What comes from far tastes better. Certainly not always the case, but this was true for the strawberry. Strawberries already had a long history in Europe. But a really good drinking strawberry was discovered in America. About the same time, the Spanish in South America found the papaya, the “fruit of the angels”.
Content
- Strawberries
- Papaya
Strawberries
The history of the strawberry
Strawberries have been growing all over the world for centuries. They were cultivated just before our era and the Romans in particular loved them. But with the fall of the Roman Empire, the strawberry also disappeared from the table. Strawberries only become popular again at the end of the Middle Ages. The Middle Ages see the fruit mainly as a medicine, it is not a delicacy. The strawberry of this time was smaller and considerably more sour than the strawberry we know today. Attempts were made to improve the taste, but without results.
Amedee Frezier, the hero of this story, saw large strawberries growing in the newly discovered Chile in 1717. He took cuttings from the plant to France. In France, the plant was not doing very well and the strawberries had less flavor. Our strawberry was born from an accidental crossing with a North American variety. The new strawberry was large, red and, above all, sweet.
Fragaria
The strawberry belongs to the beautiful Rosaceae, the rose family. The strawberry is not a fruit but a false fruit, just like the pineapple. The famous European strawberry was given the generic name Fragaria ananassa. The seed of the strawberry is clearly on the outside, more than 200 seeds per (false) fruit.
Buy strawberries
Strawberries should smell sweet and feel firm. The strawberry itself should be red and the leaves bright green. The leaves should still be on the fruit. Check a container carefully because one rotten strawberry lights the whole container. (Also carefully turn the container) The strawberries that you pick yourself are the best, but that will not be for everyone.
Strawberries at home
Strawberries are picked when ripe and do not ripen afterwards. If necessary, keep them in the refrigerator for two days, but not much longer. Only wash strawberries when you want to use them. Strawberries can be frozen well. Wash them, remove the leaves from the fruit and let them dry well on a paper towel. Then freeze loose. Once frozen, they can be placed in a freezer container or bag. You can keep them in the freezer for six months. Frozen strawberries do well as an ice cube. in a summer drink.
Strawberries in the kitchen
Everyone has a favorite recipe with strawberries. You can make jam, a fruit salad, pastry filling, a great dessert and even soup.
Nutritional value
per 100 grams
- Energy: 23 kcal
- Protein: 0.7 g
- Iron: 0.5 mg
- Carbohydrates: 5.1 g
- Sodium: 3 mg
- Calcium: 15 mg
- Fat: 0.0 g
- Fiber: 2.2 g
- Vitamin C: 60 mg
Strawberries are healthy
Only the enormous amount of vitamin C makes the strawberry a healthy fruit. It contains few calories and is therefore a good snack. Strawberries are also diuretic, lowering blood pressure and they contain a nice amount of fiber. In addition to vitamin C, it also contains vitamins A, E, B1, B2 and B6. A more than responsible type of fruit.
Not for everyone unfortunately. Some people have an allergic reaction after eating strawberries. The allergic reaction is caused by the histamine in the strawberries. Histamine is not only found in strawberries, but also in pineapple, kiwi and melon. The result is sometimes a rash and itching. The allergy does not occur very often.
Strawberry = delight
The Romans used the strawberry as an aphrodisiac. The enormous amount of vitamin C probably contributed to this. The strawberry symbolically represents pleasure, but for a short period of time, which is especially evident in painting.
Strawberry Soup
- pound of strawberries
- ½ liter of yogurt
- 125 ml. orange juice
- 100 grams of fine sugar
- 125 ml. water
So easy, put everything in the blender and you’re done!
For the high-calorie variant, decorate the soup on the plates with a dash of whipped cream and fresh thyme.
Papaya
The History of the Papaya
The first papayas seen by the Spanish explorers grew along the coasts of Columbia and Panama. The seeds of the fruit went with the adventurers and soon spread to other tropical areas. Thus, the fruit reached not only other South American countries, but also Africa and India.
Carica papaya
The papaya is a member of the small plant family Caricaceae. The tree on which the papayas grow can be up to 10 meters long. The fruit itself is pear-shaped and grows on the trunk of the tree. Fruits you buy here are between 300 and 500 grams. The papaya has a thin, tough skin, which has a yellow-green color with red spots when ripe. The pulp is salmon pink to yellow-orange. The taste of the flesh is slightly sweet and reminiscent of a melon. In the center of the fruit is a thin mass with black, inedible seeds.
Papaya in the shop
You buy a papaya almost ripe. Like a pineapple ripens ?? a papaya bad after. The yellow-green color with red spots in particular is a sign that the fruit is ripe. When you gently press into the fruit, the skin should give way. Only when you are going to cook the pulp can you opt for a green papaya. The papaya is available all year round, but the best you buy in the summer and autumn.
Preserve papaya
Papayas that are not yet fully ripe should be kept outside the refrigerator. You accelerate the ripening process by storing them in a paper bag with a banana. You can keep ripe fruits in the fridge for a day or two.
Papaya in the kitchen
Papaya is mainly eaten raw here. Peel the fruit, cut in half and remove the seeds with a spoon. Cut the pulp into cubes or slices. Papaya is used in fruit salads, sorbets, milkshakes, with yogurt or with ham and chicken. The pulp retains its color and flavor better when you sprinkle it with lemon juice. Papaya contains a protein-splitting enzyme, papaya must be eaten immediately in dairy products.
Nutritional value
per 100 grams
- Energy: 44 kcal
- Protein: 1 g
- Iron: 0.4 mg
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Sodium: 3 mg
- Calcium: 20 mg
- Fiber: 0.6 g
- Vitamin C: 82 mg
- Vitamin B1: 0.03 mg
- Vitamin B2: 0.04 mg
- B-Carotene: 0.56 mg
Papaya is rich in Vitamin C and B-Carotene. Both make the fruit healthy. Papaya contains a protein splitting enzyme, papain. Papain and milk products do not go well together, meat becomes more tender from the enzyme. Papaya aids digestion and is good for the skin. The latter is probably because with good digestion you take in all the good nutrients. The shipmen saw the papaya as a panacea for scurvy, among other things.
The black seeds are not eaten here. They are used in the tropics. The seeds have a strong laxative effect, making them a good remedy against intestinal parasites.