Tomato
Some things you might not know about tomatoes:
- There are around 7500 varieties of tomato grown
- They contain lycopene, one of the most powerful natural antioxidants.
- Technically a tomato fruit is classified as a berry
- The leaves of tomato plants are poisonous
- The heaviest tomato ever grown was one of 3.51 kg
Botanical Information
Family: Solanaceae
Scientific Name: Solanum lycopersicum L. (described here)
Etymology: Solanum (nightshade) lyco (wolf) persicum (peach)
Uses: Cooking, raw and cooked.
History: The tomato originated in the highlands of South America and was brought to europe by Spanish explorers in the late 15th or early 16th century.
October 30th, 2009
Some things you might not know about avocados:
- Avocados are members of the Laurel family (Lauraceae).
- The common name avocado is derived from the Aztec word for testicle.
- Avocados are about one third fat (although most of this is the monounsaturated kind).
- Avocados have been cultivated since 8000BC.
Botanical Information
Family: Lauraceae
Scientific Name: Persea americana
Etymology: The name Avocado comes from the Aztec word ‘ahuacatl’ meaning testicle.
Also Known as: Avocado pear, aguacate, alligator pear
Uses: Avocados are extremely nutritious fruits. They are high in vitamins A, B and E.
There are over 1000 varieties of cultivated avocados.
How to tell if an avocado is ripe
Although the greengrocer won’t like you doing it, the best way to tell if an avocado is ripe is to give it a poke. But what should a ripe avocado feel like? The best way to think of it is to compare it with your face. If you poke the middle of your forehead, that’s like an avocado that is not yet ripe. If you poke your cheek, that feels like an avocado that is too ripe. What you want is something that feels the same as when you poke the end of your nose – there is a bit of give, but not too much (thanks to Gabrielle Gate for this tip!)
February 24th, 2006
