S is for Strawberry: Yummy Fruits A-Z

Wild strawberries have been around for at least 2,200 years ago. Researchers know that Italy had strawberries in 234 BC, where ancient Romans used strawberries to make different types of medicines.

We also know that French kings planted strawberries in their royal gardens in the 14th century and European monks (15th century) wrote of strawberries in their manuscripts. Flemish, German, Italian, and English artists depicted strawberries in their work, while instructions on how to grow strawberries were described in England in 1578. Cultivation of non-wild strawberries followed in the 1750s in Brittany, France. After a period of cross-breeding with a native Chilean strawberry from Chile, a large, juicy and sweet strawberry was developed that became quite popular in Europe.

Meanwhile, settlers who had left for America in the late 1500s discovered native wild strawberries in Virginia and Massachusetts, a berry long since enjoyed by area Indians. Its popularity spread from there. Today the U.S. is the largest producer of strawberries in the world, with California producing the most (Florida second). Spain is the second largest producer, and also the largest exporter of strawberries.

Besides being high in vitamin C and dietary fiber, the health claims for eating strawberries are mainly: 1) support of cardiovascular health & disease prevention; 2) decreased type 2 diabetes risk, help regulating blood sugar; 3) prevention of certain cancers - breast, cervical, colon and esophageal. A word of caution would be the concern for those with gall bladder or untreated kidney problems. The oxalates in strawberries may interfere with calcium absorption. Other than that, enjoy this yummy fruit with gusto! I slice these on my oatmeal with nuts almost daily.

Strawberry Recipes

FRESH: The best way 
to enjoy strawberries!

But for that special occasion try:


"Easy Strawberry Trifle"


2 cups fresh strawberries

2 tablespoons sugar
2 cups homemade vanilla pudding (or store-bought pudding)
1 3-ounce package cream cheese, softened
2 cups pre-baked angel food cake, cut in one-inch cubes (shortcake or pound cake also works)

--(Reserve 3 or 4 berries for garnish). Hull and slice 1 cup strawberries. Arrange berries along the sides of a clear, glass serving dish (1-1/2 quart size). 

--Place remaining strawberries and sugar in blender container and process until pureed. 

--In mixing bowl, mix pudding and cream cheese with electric mixer and blend well. 

--Place half of cake in bottom of serving dish. Pour half of pureed strawberries over cake, and top with half of pudding mixture.
--Repeat layer. Cover and chill for up to 24 hours. Before serving stop with reserved berries. Yield: 6 to 8 servings. 


Strawberry Jokes

Q: Why were the little strawberries upset?



A: Because their parents were in a jam!




Q: What did one strawberry say to the other strawberry?

A: If you weren’t so sweet, we wouldn’t be in this jam!

 

"Rock Berries"

Strawberry Books

--Strawberry Girl (1945) (ages 8-12)

by Lois Lenski (a Newbery Medal book)

--Freckleface Strawberry (2007)
 (ages 3-8) by Julianne Moore & LeUyen Pham 

--Strawberry Hill (2010) (ages 8-12) 
by Mary Ann Hoberman 

"Strawberry
Shortcake"

--Strawberry Shortcake (various titles) (2003-2014) A popular series for ages 2 to 6 years; I counted 131 books online! 
Note: the American Greetings character "Strawberry Shortcake" evolved commercially 
to include: dolls, toys, songs, posters, movies, TV series, video games, cartoons, and books. Lawsuits regarding ownership of this character and related continue to this day.

--The Strawberry Statement by James Simon Kunen (1969) (nonfiction) (Chronicles a student's experience at Columbia University; counterculture and student revolts, 1960s).

Strawberry Movies

--Strawberry Blonde (1941)  

James Cagney and Olivia DeHaviland

--Strawberry Summer (2012)  

Julie Mond and Trevor Donovan



--The Strawberry Statement (1970)
Bruce Davison and Kim Darby 
(Based on Kunen's book; Winner at Jury Prize Cannes Film Festival, 1970)

Strawberry Songs

--Strawberry Wine - Deana Carter (1996)

--Strawberry Letter 23 - The Brothers Johnson (1977)

--Strawberry Roan - Ed McCurdy (a cowboy song) 
(written by Curley Fletcher, first published 1936)

--Raspberries Strawberries - Kingston Trio
(first released, 1960)

--Strawberry Swing - Coldplay (released 2009)

--Strawberry Fields Forever - The Beatles (1967)

Although credited to both John Lennon and Paul McCartney, the story behind this song is that John was inspired by a garden he had played in as a child near his home. The garden was located at a Salvation Army children's home called "Strawberry Field."

Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strawberry; http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=32

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strawberry_Shortcake; http://www.berries4u.com/history.htm; http://www.strawberries-for-strawberry-lovers.com/where-are-strawberries-grown.html#sthash.3SVXz5SO.dpbs

L is for Lime: Yummy Fruits A-Z

Limes are rather famous, and deservedly so. This smaller of the citrus fruit family saved untold numbers of British sailors from getting scurvy in the nineteenth century. Scurvy is a disfiguring disease that in advanced stages can cause one's teeth to fall out, oozing skin sores, jaundice, fever, neuropathy, and even death. 

Scurvy is caused by a deficiency in vitamin C, of which the lime happens to be high in, as is its competitor, the lemon. In fact, a lemon is four times higher in vitamin C, but limes were more available in the 19th century (from the West Indies), and became the main fruit of the British navy sailing the high seas. The sailors even acquired the nickname, "limey." 

Lime trees grow to about 16 feet high and can be found in tropical and subtropical climates. The origin of limes is not known. Some speculate they may have come from the Indonesian archipelago or nearby Asia. Christoper Columbus is credited with taking the first lime seed to the West Indies where it was planted in 1493. Today limes are grown all over the world. Brazil is the top producer, followed by Mexico, the U.S. (mainly Florida), and the West Indies. 

Lime Recipe

"Perky Lime Sauce"

1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 teaspoon grated fresh lime (rind)
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Combine sugar, cornstarch, water and a dash of salt in small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture thickens and turns clear. Remove from burner. Add butter, lime rind and juice. Mix well. Cool before serving. Yield: 1 cup 

(Best served over diced cantaloupe and scoops of vanilla ice cream, but you can experiment. Try over bananas and gingerbread).  

Lime Joke

Lime Books

 
--A Lime, a Mime, a Pool of Slime (More about Nouns) (2008)
by Brian P. Cleary and Brian Gable


 
  --Lime Tree Can't Bear Orange (2009) by Amanda Smyth


--A Parachute in the Lime Tree (2012)  by Annemarie Neary

Lime Songs

--"Corona and Lime" by Shwayze (2009)
--"The Lime Tree" by Trevor Hall (2009)

--"Lime in the Coconut" by Kermit the Frog (2008) (video link)

Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lime_(fruit); http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scurvy
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/341295/lime

Sharon M. Himsl

Writer/Author. Blogging since 2011. 
Published with Evernight Teen: 
~~The Shells of Mersing

B is for Banana: Yummy Fruits A-Z

A banana tree can grow anywhere from 10 to 26 feet tall. One cluster alone contains between 50 and 150 bananas. Bananas are an excellent source of B6, and a good source of potassium, manganese, vitamin C, dietary fiber, copper and biotin. 

The health benefits include: cardiovascular protection due to banana's potassium and fiber, protection from ulcers, and help with constipation, eyesight, bone growth, and kidney health.

Malaysia can take credit for the origin of bananas 4,000 years ago, and the spread to the Philippines and India. Bananas were later discovered in Africa in 1482 and brought to the Americas, but it was not until the 19th century that bananas became available in the United States. Today bananas are primarily grown in Mexico, Costa Rica, Brazil and Ecuador.


Banana Recipe

Banana Dressing with Poppy Seeds

1 banana (ripe)
1 cup (8 oz.) sour cream
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon dry mustard
3/4 teaspoon salt

Mash bananas in small bowl. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Chill for 30 minutes. This is great on salad greens, fruit, and as a dip. Yield: 1-3/4 cups 

Banana Jokes

Question: What did the boy banana say to the girl banana?

Answer: "You have a lot of appeal."

Question: If a crocodile makes shoes, what does a banana make?  
Answer: Slippers !

Banana Movies

--Bananas (a Woody Allen movie) 1971




--Herbie Goes Bananas 1980
(Herbie the VW has a wild adventure)

Banana Books


--Banana: The Fate of the Fruit That Changed the World 

Dan Koeppel (2008) (adult nonfiction)

--Anna Banana: 101 Jump Rope Rhymes
Joanna Cole and Alan Tiegreen (2010) (ages 4-8)

Banana Songs (video link)

(Beetlejuice fans.......Remember this?)

"Day-O" (Banana Boat Song) by Harry Belafonte 

(from the movie Beetlejuice - 1988)

Sources: http://www.jokesfind.com/jokes_Banana-jokes.html
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=7

Sharon M. Himsl

Writer/Author. Blogging since 2011. 
Published with Evernight Teen: 
~~The Shells of Mersing