Kumquats are a member of the family Rutaceae, commonly known as the Rue family of the genus ortunella Swingle, also known as kumquat P., which contains four species. The plant has its origin in China and was described in Chinese literature in 1178 C.E.
Carrots are a member of the family Apiaceae, commonly known as the carrot family. Carrots are in the genus Daucus L., which contains two species and two varieties. Fossils of carrots have been found in prehistoric lake dwellings in Switzerland and were grown in the royal garden in Babylon in the 8th century B.C. E. Carrots are thought to have been cultivated for their leaves and seeds, as there is no evidence to show the root was eaten. The plant is related to parsley, dill, celery, and parsnips, and in Europe it was a white root.
Passion fruit is a member of the family of Passifloraceae in the genus Passiflora and is native to the wild regions of subtropical South America. It was introduced in Hawaii and Australia but succumbed to viruses and could not be sustained as a commercial crop in either region.
Persimmons are in the family Ebenaceae, commonly known as the Ebony family in the genus Diospyros L. Of the seventeen species, only two are native to America: the Diospyros virginiana L, also known as the common persimmon P; and the Diospyros texana Scheele, commonly known as the Texas persimmon P.
Radicchio is a member of the family Asteraceae, commonly known as the aster family in the genus Cichorium L. and the species Cichorium intybus L. or chicory P.
Celeriac is a member of the Apiaceae Umbelliferae family, commonly known as the carrot family, and is a variety of the wild celery whose
Clementines were accidently created by Father Clement Rodier who was planting Mediterranean mandarin seedlings that pollenated with a willow-leafed ornamental variety of C. aurantium, commonly known as Granito, in the garden of an orphanage near Oran, Algeria. The plant was brought to Florida in 1909 and taken to California in 1914 by H. S. Fawcett of the Citrus Research Center, Riverside.
Cabbage is a member of the Brassicaceae family, commonly known as the mustard family. There are 107 genera in the family; the cabbage is in the genus Brassica L. The origin of the plant is quite complicated because of the number of genera. The earliest cultivation of cabbage took place in Northern China, approximately 4000 years ago. In Europe the plant was cultivated about 3000 years ago and became a world staple. In the wild it was a leafy plant like kale and was produced in the form of a head in 14th century England.
Join Basmati.com every week for a Q&A session with one of Basmati’s practitioners, Melissa Hill (FDN-P)! We know that there is a lot of confusing information out there, which can make applying health advice overwhelming. Sometimes, it’s best to ask a practitioner directly, so each week we’ll cover a common health question!
Turnips are a member of the family Brassicaceae, also known as the mustard family. Native to Europe and found in colder climates, turnips have been a staple food since prehistory. They were also used for livestock fodder since the 14th century and in modern agriculture they are planted in fields for grazing animals.