FRUITS AND VEGETABLES: PLANTS
ANISE
- What is the botany of anise?
- What is the history of anise?
- What is the best temperature for storage of anise?
- Is star anise the same as anise seeds?
- What are the uses of anise?
APPLES
- Is there a difference between apple juice and apple cider?
- What Are Various Varieties Of Apples And What Are Their "Common Ancestors Or "Blood" Relationship?
- What causes a bruise on an apple?
- Why do apples float?
- We would like to make our applesauce from scratch. Do you have a good formula?
- What are some varieties of apples?
- What are some kinds or varieties of American apples, with differences in characteristics?
- How do I store apples?
- What are the grades of apples?
- What are the characteristics of selected apples?
- When does one harvest an apple?
- What is a quality apple?
- What are some kinds or varieties of American apples, with differences in use?
- What are characteristics of select apple varieties?
- Who was Johnny Appleseed?
- Discuss the Braeburn apple?
- Our apple pies are great, but the shelf life is only two days. What can we do to extend the shelf life?
APRICOT
- What is the botany of apricots?
- What is the history of apricots?
- What is the history of naming of apricots?
- Dried apricots and other fruits are often labeled "contains sulfites." What are sulfites?
- What if a newly purchased package of dried fruits contains brown peaches and apricots?
- What is an apricot?
ARTICHOKES
- What is the nutritive value of artichokes?
- What is the botany of artichokes?
- What is the history of artichokes?
ASPARAGUS
- What is the botany of asparagus?
- What is the history of asparagus?
AVOCADO
- What is the name of the avocado?
- What is the botany of the avocado?
- What is the history of the avocado?
- What is the Florida history of the avocado?
- What are some of the varieties of avocado?
- What is the best storage temperature for avocados?
- What is the compositional and nutritional value of avocados?
- I bought some bananas/avocados that were not yet ripe. How do I accelerate the natural ripening process?
BANANA
- What is the history of the banana?
- What is the botany of bananas?
- What is the botany and quality of banana?
- What is the difference between a plantain and a banana?
- What is the banana nutrient content?
BEETS
- What is the botany of beets?
- What is the history of beets?
- What is the best storage temeprature for beets?
- What is the problem with canned beets that have no unusual odor or gas present, but have blackened?
- Are there religious taboos against eating beets?
- What is the description and days to maturity of a variety of beets?
BERRIES
- Can you tell me the history of berries?
- What are some names of different berries?
BLUEBERRY
- What is the botany of blueberries?
- What is the history of blueberries?
- I want to use fresh blueberries throughout the year. How can I store fresh blueberries when they are in season for later use?
- Do blueberries have any bad side effects for cardiac patients? I put some fresh berries in my yogurt every day.
- What are varieties of blueberries?
BROCCOLI
- What is the botany of broccoli?
- How is broccoli named?
- What is the history of broccoli?
- What is the best storage for broccoli?
- I have heard that broccoli florets are poisonous, are they?
- What is the fat content of broccoli?
- What is the affect on color and texture of acid, base, and optimum cooking on broccoli?
BRUSSEL SPROUTS
- What is the botany of brussels sprouts?
- What is the history of the brussels sprouts?
- What type of storage conditions are used for brussels sprouts?
CABBAGE
- What is the botany of cabbages?
- What is the history of the cabbage?
- What is the best storage for cabbage?
- Can salt be omitted from sauerkraut recipes?
- What is the affect of acid, base, and optimum cooking on red cabbage color?
CANTALOUP
- What is the botany of cantaloupes?
- What is the history of cantaloupes?
- How has the development of cantaloupes industry occurred?
CAPERS
- What are capers?
- I would appreciate a little information on capers. Are they of the pepper family?
CARROT
- What is the botany of carrots?
- What is the history of carrots?
- Where does the carrot name originate?
- What are some uses of carrots?
- What are grades, sizes and qulity of carrots?
- What a wild carrot or false caraway?
- What is the affect on color and texture of acid, base, and optimum cooking?
CAULIFLOWER
- What is the botany of cauliflower?
- Where does the cauliflower name originate?
- What is the history of the cauliflower?
- What is the optimum storage for cauliflower?
- I am the owner of a national restaurant chain. I seem to be receiving a lot of cauliflower that has a lot of purple coloring on the stalks. Can you tell me what causes this. Is it safe? Why only this time of year? Any information would be helpful.
- What is the affect of base, acid and optimum cooking on cauliflower color/quality?
CELERIAC, CELERY
- What is the botany of celeriac?
- What is the history of celeriac?
- What is the botany of celery?
- What is the origin of the name celery?
- What is the history of celery?
- What are the symptoms of celiac disease?
- What is wild celery?
CHAYOTE
- How can I use chayotes?
CHERRY
- What is the history of cherries?
- What is the botany of cherries?
- What are the Montmorency sour cherries?
- What are the optimum storage conditions for cherries?
- I was fascinated to read about the 79-year-old person with arthritis who is tap dancing again after drinking Brownwood Acres tart cherry juice, I, too, have been on Brownwood juice since December, when I had a gout attack. I have been drinking it ever since, in addition to watching my diet and cutting out shellfish. I have had no further attacks. I've had my uric acid checked, and in mid-February it was normal. I got complacent and let up on the juice. Last week I felt a “twinge,” so I went back to drinking cherry juice, and the pain disappeared.
- What are sour and sweet varieties of cherries?
- What is the botany of sweet cherries?
- What is the history of sweet cherries?
- How are sweet cherries named?
- What is the Bing sweet cherry?
- What is the Lambert sweet cherry?
- What is the Black Tartarian sweet cherry?
- What is the best temperature for holding sweet cherries?
CHILE PEPPERS
- What are various chile peppers and how hot are they?
- What are varieties of chile peppers?
- Is there a way of telling how "hot" chili peppers are?
CITRUS FRUITS
- What should I look for when I'm selecting citrus fruits?
- Why is wax added to the peel of citrus fruits?
- I have heard that citrus fruits are dyed to enhance their color. Is this true?
- Do you have any tips for getting the most out of the citrus I buy?
- Can I freeze whole citrus fruits?
- What is “citrus “zest”?
- target="_blank">If Navel oranges are seedless, how can more trees be grown?
- Why do summer Valencia orange sometimes look green and unripe?
COCONUT
- What is the botany of coconut?
- What is the origin of the name coconut?
- What is the history of coconut in cultures?
- What are the varieties of coconut?
- What is the composition of coconut oil?
- Why does shredded, dried coconut become tan?
- What is the nutritive value of coconut?
- Will coconut milk and coconut macaroon cookies stop diarrhea?
COLLARD
- What is the botany of collards?
- What is the history of collards?
- What is the nutrition of collards?
CORN
- What is the meaning of corn?
- You have responded to many questions about curing toenail fungus with home remedies, but here's one you've never mentioned. Put about an inch of cornmeal in a plastic dishpan. Pour in hot water, stir it so the cornmeal gets dissolved, and when it is cool enough not to hurt. Soak your feet for an hour. If you do this regularly, it will get rid of the fungus. You can also sprinkle dry cornmeal on the dirt around roses to ward off black spot fungus infection.
- What is zein?
- What is the botany of sweet corn?
- What is hybrid corn?
- What is the history of corn?
- What is the affect of storage conditions on sweet corn?
CRANBERRY
- What is the botany of cranberries?
- How was cranberry named?
- What is the optimum storage conditions for cranberries?
CUCUMBER
- What is the botany of the cucumber?
- What is the history of the cucumber?
- What is an English cucumber glass?
- What are oddities of cucumbers?
- What are storage conditions for cucumbers?
- Can salt be left out of brined cucumber pickles?
- What amount of vinegar is a pickle recipe suppose to contain?
- Can hollow pickles be prevented?
- How can shriveled pickles be prevented?
- What causes soft or slippery pickles?
- What are varieities and their characteristics of cucumber?
EGGPLANT
- What is the botany of eggplant?
- What is the history of eggplant?
- What is the origin of the eggplant name?
- How is eggplant harvested, packed, transported, and stored?
- How are egg plant graded?
- What is the composition and nutritive value of eggplant?
- What are various eggplant varieties and their characteristics?
ENDIVE
- What is the botany of endive, chicory and escarole?
- What is the history of endive-escarole-chicory?
- What is the desired transit and storage temperatures of endive-escarole-chicory?
FIGS
- What isthe botany of the fig?
- What is the history of the fig?
- What is the origin of the name fig?
- What are varieties of figs?
- I searched for a recipe for brandied figs without success. Then I went ahead on my own. I ended with very bad figs but very good vinegar! Someone suggested I ask you, which I do with tears in my eyes and a refrigerator full of figs.
- What is a fig?
GARLIC
- How does garlic serve to inhibit yeast activity?
- What is the botany of garlic?
- What is the history of garlic?
- What are the uses of garlic?
- What are varieties of garlic?
- What are grades of garlic?
- What are the best conditions of storage of garlic?
GOOSEBERRY
- What is the history of gooseberries?
- What is the optimum storage of gooseberries?
- What is the composition of gooseberries?
GRAPES
- We received golden raisins instead of black raisins. Is there a difference?
- What is grape seed extract?
- What is the botany of grapes?
- What is the history of the grape?
- What are various varieties of grapes?
GRAPFRUITS
- What are limonoids and flavonoids in grapefruit juices?
- What is a pummelo?
- What is the botany of grapefruit?
- What is the history of grapefruit?
- What is the origin of grapefruit varieties?
GREEN BEAN
- What is the botany of green or wax snap beans?
- What is the history of green or wax snap bean?
GREEN PEA
- What is the history of grean peans?
- What is the nutritive value of grean peans?
HONEYDEW MELON
- What is the background of naming of honey dew melons?
- What is the botany of honey dew melons?
- What is the history of honey dew melons?
KALE
- What is the botany of Kale?
- What is the history of kale?
- What is the origin of the name kale?
- What are optimum storage conditions for kale?
KIWI
- What is the botany of kiwifruit?
- Does kiwifruit contain any enzymes?
- Where did the name kiwifruit come from?
- What is the history of the kiwifruit?
- What is the optimum storage temperature for kiwifruit?
- What is the composition and nutritional value of kiwifruit?
KOHLRABI
- What is the botany of kohlrabi?
- What is the history of kohlrabi?
- How should kohlrabi be stored?
LEGUME
- How do legumes add nutrients to the soil?
- What are problems and their causes preparing and in eating legumes?
LEMON
- What is the botany of lemons?
- What is the history of lemons?
- What are the oddities of lemons?
- What is the history of the naming of lemons?
- We make lemon curd from scratch, but most of the time the curd coagulates. What are we doing wrong.
LETTUCE
- How can I prevent Iceberg Lettuce from browning when stored several days in the refrigerator?
- Why are lettuce prices high on occasion?
- How can I determine how much Iceberg lettuce to purchase?
- How do I select Iceberg lettuce?
- How do I store Iceberg lettuce?
- How do I core Iceberg lettuce?
- What is the botany of lettuce?
- What is the history of lettuce?
- What is the climate and geography for the growing of lettuce?
- What are some varieties of lettuce?
- What is the nutritive values of selected varities lettuce?
- How can I prevent Iceberg Lettuce from browning when stored several days in the refrigerator?
LIME
- What is the botany of limes?
- What is the history of limes?
- What are the optimum storage conditions for limes?
- What are acids found in limes?
LYCHEE
- What is the botany of lychee?
- What is the history
of lychee?
- What are the varieties of lychee?
- What is the nutrition of lychee?
- I found a new forumla that I would like to try. It calls for lychees. What are they?
MANGO
- What is the botany of mangos?
- What is the history of the mango?
- How are mangos stored and ripened?
MISCELLANEOUS
- What is the affect of osmosis on fruits and vegetables?
- Can fruit serve as a cleanser?
- My fruit leather is too tart. What can I do next time?
- Why does fruit leather crack when I try to roll it for storage?
- What causes some fruit leather to be grainy?
- What difference does the syrup make in canning fruit?
- My fruit turns dark, why?
- What are some names used for different types of fruits?
- What are some fruity flavor components?
- What is the season of selected fruits in the Northern hemisphere.
- When is a fruit a vegetable?
- What are some acid fruits?
- What kind of oils do we find in pits, kernels, seeds and fruit flesh??
- Why does the dried vegetable soup mixture have some vegetables that do not cook easily? What are the benefits of chocolate consumption?
- How can I parboil my vegetables?
- What are some names used for vegetables?
- What root vegetables are used in Caribbean cooking?
- What are some plant-derived medicial compounds?
- How much vanilla bean is in the different folds of vanilla?
- What is feijoa?
- Which of the following are: a root vegetable? A fruit vegetable, a bulb vegetable? A flower vegetable? A stem vegetable? A fruit? A seed vegetable?
MUSHROOMS
- What are some names used for different types of mushrooms?
MUSTARD
- What is the history of mustard?
- How do I use mustard? What are the types of mustards?
MUSTARD GREENS
- What is the botany of mustard greens?
- What is the history of mustard greens?
- What is the best temperature for mustard greens?
NECTARINE
- What is the botany of nectarines?
- What are the similarities and differences between nectarines versus peaches?
- What is the history of the nectarine?
- What are the optimum storage conditions for nectarines?
NUT
- I often buy hazelnuts and almonds with the skin on. What is an easy method to peel the skin off the nuts?
- Where is the best place to store nuts?
-
These "Bissy" or "Guru" nuts yield a very popular beverage flavor extract. In some parts of the world they are chewed before meals to improve digestion. Also purported to improve flavor of anything eaten after them. What is the popular name?
- What is the nutritive value of some nuts and seeds?
- What are some names used for different types of seeds and nuts?
- What is the composition of various nuts and seeds?
OKRA
- What is the botany of okra?
- What is the history of okra?
- I don't like okra, it is so limey and yukky? What can I do to make it eatable?
OLIVE
- What is the difference between olive, grape-seed, tea and avocado oil?
- What are the varieties of olives?
- What are common olives in supermarkets?
ONIONS, LEEKS, SHALLOTS
- What is the botany of green onions?
- What is the definition of green onions?
- What is the history of the green onion?
- How are green onions stored?
- What is the botany of dry onions?
- What is the history of dry onion?
- What is the history of the leek?
- What is the optimum storage of leeks?
- What is the history of shallots?
- What are the differences between shallots and green onions, scallions or leeks?
- How are shallots stored?
- Why do recipes tell you to saute onions separately, even in a dish that requries further cooking?
- What is the botany of dry onions?
- Why do raw onions make you cry?
ORANGES
- What is the botany of oranges?
- What is the history of citrus fruits?
- What are some varieties of oranges?
- I want to make preserves using orange and lemon peel. Do you have any suggestions?
- What is the history of oranges?
- What is the background of naming oranges?
PAPAYA
- What is the botany of papaya?
- What is the history of papaya?
- What is the composition and nutritional value of papaya?
- What are preparation and uses for papaya?
- What is buying criteria of papaya?
- What grades and sizing of papaya?
- What are definitions used in conjunction with papaya?
- What are select varieties of papaya?
- What are harvesting, packing, storage, and selling parameters for papaya?
PARSLEY
- What is the botany of Parsley?
- What is the history of parsley?
- What is wild parlsey?
PARSNIPS
- What is the botany of parsnips?
- What is the history of the parsnip?
- What is the optimum storage of parsnips?
- What are some selected varieties of parsnips?
PEACHES
- How can I get a more intense peach flavor when poaching peaches?
PEARS
- What is the botany of the pear?
- What is the history of the pear?
- What is the history of Bartlett pears?
PEPPERS
- What is the botany of peppers?
- What is the history of peppers?
- What is the best way to prepare dried peppers?
PEPPERMINT
- When were Altoids first sold?
PERSIAN MELONS
- What is the botany of persians?
- What is the history of the persians?
- What is the optimum transport and storage procedures for persians?
PERSIMMON
- What is the botany of persimmons?
- What is the history of persimmon?
- How may oriental persimmons be stored?
- Can persimmons be be used to predict the weather?
- What are "American/Native American persimmons?
PINEAPPLE
- What is the botany of pineapples?
- What is the history of pineapples?
- Where and how do pineapples grow?
- What is the nutritive value of pineapple?
- Have you ever heard of braised pineapple? I would like to use this pineapple for some of my cakes and desserts.
PITAHAYA, DRAGON FRUIT
- What is the nutritive value and chemical composition of the pitahaya fruit?
- What is the fatty acid composition of the pitahaya fruit?
- Discuss pitahaya fruit in jelly making.
- What is the fatty acid composition of pitahaya?
- What is the general chemical analysis of pitahaya?
PLUMS, PRUNES
- What is the history of the naming of prunes and/or plums?
- What is the botany of prunes and/or plums?
- What is the history of prunes and/or plums?
- What are some prune products/recipes?
POMEGRANATE
- What is the botany of pomegranates?
- What is the history of pomegranates?
- What is the origin of the name pomegranate?
- What is the best storage temperatures for pomegranates?
- I'm so glad pomegranates are back in season. I love them! Are there health benefits from eating pomegranates, so I don't have to feel bad about spending money on them?
POTATO
- What is the botany of the potato?
- What is the history of the potato?
- What is the role of specific gravity in selecting a potato?
- Why do microwaved potatoes taste so much different than potatoes baked in a regular oven?
- When and what is the source of pringles?
- Do potatoes have phenolics?
- What is the history of the potato?
- Why do some yeast breads include mashed potatoes?
- What causes gooey mashed potatoes?
RADISH
- What is the botany of the radish?
- What is the history of the radish?
- What is the origin of the name radish?
- What is optimum storage temperature and humidity for radishes?
RASPBERRIES
- What is the botany of the raspberry?
- What is the history of raspberries?
- How does one store raspberries?
RHUBARB
- We just received several pounds of rhubarb. Can you give us soem general guidelines and handling procedures?
- What is the botany of rhubarb?
- What is the history of rhubarb?
- How is rhubarb used?
- What are the grades of rhubarb?
- What are characteristics of quality rhubarb?
- What are varieties of rhubarb?
- How does one harvest rhubarb?
- What is storage and containers and weights used in rhubarb?
SPINACH
- What is the botany of spinach?
- What is the origin of the spinach name?
- What is the history of spinach?
- What are the optimum storage conditions for spinach?
- Is spinach really the centerpiece of the cooking of Florence?
SQUASH
- What is the botany of squash?
- What is the history of squashes?
- What is the origin of the name squash?
- What are optimum curing and storage conditions for squash?
STRAWBERRY
- What is the botany of strawberries?
- Why is the origin of the name strawberry?
- What is the history of the strawberry?
- How has the strawberry industry developed?
- How are fresh strawberries frozen?
SWEET CORN
- What is the history of corn?
- What is the botany of sweetcorn?
- Why is hybrid corn?
SWEETPOTATO
- What is the botany of sweetpotatos?
- What is the history of sweetpotatos?
SWISS CHARD
- What is the botany of Swiss chard?
- What is the history of Swiss chard?
- What is the best storage temperature for Swiss chard?
TANGELO
- What is the botany of tangelos?
- What is the history of tangelos?
- What is the optimum storage of tangelos?
- What is the nutrition of tangelos?
TANGERINE
- What is the history of naming of tangerines?
- What is the botany of tangerines?
- What is the history of tangerines?
TOMATO
- What is the botany of tomatoes?
- What is the origin of the tomato name?
- What is the history of the tomato?
- What is chilling injury of tomatoes?
- What is an easy way to peel tomatoes?
- Why can seeds in canned tomatoes sprout?
- What are some heirloom tomato varieties?
- Isit worth trying to save seeds from an especially fruitful tomato plant?
- What are some tomato varieties?
TURNIP
- What is the botany of turnips?
- Where does the name for turnips originate?
- What is the historical persepective of turnips?
WATER CRESS
- What is the botany of watercress?
- What is the history of watercress?
WILD PLANTS
- What are principal wild food plants of the United States?
- What are wild plant foods of flowering plants (except cacti) and ferns?
- What are wild cactic foods?
- What are wild plant food fungi?
- What are wild plant food lichens and algae?
- For many years I have made a wad of toilet paper, saturated it with witch hazel and washed myself after going to the bathroom. I have hemorrhoids and find that a suffer from itching and discomfort if I neglect this practice. What is witch hazel? I think sometimes the label also says something like "hamamelis water."
Updated: Wednesday, May 23, 2012.
