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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@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
