The fruit detective
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Meet the Italian ‘Fruit Detective’ Who Investigates Centuries-Old Paintings for Clues About Produce That Has Disappeared From the Kitchen Table
Renaissance paintings, medieval archives, cloistered orchards—how one Italian scientist is uncovering secrets that could help combat a growing agricultural crisis
When the world wearies and society ceases to satisfy, there is always the garden - Minnie Aumônier
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Loved this article!
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I know! What she is doing is too cool.
It also reminded me of the apples, blueberries, and raspberries that I ate as a kid and that were picked from the gardens of various relatives. Heirloom varieties that are hard to come by these days, especially if you just shop in grocery stores. I could still get some of the old-time cultivars at various farm stands in Door County, but in recent years they've all basically gone commercial. I mean, I love Honeycrisp apples as much as anyone, but there are so many other wonderful varieties of apples.
I think I had my last Snow Apple twenty years ago. When I went back the next year to that orchard they told me the last tree was gone.
Life moves on.
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Meet the Italian ‘Fruit Detective’ Who Investigates Centuries-Old Paintings for Clues About Produce That Has Disappeared From the Kitchen Table
Renaissance paintings, medieval archives, cloistered orchards—how one Italian scientist is uncovering secrets that could help combat a growing agricultural crisis
@wtg
I miss several varieties of fruits and vegetables I ate when I was younger - Midway strawberries, Iochief sweet corn, and Sodus raspberries come immediately to mind. I still find some of my other favorites at some markets - like Rome Beauty apples. There was a Rome Beauty tree growing on the path between the house and barn on the farm where I grew up and, when they were in season, I'd pick one to eat every time I passed the tree.Big Al
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The disappearing McIntosh apple.
https://thehustle.co/originals/how-the-classic-mcintosh-lost-the-battle-for-apple-supremacy
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Mcintosh apples deserve it. They are my least favourite, alongside red delicious. I’m worried Mutsu are also going to go away though - they are the very best apple for pie.
The other disappearing produce I’ve noticed (in my neck of the woods) is yellow sweet corn. It has all been replaced with peaches and cream, which I don’t find as flavourful.
I recently listened to an episode of the Sporkful where they talked about jalapeños and whether they are getting less hot. The answer was yes, and it turns out it’s because they cultivated one that was very mild but very flavourful and had a consistent heat to use in commercial salsa, where they just add pure capsaicin to meet the desired heat level. But those jalapeños weren’t really meant for consumers. Of course because the demand for them is so high, eventually they became the only ones available in most grocery stores.
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Mcintosh apples deserve it. They are my least favourite, alongside red delicious. I’m worried Mutsu are also going to go away though - they are the very best apple for pie.
The other disappearing produce I’ve noticed (in my neck of the woods) is yellow sweet corn. It has all been replaced with peaches and cream, which I don’t find as flavourful.
I recently listened to an episode of the Sporkful where they talked about jalapeños and whether they are getting less hot. The answer was yes, and it turns out it’s because they cultivated one that was very mild but very flavourful and had a consistent heat to use in commercial salsa, where they just add pure capsaicin to meet the desired heat level. But those jalapeños weren’t really meant for consumers. Of course because the demand for them is so high, eventually they became the only ones available in most grocery stores.
@dolmansaxlil I guess that’s why I can now tolerate jalapeños!
Speaking of which, I’m enjoying the cilantro/lime/jalapeño dressing in this avocado blueberry quinoa salad.
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@dolmansaxlil I guess that’s why I can now tolerate jalapeños!
Speaking of which, I’m enjoying the cilantro/lime/jalapeño dressing in this avocado blueberry quinoa salad.
@AdagioM said in The fruit detective:
@dolmansaxlil I guess that’s why I can now tolerate jalapeños!
Speaking of which, I’m enjoying the cilantro/lime/jalapeño dressing in this avocado blueberry quinoa salad.
That salad sounds delightful! Saved! We have a corn blueberry feta salad with mint that we eat frequently in the summer. I love the idea of adding some quinoa to add protein and bulk!
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@AdagioM said in The fruit detective:
@dolmansaxlil I guess that’s why I can now tolerate jalapeños!
Speaking of which, I’m enjoying the cilantro/lime/jalapeño dressing in this avocado blueberry quinoa salad.
That salad sounds delightful! Saved! We have a corn blueberry feta salad with mint that we eat frequently in the summer. I love the idea of adding some quinoa to add protein and bulk!
@dolmansaxlil Corn and blueberry are so pretty together. I also add chickpeas for protein.
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My recent favourite (within maybe the last 10 years) are ambrosia apples. But they don’t store terribly well so they are best in the fall.
