Showing posts with label Food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Food. Show all posts

Saturday, 2 November 2024

Jam of Fig Fruit - Food 46

There are about 800 species Fig trees in the world, but one species called as Ficus carica refers to Fig fruit.  


Image 01 - A bottle of jam 

The species has several breeding or varieties. 5 well known varieties in our state, Louisiana are:
- Brown Turkey
- LSU AgCenter
- Kadota
- Florentine and Osborne prolific

Each of varieties has unique characteristics. We love breeding from LSU AgCenter, since it is delicious taste and good for making jam.


Image 02 - Ripe fruit, medium size

You may search through internet the recipe and the way for making jam of Fig fruit. Quite easy and straightforward.


Image 03 - Fig fruit hang on tree. 

Some neighbors sell both jam and fruit. The price is reasonable, and even cheaper than in the farmer markets.


Image 04 - Fruits start to ripe.

Have you tasted jam and fruit of Fig?

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Sunday, 20 October 2024

Satsumas are Turning to a Brownish Color - Food 45

We have a Satsuma tree at our backyard, the tree is about 15 years old, it has produced really pretty satsumas every year,


Image 01 - Brownish fruit. 

In the last week or two, we saw the Satsuma fruit is turning color, not from a bright green color to an orange color as always, but from a bright green color to brownish color or dark!

However, the leaves are still looking green, nothing happen and there is no sign of any bug infestation on them.

What is going on with our satsuma tree?

After asking experts from Louisiana State University Agriculture Center (LSU Ag center), they said that the Satsuma fruit got diseases called "Citrus rust mite."


Image 02 - Starting to change color. 

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Image 03 - Few fruit not green enough

"The citrus rust mite, Phyllocoptruta oleivora, is a microscopic pest that infects citrus fruits (trees). These tiny mites feed on the epidermal cells of leaves, fruit, and green twigs using their piercing-sucking mouthparts." While they don't pose a serious threat to the trees themselves, they can significantly mar the appearance of citrus fruit by causing unsightly brown patches on the skin of fruit known as russeting.


Image 04 - Some fruits, Satsuma

Do you know about the citrus rust mite?

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Saturday, 6 April 2024

Have you Tried Cactus Fruit? - Food 44

We just know and quite surprise that the cactus plant has fruit when we visit the Mexican store recently. 


Image 01 - Cactus fruit, sold in the market.

I thought the fruit was a pear in terms of form and size. In fact, cactus fruit also called as "a prickly pear."  

The fruits are native to Americas, but many countries around the world have cultivated this kind of cactus.

We believe the "prickly pear" is delicious. Its flesh is sweet and juicy with flavor similar to pear and watermelon. 

The fruit contains nutrients such as vitamin C, fiber, magnesium, potassium and antioxidants.


Image 02 - The price of Cactus fruit. 

# Important posting


Image 03 - Pink roses, illustration

We may find several colors of fruits that are:
- green
- yellow
- red
- orange
- or purple  


Image 04 - The color is not green.

I think this prickly pear is good option if we want to taste a new and interesting fruit.  



Image 05 - Ripe fruits, ready to be consumed.

Have you known about this fruit?

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Saturday, 16 September 2023

The Patty Pan Squash Seasons - Food 43

The Patty Pan Squash includes in the family of Cucurbitaceae. Some of well known this family members are melons, zucchini and cucumbers.


Image 1- First patty pan squash of the season.

This vegetable has a round shape with scalloped edges, hence it is also called as a scallop squash.

We may see the colors of Patty pan squash could be white, green, yellow, orange and stripes in the commercial market.

In our areas, Baton Rouge, the Patty pan squash is a summer vegetable which has the best time to harvest from July to September, and even until October.

We love to buy the Patty pan squash in the nearby farmers markets during late August to early September, since the price pretty much lower.


Image 2- the Patty pan squash plant.

As you know that the Patty pan squash plant has a slightly sweet flavor and crunchy texture. It is a delicious vegetable, can be enjoyed in many different ways.


Image 3- The patty pan squash, sold in Walmart

Do you like the patty pan squash?

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Thursday, 31 August 2023

Have you Seen and Tasted Okra Flowers? - Food 42

I believe that almost all of you have tasted Okra, but you might never see and tasted Okra flowers. 


Image 1- Okra flower, look pretty.

The flower looks trumpet-shaped with color of light yellow. Okra flowers have 5 petals with size of 4 to 8 cm (1.5 to 3 inches) in diameter.

They do self-fertilize which means the flowers no need pollinators for pollinating. In our area, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the blooming in summer months since its warm season crop.

In the August month when temperature average is about 84* F (29* C), hence, a perfect time for Okra flowering. Okra flowers are edible, and could be mixed with soups, salads and other local dishes.


Image 2- Okra vegetable, sold in Walmart.

Okra flowers are known as a good source of vitamins such as vitamins A and C, and contains antioxidants to protect our body against damage from free radicals.



Image 3- The Okra flower, light yellow

Have you Seen and Tasted Okra Flowers?

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Friday, 28 April 2023

The Mulberry Fruit at Neighborhood – Food 41

The ripen Mulberry’s fruit is almost the same color with Blackberry, but they are different in shape in which Mulberry is longer than Blackberry.



Image 1- Fruits of Mulberry tree

We have Blackberry plants as a bush which climbs our fences. We don’t have Mulberry tree.

We know one of our neighbors has a Mulberry tree. The tree has scientific name, Morus sp.

When the tree produces fruit, joggers and passerby’s to sneak a snack. The owner is quite welcome to everyone to tasted the fruit.

Sure, I tried one. I think the fruit sweetness is fairly, and quite similar dried figs. The dark Mulberry almost similar taste in some degree to blackberry.



Image 2- The powder of Mulberry fruit, sold in Walmart


We tried to find fresh Mulberry fruit in many grocery stores, but no ones sell the fresh Mulberry. Walmart just sell powder and jam.



Image 3- The Painting by Hai Anh Ton, illustration

After searching through internet, we find one of the reasons as reported by Janet Nguyen (2022: Why aren’t mulberries sold at grocery stores?) that “the fruit is difficult to harvest and has a refrigerated shelf life of two to four days.”



Image 4- The Mulberry tree belongs to a neighbor

Have you tried Mulberry fruit? What do you think?

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Friday, 21 April 2023

Do you Know Some People Eat Alligator Meat? - Part 2 – Food 40

You may read the previous post (Part 1):

- The Rainbow Before Evening : Do you Know Some People Eat Alligator Meat? - Part 1 – Food 40



Image 1- The Alligator at neighborhood

Several other states have alligators as well, the number from several thousands to higher as millions, the states are:

- Florida
- Georgia
- Alabama
- Mississippi
- South Carolina and North Carolina
- Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas



Image 2- Just for illustration

You may notice that alligators mainly spreading in the warmer, southern states of the USA

When I asked friends of mind from Louisiana, they said that there are alligator burgers and cooked alligator sold in the certain seafood markets as well.



Image 3- Bags, Just for illustration

I tried to “googling” to find out Louisiana’s recipe for alligator meat. Unexpectedly that I found many recipes and dishes that relate to alligator meat.

It is mean Louisiana people enjoy with alligator meat.



Image 4- Sign of the Alligator meat at Tony’s Seafood

# To be continued to Part 3

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Thursday, 16 March 2023

Do you Know Some People Eat Alligator Meat? - Part 1 – Food 40

I went to Walmart Neighborhood a couple days ago, a nearby grocery, just few minutes from my house.



Image 1- Alligator fillet sold in Walmart

I wanted to pick fish fillets, and surprisingly that I saw fillets of alligator in the cold room of the store.

I thought this kind of “meat” sold in the specific market only, never expected that they are available in grocery stores like Walmart.

Yes, Louisiana has a great number of alligators:

- 2 million wild alligators
- 300 thousand farming alligators.



Image 2- Just for illustration

In Louisiana, alligators may be found in any places such as lakes, canals, rivers and even small ponds.



Image 3- Recipe to cook alligator fillet (back packed).

# To be continued to Part 2

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Tuesday, 28 February 2023

Have you Tasted Broad Beans? - Food 39

I knew broad beans in the 4 forms that are baked, roasted, fried and dried. When I visit an ethnic grocery, I saw fresh broad beans, look like a long bean with green color.



Image 1- Dried broad beans

Americans call broad beans with other names, some of them are English bean, Faba bean, Windsor bean, Tick bean, field bean, Horse bean, Pigeon bean, Fava bean and Bell bean.

People eat broad beans with some reasons:

- source of nutrients
- weight loss
- improve immune system
- a lot of health benefits



Image 2- A single broad bean

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Image 3- Fried broad beans

As suggested by Rumwell (2021: Brilliant benefits of broad beans) that broad beans rich in vitamins and minerals.

Some important vitamins include vitamin C and B. Moreover, few examples of minerals in the broad bean are copper, zinc, iron and magnesium.



Fig 04- Fresh broad beans, sold in the grocery

Have you tasted broad beans? If so, do you like its?

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The Beautiful Bright Green Luna Moth - Nature 148

We saw a beautiful bright green critter it is called the bright green Luna moth. The grub making its way through our yard. Image 01 - A Luna...