A brief slice of tomatoes' origins.

Square Watermelons.

Aint no family like the Cucurbit family. Read more in The Fruits of History 4: Cucurbit Confidential.

www.amazon.com/dp/B0CTHQWTKC

Fruit Quiz

Plums are underrated.

San Marzano Tomatoes (plum tomatoes) growing on the vine in our beloved Garden State. Summer 2024.

#tomatoes #newjersey

Malaysia's Rambutan Renaissance

fruitsofhistory.substack.com/p/malaysias-...

The jabuticaba tree grows grape-like berries directly on its trunk and branches, a unique method called cauliflory that has fascinated and puzzled people for centuries. This unusual trait is one of several challenges in cultivating this Brazilian tree outside its native habitat.

#Brazil #jabuticaba

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#fruit #quiz

Lisianthus and grape tomato harvest. Late summer 2024.

Here's a lesson from a fruit vendor: if you got something stunningly beautiful, make it center stage.

#display #farmersmarket

Blackberry harvest. July 2024.

Strawberry harvest in New Jersey is 3-4 week in mid May. But it's a glorious 3-4 weeks, and it reminds us why we're still the Garden State.

#strawberries #NewJersey

Contrary to the belief that Europeans brought #strawberries to the Americas, evidence shows they were cultivated in South America pre-Spanish arrival. The Picunche of Chile domesticated the native Fragaria chiloensis over a thousand years ago, spreading its cultivation during Spanish exploration.

In Japan, cherry cultivation reached its pinnacle during the Heian period (794-1185 CE). Emperor Saga, a devoted cherry enthusiast, planted vast cherry orchards in the capital city of Kyoto, igniting a passion for cherries that still endures.

#fruit #history #japan

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Easy squeezy.

#quiz

What fruit was used as currency in Mesopotamia?

#history #quiz