Jennifer is a cranberry. Well, obviously more than one cranberry because you can't just have one, that would do you no good. So, I guess she's the whole plant! Here's how Wikipedia describes the cranberry: "Cranberries are low, creeping shrubs or vines... they have slender, wiry stems that are not thickly woody and have small evergreen leaves. The flowers are dark pink, with very distinct reflexed petals, leaving the style and stamens fully exposed and pointing forward. (The fruit) is initially white, but turns a deep red when fully ripe. It is edible, with an acidic taste that can overwhelm its sweetness." Now, I'm not saying that Jennifer is low and creepy (no way!), but I do like the wiry stem description that helps one picture the petite likeness that is Jennifer. Add to that the pretty flowers and multi-colored berries that are ever changing as the berries mature, and that is her in all her beauty! But why am I so focused on the appearance of the cranberry? Mainly because when you see a whole cranberry it is not being presented to eat. Whole cranberries are put out as decoration and they enhance the celebration of the season which is not a bad thing. Not many fruits can pull that off. The first time I was introduced to the cranberry was in the canned, sauce variety. What's up with that?! I'd see it once a year at Thanksgiving and people would just sluff it out of the can, with all the lines and groves still apparent, and then slice it. YICK! Sorry, but there is nothing appealing about canned cranberry sauce. So now I make my own cranberry sauce from fresh cranberries. You have to boil them, with a little water, and then I add as little sugar as possible. If you put too much sugar in, it takes away from the true taste of the cranberry and that's no good at all. If the cranberry has no spunk, then it's just another sweet dessert and I don't need any of that. Cranberry juice is another popular way to partake of the cranberry. Most of what you find at the store is a sweetened variety, and that's OK for most people. It is probably one of my favorite juices, when I drink juice, because it is not too sweet like apple and grape juice. But if you want a really healthy version of cranberry juice, try the unsweetened version. You have to look pretty hard to find it but it's worth the search. I'll warn you that it is not like any "juice" you normally drink because it is super tart and acidic. I usually water it down to about half and half with lots of ice and drink it through a straw. Unsweetened cranberry juice is really good for you and can help you have a very healthy liver. I think Jennifer would like that about the cranberry.
Jennifer said, "Helena, I have to laugh! I love it! One might even say I come off a little bit too strong by your description? That was good! And yes, I do want people to be very very healthy!" Yep, I think this is true and I'm glad she laughed about it. Healthy people laugh, we all should do it more often. She also came up with this assessment of herself, which I suggested might be her husband, John, as well. I think it's interesting that we see ourselves in our spouses sometimes. She agreed that it could be him. We're also going to understand that the term "ugli fruit" could also be "uniq fruit", I just don't like the stigma associated with the word 'ugly'.
Ugli fruit.This is a little known and less understood fruit. It was accidentally discovered in Jamaica, and the origin and makeup of the fruit are a bit mysterious. It is believed to be a cross-breed of two or three fruits: the grapefruit, the tangerine, and possibly even the orange.It is not a showy fruit by any means. It hides itself within a thick leafy bush. It can also be a bit of a chameleon, changing it's outward appearance especially as it grows and matures. But by and large, it's appearance can be, well,generic. Looking somewhat like a grapefruit, it actually tends to be a bit lumpy with blemishes, hence it's name. By this, people may not view the fruit as appealing, appetizing, edible, or even a fruit at all. It has a thick skin which bruises easily, but also can be easily peeled to reveal the fruit beneath. And those who eat the fruit are shocked at their initial experience which can be described as surprising, refreshing, and unique all at once. Sweeter than a grapefruit, but tarter than a tangerine, this near seedless fruit can be eaten a variety of ways. It can be cut in half and scooped with a spoon and eaten like a grapefruit (no added sugar necessary), or it can be peeled into sections like an orange. As one learns and experiences more of the ugli fruit, one learns that it's subtle complexity of flavor lends itself well to a variety of dishes from breakfasts to desserts, making it a very versatile fruit to work with indeed. It is also a very juicy fruit and juices well. One little squeeze produces a high yield for delicious thirst quenching. But the ugli fruit has a very short season, and if one does not act quickly, one loses out on the experience altogether.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Crystal and Jared
Crystal is a mango. I was intimidated by mangoes at first and it took me quite a long time to get up the courage to try one. I mean, look at a mango! It's not like any of the other fruits that you see in the store and they are not all over the place. There is only one variety, that I know of, but they all look so unique. They have a smooth skin that is so full of different colors. I think I tried one a long time ago but really didn't know how to pick one or go about eating it. I liked it OK and thought, "I really should have someone tell me what I'm doing wrong with this fruit here." Later, when Kyra started school, her music teacher wrote a song about mangoes. I wish I had a copy of it so everyone could hear how jazzy and cool it is. I just needed a reintroduction to the mango with a little hype around it to really get behind this piece of fruit. Her teacher even brought in a mango one day and I got a better idea of how to eat it. I carefully peeled off the skin with a knife, trying to preserve as much of the fruit as possible, and then sliced off a few pieces working my way down to the seed in the middle. Man, the flesh of that mango really clung to the core for dear life. I don't know if that is typical for mangoes in general, but it was for the 2 that I've encountered. The thing is, mangoes are tangy and juicy, and have a very unique flavor that you can usually spot, even when they are mixed into a fruity blend of flavors. Some people like the mango, some don't, but I love it! Don't ever try to bite into a mango without peeling it. That would be really, really bad! I'll be keeping mangoes on my shopping list and on my counter for a long time. I can't really imagine giving up my desire for mangoes!
Jared is a grapefruit. I like grapefruit, all kinds. I am particularly fond of the ruby red version. Grapefruits usually have pretty thick skin and not many people take the time or effort to peel them. Most people like to slice open a grapefruit, put a bunch of sugar on it, and scoop the flesh out with a spoon. I haven't done that since I was a kid. When you do it that way you have to squeeze the juice out and pour it into your mouth without spilling it all over the place. Usually you have to drink it right from the rind and that just leaves an icky taste on the corners of your mouth. Even now, as I remember that taste, I'm making a sour face. When I eat a grapefruit now, I peel it and eat it slice by slice, no sugar. It was weird at first, and I thought, "you can't eat a grapefruit like an orange, people will think you're crazy!" But that's the way I like them, and I don't care anymore. I've also gotten pretty good at peeling them without leaving too much of the pulp on the actual fruit. I can even tell, sometimes, before I even begin to peel it, if it is going to be particularly difficult to peel. It seems like grapefruit are in abundance during certain times of the year and everyone is giving them away. I take as much as people will give. I have no idea how to preserve grapefruit or I might try, just so I have some during the off season. I used to like grapefruit juice, until I started eating them whole. I don't know what that means. Jared pointed out that, "The grapefruit is a very unique fruit even amongst the citrus family. There really isn't a seedless variety, but depending on the type there can be more or less seeds. Most grapefruit trees are constantly evolving and one can find differences in fruit from different parts of the same tree." I've noticed that about the seeds, and about Jared. Sometimes he's full of them, other times he's not. I think he's also evolving as he gets smarter and meets more fruit! (A-ha-ha!)
Do mangoes and grapefruit mix? Apparently better than most people would think. They both have a tangy goodness that makes them unique. I even found 3 recipes that had the two fruits together, one of which included avocado. That was interesting to me, because at first I thought Jared might be an avocado. I changed my mind though, because some people don't even know that avocados are fruit, and Jared isn't THAT strange! You don't see many mangoes and grapefruits at parties, and you will never see a whole one! They tend to gravitate to other fruits that they know and then settle in. If they feel like they don't fit in they will leave with no worries. They are strong enough fruits to hold their own and go their own way, especially when they are together.
When I first told Crystal she was a mango she was confused because she doesn't even like mangoes. Does that mean something? I don't think so. But now she says, "I get now why I am a mango." And, "I especially like the part about the party. I agree with all of it. I do think Jared's a grapefruit too. Nice. I just want to point out that you are the avocado in this story. You're the only fruit that can hang out with both of us. So what else goes with them so I can figure out what Bill is?"
Jared is a grapefruit. I like grapefruit, all kinds. I am particularly fond of the ruby red version. Grapefruits usually have pretty thick skin and not many people take the time or effort to peel them. Most people like to slice open a grapefruit, put a bunch of sugar on it, and scoop the flesh out with a spoon. I haven't done that since I was a kid. When you do it that way you have to squeeze the juice out and pour it into your mouth without spilling it all over the place. Usually you have to drink it right from the rind and that just leaves an icky taste on the corners of your mouth. Even now, as I remember that taste, I'm making a sour face. When I eat a grapefruit now, I peel it and eat it slice by slice, no sugar. It was weird at first, and I thought, "you can't eat a grapefruit like an orange, people will think you're crazy!" But that's the way I like them, and I don't care anymore. I've also gotten pretty good at peeling them without leaving too much of the pulp on the actual fruit. I can even tell, sometimes, before I even begin to peel it, if it is going to be particularly difficult to peel. It seems like grapefruit are in abundance during certain times of the year and everyone is giving them away. I take as much as people will give. I have no idea how to preserve grapefruit or I might try, just so I have some during the off season. I used to like grapefruit juice, until I started eating them whole. I don't know what that means. Jared pointed out that, "The grapefruit is a very unique fruit even amongst the citrus family. There really isn't a seedless variety, but depending on the type there can be more or less seeds. Most grapefruit trees are constantly evolving and one can find differences in fruit from different parts of the same tree." I've noticed that about the seeds, and about Jared. Sometimes he's full of them, other times he's not. I think he's also evolving as he gets smarter and meets more fruit! (A-ha-ha!)
Do mangoes and grapefruit mix? Apparently better than most people would think. They both have a tangy goodness that makes them unique. I even found 3 recipes that had the two fruits together, one of which included avocado. That was interesting to me, because at first I thought Jared might be an avocado. I changed my mind though, because some people don't even know that avocados are fruit, and Jared isn't THAT strange! You don't see many mangoes and grapefruits at parties, and you will never see a whole one! They tend to gravitate to other fruits that they know and then settle in. If they feel like they don't fit in they will leave with no worries. They are strong enough fruits to hold their own and go their own way, especially when they are together.
When I first told Crystal she was a mango she was confused because she doesn't even like mangoes. Does that mean something? I don't think so. But now she says, "I get now why I am a mango." And, "I especially like the part about the party. I agree with all of it. I do think Jared's a grapefruit too. Nice. I just want to point out that you are the avocado in this story. You're the only fruit that can hang out with both of us. So what else goes with them so I can figure out what Bill is?"
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Fruity Revelation
As the number of people requesting their fruity profile has increased, I have found the need to do a little fruit research. I'd forgotten how many "fruits" we really think of as vegetables because of their culinary properties. And, in reverse, there are a few vegetables that I thought were fruits because you bake them in pie. Such is life, and I haven't decided what I'm going to do with that information yet. My good friend, Wiki, also informed me that nuts are technically a fruit. Go figure! We're all NUTS! (I can't imagine anyone getting the honor of being labeled a pistachio or pecan anytime soon.)
I have also had a few people address the fact that I'm not an apple. So YOU say! This is true. I view myself as an apple and may not be the same fruit to everyone. So please, put in your two cents and email me your fruity profile if you wish. I'll compile it and post it at my leisure.
I have also had a few people address the fact that I'm not an apple. So YOU say! This is true. I view myself as an apple and may not be the same fruit to everyone. So please, put in your two cents and email me your fruity profile if you wish. I'll compile it and post it at my leisure.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Monique
Monique I think you are a cutie orange. They are really sweet and delicious and you can eat them any time of the day or night. Unfortunately, I think they are very seasonal and I only recall being able to purchase them about twice a year. When this happens, I usually get a big bag of them at Costco and eat them until I make myself sick. (Well, I don't really get sick sick, but you know, I've had enough to last a while) If I don't eat them right away, I will forget about them and they will go bad. The worst thing is that you can't really tell when a cutie orange is bad. You have to peel it and taste it to find out there is no sweetness left. What's up with that? Why can't it give us any warning that it's not feeling well and needs some attention? Kids really like cutie oranges. Sometimes I think it is easier for a kid to peel them than adults because they are so little. Anyway, I enjoy those cuties when I can and sometimes forget about them when they aren't around. That makes me sad, when I think about it. Sorry.
I agree that I don't always share my emotions, so my peel can be a disguise for my true emotions. -From Mo!
I agree that I don't always share my emotions, so my peel can be a disguise for my true emotions. -From Mo!
Jaylee
(Jayelee's notes will appear in red)
Jaylee, you are a pear. Pears are fairly well known, like the apple, but are much more elegant. Pears fit in nicely at fancy dinners and like to get dressed up. Although you personally don't like chocolate (I like chocolate, I just don't prefer it as my drug of choice), pears can be drizzled with chocolate and make a very fancy dessert that way. Pears don't look it, but they are a little bit delicate so they often times keep away from fruit that they know won't be around for too long (that's awesome). Their subtle flavor allows them to blend nicely with just about any fruit though. This is especially true when it comes to juice. I find that there is pear juice in almost every juice blend at the store because it adds a particular sweetness that is needed by many other fruits. I've never had canned pears because it just doesn't sound appealing to me. It was only a few years ago that I started eating the real thing and that was during canning season. I found that I really needed to devote myself to getting to know the pear before I really appreciated it. That, and I needed to learn when it was ripe. You can't bite into a hard pear, it just won't taste very good. Because the pear and the apple look so much alike, I think the pear is misunderstood quite often (alas, the story of my life). People think they are going to get one thing, and get another without knowing what exactly to do with it. That's their loss, because pears are great, especially when you know what other flavors enhance them. My favorite dish has wilted spinach, chicken, pear jam and bleu cheese on top. That bleu cheese is so tangy and good that it just makes the pear delectable! Finally, there is the core of the pear. When you split a pear in half you might not get all the core out without losing some of the fruit. There is a stem portion that is on the top, more slender part of the fruit (ahh, slender, say more words like that), and then the pit sort of digs in deeper to the belly of the pear. It's a mess to get all of this out without the proper tool (hint: a bag of doritos and a girls night out also seems to work). I've used the tool, when I canned several boxes years ago, but it was a friend's tool. I do know what it looks like though and was quite skilled with it when I used it. I think that helps me understand the essence of the pear.
Jaylee, you are a pear. Pears are fairly well known, like the apple, but are much more elegant. Pears fit in nicely at fancy dinners and like to get dressed up. Although you personally don't like chocolate (I like chocolate, I just don't prefer it as my drug of choice), pears can be drizzled with chocolate and make a very fancy dessert that way. Pears don't look it, but they are a little bit delicate so they often times keep away from fruit that they know won't be around for too long (that's awesome). Their subtle flavor allows them to blend nicely with just about any fruit though. This is especially true when it comes to juice. I find that there is pear juice in almost every juice blend at the store because it adds a particular sweetness that is needed by many other fruits. I've never had canned pears because it just doesn't sound appealing to me. It was only a few years ago that I started eating the real thing and that was during canning season. I found that I really needed to devote myself to getting to know the pear before I really appreciated it. That, and I needed to learn when it was ripe. You can't bite into a hard pear, it just won't taste very good. Because the pear and the apple look so much alike, I think the pear is misunderstood quite often (alas, the story of my life). People think they are going to get one thing, and get another without knowing what exactly to do with it. That's their loss, because pears are great, especially when you know what other flavors enhance them. My favorite dish has wilted spinach, chicken, pear jam and bleu cheese on top. That bleu cheese is so tangy and good that it just makes the pear delectable! Finally, there is the core of the pear. When you split a pear in half you might not get all the core out without losing some of the fruit. There is a stem portion that is on the top, more slender part of the fruit (ahh, slender, say more words like that), and then the pit sort of digs in deeper to the belly of the pear. It's a mess to get all of this out without the proper tool (hint: a bag of doritos and a girls night out also seems to work). I've used the tool, when I canned several boxes years ago, but it was a friend's tool. I do know what it looks like though and was quite skilled with it when I used it. I think that helps me understand the essence of the pear.
Monday, April 13, 2009
April and Ryan
April is a pineapple. Most people are familiar with the canned version and that's the way they like it. The canned version is pretty versatile, comes in rings, chunks, and a crushed version which is particularly tasty in desserts and jello salads that are acceptable at church gatherings. The canned version is delicious and is hassle free but sometimes gets a little tasteless and is almost anemic looking if left out at a salad bar for too long. I am a big fan of fresh pineapple. I used to be afraid of the fresh version. I mean, just look at it! Where do you start? It looks so complicated but at the same time so very appealing. Before I knew much about pineapple I used to try to cut it up and usually boggled it up pretty bad. Now, I'm pretty good at it. You just whack off the top and bottom and then carefully try to remove the outer skin. The thing is, if you cut off too much of the skin you lose some of the best part of the fruit. Because of this, I will usually leave some of the thorny parts of the skin and just deal with it. I don't mind some of the thorns, it just reminds me that without that outside hide protecting the fruit, the inside could never be so tasty. Then there is the core of the pineapple. It's tough. There really is nothing you can do with the core of a pineapple (that I know of) except compost it. Maybe there is something I don't know yet about the pineapple, but I do know that without that tough core, the pineapple could not exist. That sweet, scrumptious, juicy fresh pineapple. I'll never go back to the canned version, unless I am absolutely desperate! In fact, when the pineapple is in abundance, I've even canned my own, leaving a few thorns just to remind me of her beauty and uniqueness. Here's what April added: "I died laughing, you were right on and truthful although you left out my background. The fact that I started out whole and someone cut the whole bottom of me off leaving only the shallow, unsure, delicate top to recreate roots and grow deep in the good earth. I struggled, but I think I'm as close to whole as I'm going to be for a while." I think that this shows you how great this particular pineapple is. She started as just a top a grew into a whole tree on her own, capable of creating more pineapples of her own.
Now Ryan, he's a coconut. Is a coconut even a fruit? I'm not sure, just like I'm not sure about Ryan. I don't have a clue what to do with a fresh coconut but I think they're pretty cool. I mostly want to knock a fresh coconut around and see if I can do any damage to it, sometimes peeling some of those funny hairs off the outside. If I had the right tools, I might just drill a whole in the coconut and shake the juice out. That would be fun. After that I'd split the coconut in half and try to figure out how to get the flesh of the coconut out. I think it's pretty tough and takes a skilled artist, so I might not do such a good job. The thing about a coconut is that after all is said and done, a coconut can be a lot of fun. You are left with two halves that you can clomp together and chase your kid around the house pretending you are a horse and mimicking crazy movies. For now, I'm OK with the flaked version of coconut that I can purchase at the store. I prefer the unsweetened version though because I don't like the fakeness associated with the sweetened kind. I almost forgot the part about how tough a coconut is. Do they ever go bad? This is a Sauer trait, no? They never stop, don't need sleep, and can work forever... definitely a coconut. I bet all those Sauer coconuts are a lot of fun rolling around together, knocking each other around, trying to break each other open. Ryan added this to the assessment: "I think I still have the coconut flesh in the refrigerator from our lone coconut purchase, because I as well wasn’t exactly sure what to do with it. Intriguing if nothing else." Intriguing? Ya think? Even Ryan doesn't know what to do with himself!
The best thing about pineapple and coconut is how well they go together. I think they are 2 very tropical and misunderstood fruits, but they were definitely meant to be together. Like I said, I know much more about pineapple, but when you add some coconut to it, it is so much better. Sometimes, in social gatherings of couples, the pineapple is quite pathetic if the coconut is not around. It's kind of like that sad, anemic looking, canned pineapple you get at a hospital salad bar. No fun, and you feel sort of sorry for it. Anyway, I look forward to figuring out what to do with a coconut and think I can have a little fun in the process. I'll always love pineapple and hope to understand that core a little better.
Now Ryan, he's a coconut. Is a coconut even a fruit? I'm not sure, just like I'm not sure about Ryan. I don't have a clue what to do with a fresh coconut but I think they're pretty cool. I mostly want to knock a fresh coconut around and see if I can do any damage to it, sometimes peeling some of those funny hairs off the outside. If I had the right tools, I might just drill a whole in the coconut and shake the juice out. That would be fun. After that I'd split the coconut in half and try to figure out how to get the flesh of the coconut out. I think it's pretty tough and takes a skilled artist, so I might not do such a good job. The thing about a coconut is that after all is said and done, a coconut can be a lot of fun. You are left with two halves that you can clomp together and chase your kid around the house pretending you are a horse and mimicking crazy movies. For now, I'm OK with the flaked version of coconut that I can purchase at the store. I prefer the unsweetened version though because I don't like the fakeness associated with the sweetened kind. I almost forgot the part about how tough a coconut is. Do they ever go bad? This is a Sauer trait, no? They never stop, don't need sleep, and can work forever... definitely a coconut. I bet all those Sauer coconuts are a lot of fun rolling around together, knocking each other around, trying to break each other open. Ryan added this to the assessment: "I think I still have the coconut flesh in the refrigerator from our lone coconut purchase, because I as well wasn’t exactly sure what to do with it. Intriguing if nothing else." Intriguing? Ya think? Even Ryan doesn't know what to do with himself!
The best thing about pineapple and coconut is how well they go together. I think they are 2 very tropical and misunderstood fruits, but they were definitely meant to be together. Like I said, I know much more about pineapple, but when you add some coconut to it, it is so much better. Sometimes, in social gatherings of couples, the pineapple is quite pathetic if the coconut is not around. It's kind of like that sad, anemic looking, canned pineapple you get at a hospital salad bar. No fun, and you feel sort of sorry for it. Anyway, I look forward to figuring out what to do with a coconut and think I can have a little fun in the process. I'll always love pineapple and hope to understand that core a little better.
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