The relationship between ancient civilizations and their staple foods is fascinating. The people of antiquity weren’t stupid. Through a long process of trial and error, they discovered and perfected food crops that were both nutritious and peculiarly well suited to the places in which they lived. Consider the Incas. They developed the largest and most […]
In the produce aisle, things are in a perpetual state of flux. As the seasons wax and wane, and as cold or rainy weather afflicts different growing areas, the availability, quality, and price of different fruits and vegetables fluctuates weekly and sometimes daily. One constant in this ever changing tableau is the banana. Bananas are […]
As we enter the later part of winter, there is scant cause for excitement among purveyors of fresh produce. Fall fruits like apples and pears are getting a bit long in the tooth, while early spring vegetables like asparagus are just starting to poke their heads above the ground. One bright spot are the citrus […]
January is “diet season.” After succumbing to the gustatory temptations of the holidays, people seek to undo the damage wrought by that one extra slice of pumpkin pie. A common strategy is to substitute artificial sweeteners for sugar to reduce the number of calories consumed. The most common artificial sweetener used in the U.S. today […]
A hundred years ago, oranges were a rare treat in Northern climes like ours. They might show up as a special gift in a Christmas stocking, but were not a common food for most people. Today, they are ubiquitous. Because oranges are available year-round, we rarely think of them as having a season. However, oranges […]
