most commonly grown hybrid.
  • Strawberries are typically sweet, heart shaped red, juicy fruits, and generally grow on a 15 cm (6 inches) high plant that spread out on the ground to about 50–100 cm (20 – 40 inches).
  • Strawberries can be made into jam, juice, milkshakes or made into cakes or desserts, or eaten with or added to ice cream, yoghurt, chocolate, pancakes and so on.
  • Strawberries have approximately 200 small yellow achenes, that look like seeds and are actually the ‘fruit’ of the strawberry, on the outside of the flesh, which contain a seed inside each.

Strawberry, punnet, group, bunch, red, many, bowl, whole, picked, supermarket, Aldi, Ten Random Facts

  • Cultivated strawberries are generally sweeter than the wild species, with the garden type becoming very popular due to its sweetness, and they should be eaten within two or three days from purchasing or picking, as they can easily become bruised, mouldy or decayed.
  • Strawberries only ripen on the plant, and are green or white if not ripe, although some varieties of strawberries are white when ripe.
  • In 2011, USA, was by far the world’s top producer of strawberries, producing over one quarter of the total world production of 4,200,000 tonnes (4,600,000 tons) with Spain ranking second.
  • Some people are allergic to strawberries with reactions similar to hay fever, hives and possibly breathing problems and can cause anaphylaxis, although some of the white strawberry cultivars may not cause a reaction.
  • Strawberries are a good source of antioxidants and are very high in vitamin C, with one serve providing close to your daily recommended intake.
Bibliography: Strawberry, 2011, Fresh for Kids, <http://www.freshforkids.com.au/fruit_pages/strawberry/strawberry.html>
Strawberry, 2013, Wikipedia, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strawberry>

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Weet-Bix

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Weet-Bix

“Aussie kids are Weet-Bix kids” – Sanitarium’s Slogan

  • Weet-Bix is a wholegrain cereal that is shaped like a thin brick, known as a ‘wheat biscuit’, that is made by Australia’s Sanitarium Health Food Company and South Africa’s Bokomo.
  • The forerunner of Weet-bix were known as ‘Granose biscuits’, which were first made by the famous Kellogg brothers in the 1890s in the USA, and in 1899 they were being produced in Australia by the Sanitarium Health Food Company, and became popular during  World War I where they were being fed to the troops.
  • Grain Products Limited was established by Arthur Shannon in the mid 1920s to make wheat biscuits known as ‘Weet-Bix’, in competition to the Sanitarium Health Food Company’s Granose biscuits, and a newly formed company known as Cereal Foods that produced a sweeter wheat biscuit known as ‘Vita-Brits’.
  • Weet-Bix are a good source of fibre and are high in folate and thiamin, and are generally eaten for breakfast covered in milk.
  • Weet-Bix is a common food icon of Australia and New Zealand, and has become the two countries’ most popular cereal.

Weet-Bix, Wheat Biscuits, Woolworths, Pile, Raw, Plate, Ten Random Facts, Australia

  • In the 1920s, Bennison Osborne, Norman Jeffes, Frederick Foots and Arthur Shannon all contributed to the  new Grain Products Limited wheat biscuit, known as ‘Weet-Bix’, which became a quick success, although in 1928 the company was sold to the Sanitarium Health Food Company, who were buying out their competitors.
  • Australian soldiers ate Weet-Bix for breakfast during World War II, and the product sponsors some Australian sport teams and their players, such as cricket and soccer teams, which often appear on Sanitarium’s advertisements.
  • Australians eat approximately 1.4 billion Weet-Bix each year, and in 2010, the amount of Weet-Bix manufactured would’ve been enough to cover a soccer field up to 18 metres (59 feet) high.
  • Bennison Osborne and Ian Malcolm Macfarlane, who was also involved in the Grain Products Limited company, eventually moved to England and started a company called the British and African Cereal Company Pty Ltd, with their main product being a modified version of Weet-bix, known as ‘Weetabix’, which have become popular in a number of countries around the world.
  • Originally, Weet-Bix were delivered to shops by horse and cart, and some years later, they often had collectible cards included in the box.
Bibliography:
An Aussie Icon, 2010, Weet-Bix, <http://www.weetbix.com.au/an-aussie-icon>
Bagnall J, Weet-Bix, n.d., Weet-Bix: The Early History, <http://weetbixhistory.wordpress.com/weet-bix/>

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Celery

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Celery

Green, long celery sticks.

  • Celery is from the family Apiaceae, which is the family of carrots and parsley, and its scientific name is Apium graveolens.
  • Celery is a crunchy and crisp vegetable that can be green, yellow green, white or reddish purple in colour, and can be eaten raw or cooked.
  • Celery is a biennial plant that grows up to one metre (3.3 feet) tall and generally has green, leafy tops, and is said to help keep one’s mouth and teeth clean.
  • There are three main types of celery – leafy celery, that has lots of leaves that are used and small stalks that are not generally eaten; stalk celery, where the stalks are mainly used and the leafy parts are generally not eaten; and root celery, known as celeriac, that is mostly grown for its edible roots.
  • Celery has white or cream coloured flowers that produce small edible seeds.

 Celery, Stick, Long, Leafy, Green, Vegetation, Australia, Ten Random Facts

  • Celery was first named in 1664, ‘celery’ coming from the French word ‘céleri’, which originally came from the Greek word meaning parsley, ‘selinon’.
  • Celery leaves and seeds are often used as herbs or spices while the stalks and leaves can be used as a vegetable in salads or main dishes.
  • Celery seeds can lower a rat’s blood pressure, and women should not consume large amounts of the seeds if they are pregnant.
  • All parts of celery, most notably the seeds, can cause an anaphylactic reaction in those people who are allergic to the vegetable,  that cannot be removed by cooking, and is not uncommon in some parts of Europe, where it is mandatory to label products that have or may contain celery.
  • Celery contains significant portions of vitamin A and folate, and is high in vitamin K, with one serve containing approximately 2/5 of the recommended daily intake.
Bibliography:
Celery, 2011, Fresh for Kids, <http://www.freshforkids.com.au/veg_pages/celery/celery.html>
Celery, 2013, Wikipedia, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celery>

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Rosemary

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Rosemary

Smell the strong smelling rosemary.

  • The scientific name of rosemary is Rosmarinus officinalis, ‘rosmarinus’ being Latin for ‘dew of the sea’, which is said to be a reference to its little need for water which can be derived from the moisture in the sea air.
  • Rosemary is an evergreen, woody herb with spiky looking green leaves and mauve, purple, blue, white or pink coloured flowers.
  • Rosemary is native to the Mediterranean area and is from the Lamiaceae family, which is the family of mint.
  • Rosemary is also known as ‘anthos’, the Greek word for ‘flower’, and the ‘Rose of Mary’, due to the suggestion that Virgin Mary laid her cloak on the herb.
  • Rosemary leaves are often used as a seasoning for stuffings and meat such as roast lamb, chicken, pork, turkey and in Mediterranean dishes, and the flowers can also be used, sometimes featuring in salads.

 Rosemary, Flower, Purple, Ten Random Facts< Australia, Plant, Herb,

  • Rosemary is quite drought tolerant, can be grown as a hedge plant, and ranges in height from 30 cm – 1.5 meters (1-5 feet) depending on the species.
  • In 2013, it was officially proven that rosemary helps the brain with remembering and clarity due to the smell of the essential oil that is contained in the plant, although the Ancient Greeks and Shakespeare both discovered these memory properties long ago.
  • Rosemary contains vitamin C, vitamin B6, folate, iron, calcium and manganese, and because it contains rosmarinic acid which has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, it is often used for medicinal purposes, including the treatment of hair for dandruff and baldness.
  • Rosemary was worn by both the bride and the groom in weddings in the Middle Ages, and a piece was then planted in the hope of good luck for the couple’s marriage.
  • Rosemary is often worn at Australia’s ANZAC Day ceremonies due to the abundance of the herb at the Gallipoli war grounds and its association with remembrance.
Bibliography:
Campbell C, Rosemary, 2011, Gardening Australia, < http://www.abc.net.au/gardening/stories/s2046448.htm>
Rosemary, 2013, Wikipedia, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosemary>

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Mandarin Orange

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Mandarin Orange

Orange, juicy mandarins.

  • Mandarins are small, orange coloured, citrus fruits that usually grow on a small to medium sized trees and are similar to an orange, but are often sweeter.
  • Mandarins, also known as ‘mandarines’, are said to be named after the Chinese officials of the same name who wore orange robes, and are often used in celebrating Christmas in United States and Canada and are a symbol of Chinese New Year.
  • Mandarins are native to south east Asia, and the scientific name is Citrus reticulata, belonging to the Rutaceae family, the family of citrus fruit.
  • Mandarins are peeled easily by hand and the segments inside can be pulled apart easily without making a mess.
  • China is by far the major producer of mandarins, producing just over half of the world total’s mandarin production of 24.6 million tonnes (27.1 million tons) in 2011.

Mandarins, Mandarines, Orange, Open, Skin, Whole, Four, Orange, citrus, Australia, Woolworths, Ten Random Facts

  • Mandarins are a good source of dietary fibre and vitamin A, and are an excellent source of Vitamin C, with one mandarin providing up to 80% of your daily needs, as well as being high in antioxidants, and helping to prevent heart disease and cancer.
  • Mandarins are most commonly eaten raw but can be eaten in salads, main dishes and desserts and can even be canned.
  • Mandarin peel has valuable essential oil that is used as a commercial flavouring ingredient in liqueurs, soft drinks, confectionery, ice cream and baked goods.
  • Some mandarin varieties have many seeds, while others only have a few, and there are some cultivars that are seedless.
  • Mandarins have a fairly short shelf life, and start to deteriorate after  2 to 4 weeks in storage.
Bibliography:
Mandarin Orange, 2013, Purdue Agriculture, <http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/mandarin_orange.html>
Mandarin Orange, 2013, Wikipedia, < http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandarin_orange>

 
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Eggplant

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Eggplant

Eggplants do not grow eggs!

  • Eggplants are native to India and are known as ‘aubergines’ in Europe and ‘eggplants’ in America, and are also called ‘brinjal’, ‘melongene’ and ‘guinea squash’.
  • An eggplant’s scientific name is solanum melongena and the belong to the family Solanaceae, which is the family of nightshades, and they are related to tomatoes and potatoes.
  • Eggplants are typically dark purple vegetables that grow 12 to 25 cm (4.5 to 9 inches) in length and have a spongy light coloured flesh, although they come in all different shapes, sizes and colours including an almost black colour, green, orange, white, and yellow.
  • Eggplant plants are a perennial tropical plant that grow to 40 to 150 cm (16 to 57 inches) in height and have a white to purple coloured flower.
  • Eggplants were named ‘eggplants’ in the 1700s in Europe, because some eggplants were white in colour and looked like bird eggs.

Eggplant, Purple, Fat Long, Black, One, Single, Australia, Vegetable, Ten Random Facts

  • Eggplants behave like a sponge during the cooking process, and can be baked, fried, stewed, grilled, steamed and stuffed, whilst also featuring in two of the most famous eggplant dishes, moussaka and  ratatouille.
  • Eggplants become more bitter with age, although are usually cooked to avoid or reduce the often bitter taste they have, and are sometimes cut, salted and rinsed before cooking to remove some of the bitterness and so that they absorb less oil or other liquid.
  • China produced 58% of the total world production of nearly 42 million tonnes (41 million tons) of eggplants in 2010, and cultivated eggplants use more than 4 million acres (1.6 million hectares) of land worldwide.
  • Eggplants have the highest nicotine content than all edible plants, although you would need to eat 9kg (20 pounds) of eggplant to match the quantity of nicotine in one cigarette.
  • Some people are allergic to eggplants, which can cause reactions of itchiness, headaches and stomach irritation.
Bibliography:
Eggplant, 2013, World’s Healthiest Foods, < http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=22>
Eggplant, 2013, Wikipedia, < https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eggplant>

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