Check Out the Flavour of Peaches

The peach belongs to the genus Prunus and is native to China and is popular for its juicy fruit. The peach tree is deciduous attaining a height of 4-10 m and is placed in the subfamily Prunoidae under the family Rosaceae. It has been classified with the almond in the genus Amygdalus but can be differentiated from other members by the corrugated seed shell. Leaves of peach tree are lanceolate, 7-16 cm long and 2-3 cm broad and pinnately veined. Flowers are produced in spring much before the leaves are born. They may be solitary or paired, 2.5-3 cm, pink in colour and are provided with five petals. The fruit may be with yellow or whitish flesh, with a delicate aroma, with a velvety or smooth skin as found in different varieties.

Flesh of the fruit is very delicate and is of high commercial value when green. The fruit bears a single seed which may be red or brown, large, oval shaped, measuring 1.3-2 cm long with a hard woody shell. Peaches, plums, apricots and cherries together constitute the category of stone fruits.

The botanical name of peach is Prunus persica which suggests that it might be native to Persia but the truth is something else and it was originated in China many years back. They have specific chilling requirements in order to grow well. They fail to survive in the tropical areas as they lack specific cold weather. They are able to tolerate winter temperatures to about -26?C to -30?C but this range of temperature may kill the flowers resulting in no fruits during the approaching summers. Certain cultivated species are very tender and delicate and can tolerate very little fluctuations in temperature. They require extreme heat also during the summer months for fruit ripening. The optimum temperature required for fruit ripening is 20?C-30?C.

The flowers generally bloom in the early spring but if the temperature gets lower than -4?C the flowers may wither. However, if the flowers remain closed they can tolerate certain degrees of cold.

Important peach producing areas are China, Iran, France, and the Mediterranean countries like Italy, Spain and Greece. The harvesting of plant is generally done in the months of May to August. The trees are susceptible to leaf curl, brown rot or a dark-reddish spot. They require constant supply of water which can be increased shortly before harvesting. Drip irrigation is generally considered ideal. A quarter of root being water is sufficient for the whole tree. They have a high requirement of nitrogen as compared to other plants. NPK fertilizer must be supplied and in addition to it poultry manure can also be added right after the harvest. Blood meal and bone meal, 3-5 kilograms per mature tree, or calcium ammonium nitrate, 0.5-1 kilogram are suitable fertilizers. If the whole farm of the peach tree is left without water the size, falvour as well as the sugar content of fruits get affected.

Peaches must be stored at room temperature and refrigeration must be avoided as it can reduce the taste of the fruit. They are good sources of carbohydrates, vitamin C, protein and potassium. Peach seeds contain cyanogenic glycosides, including amygdalin which decomposes into sugar and hydrogen cyanide gas. Peach allergy has also been noticed in some hypersensitive individuals and the symptoms may range from local symptoms to systemic symptoms including anaphylaxis.

Bitter But Beneficial Bitter Melon

Bitter gourd or bitter melon is a tropical and subtropical wine scientifically known as Momordica charantia is a member of family Cucurbitaceae. It is widely cultivated in Asia, Africa and Caribbean for its edible fruit which is the bitterest one amongst the fruits. A number of varieties are known that differ in their shape as well as bitterness of the fruit. The plant basically belongs to tropics but its native origin is still not known.

The plant is characterized by its herbaceous nature and tendril bearing vine which attains a height of about 5 m. the leaves are alternate, 4-12 cm across with 3-7 deeply separated lobes. Each plant bears yellow coloured, separate male and female flowers. In Northern Hemisphere flowering occurs during June to July and fruiting during September to November. The fruit is oblong with warty texture. The fruit is hollow in cross section with a thin layer of flesh surrounding a central seed filled cavity bearing a layer of large, flat seeds and pith. The fruit is generally consumed in its green form or when it starts to appear yellow. At this stage the flesh of fruit is crunchy in texture but bitter. Skin is delicate and edible. Seeds are not bitter and can be removed before or after cooking. As the fruit ripens the flesh becomes bitter, distasteful and tougher to be consumed. The pith becomes yellow or red and can be eaten uncooked. When the fruit is fully ripe it turns yellow and curls and opens to expose the red coloured seeds and pulp.

The varieties differ in their shapes and sizes. The typical Chinese phenotype is recognized as 20-30 cm in length, oblong with tapering ends, yellow-green colouration and warty texture. The bitter melon of India is more typical in its shape and toothed texture. Each 100 grams of bitter gourd yields 79 kilocalories of energy. It is also a rich source of carbohydrates, sugars, dietary fiber, fat, saturated, monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, protein, water, vitamin A, vitamin B-complex, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium sodium, zinc. They are consumed in cooked form and even the young leaves are also used as leafy vegetables. It is very popular throughout India and is often cooked with potatoes and served with yoghurt to remove the bitterness. It is also served fried in Chinese cuisines.

It has been a part of Asian and African traditional medicine systems since ancient times. The plant is known to contain several biologically active chemical compounds for example momordicin I and II, and cucurbitacin B. It also contains other chemicals like glycosides and other terpenoid compounds. It also contains cytotoxic proteins such as momorcharin and momordin. Like most bitter foods it is claimed to help in effective digestion and thus help in curing dyspepsia and constipation. It can also cause heartburn and ulcers. The extracts of bitter melon have shown activity against the nematode worm Caenorhabditis elegans in vitro. The compounds extracted from bitter melon like a-eleostearic acid and 15,16-dihydroxy-a-eleostearic acid have been found to induce apoptosis of leukemia cells in vitro. They are also used to treat dysentery, colic, fevers, burns, painful menstruation, scabies and other skin problems. The seeds contain vicine and can cause favism in susceptible individuals.

Big, Juicy, Pulpy and Tasty Pumpkin

Pumpkin is a gourd-like sqash belonging to the genus Cucurbita. It has been placed in the family Cucurbitaceae. The commonly cultivated species of pumpkin are Cucurbita pepo, Cucurbita mixta, Cucurbita maxima, and Cucurbita moschata. Pumpkin can be identified by a thick, orange to yellow coloured shell and creased stem running over the ground. The fruits are rich in pulp as well as in seeds. It is most frequently designated by the term winter squash in North America. The word pumpkin has been derived from a Greek word meaning large melon. The exact origin of this plant is yet not known but it is generally believed that they originated in North America. The oldest evidence suggests that they originated somewhere between 7000 and 5500 BC in Mexico. They are squash like fruits ranging in size from 1 pound to over 1,000 pounds.

Pumpkins generally weigh about 4-8 kilograms but the largest species can weigh about 34 kg also. They vary in shape ranging from oblate to oblong. The rind may be smooth or lightly ribbed. They may be orange or yellow in colour but some may be are dark green, pale green, orange-yellow, white, red and gray in colouration. They are monoecious having both male and female flowers on the same plant. The female flower can be identified by the presence of small ovary at the base of the petals. The flowers are bright and colourful with very short life spans and open only for a short duration in a day. The fruit derives its orange colour from the pigments present in abundance in them. The main nutrients present in the fruit are lutein and both alpha and beta carotene, the latter of which generates vitamin A in the body.

They are cultivated all over the world for different purposes ranging from agricultural to commercial and ornamental sales. Among the seven continents Antarctica is unable to produce pumpkins but the largest producers of these fruits are United States, Mexico, India, and China. They are warm weather crops generally planted in early July. They require high temperature as well as a soil that can retain water proportionately. The yield declines if temperature falls and the soil lose water holding capacity. As male and females flowers are borne separately honey bees play a significant role in their fertilization. They are at risk of being affected by fungal diseases.

The largest pumpkins are Cucurbita maxima. They are cultivated from the hubbard squash genotype, crossed with kabocha-pumpkin types by enthusiast farmers in the early 19th century. They are very versatile in their uses for cooking. Almost every part of these plans are edible including the including the fleshy shell, the seeds, the leaves, and even the flowers. In United States they are very popular Halloween and Thanksgiving staple. They are also cannedoil. When ripe they are even, baked, boiled, steamed or roasted. In Canada they are roasted and eaten as a snack.

A research carried out in 2007 at the East China Normal University on the type-I diabetic rats indicated that the chemicals present in pumpkins promote regeneration of damaged pancreatic cells, resulting in increased bloodstream insulin levels. It is still not known whether these chemicals have a profound effect on type-II diabetes or not. The seeds of pumpkins are known as pepitas. They are small, flat, green, edible seeds. Generally the seeds are covered by a white husk but in some species it is absent. The seeds are very popular snacks available in hulled or semi-hulled forms at the grocery stores. They are also rich in protein zinc and vitamins and are known to reduce the cholesterol levels. One gram of pumpkin seeds contain as much as tryptophan as present in one full glass of milk. They are also good source of magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, and phytosterols.

Pumpkin seed oil is reddish green coloured oil obtained from pumpkin seeds. It is mixed with other oils when used for cooking as well as for garnishing salads. It is used in cooking in central and Eastern Europe. Canned pumpkin is considered as a dietary supplement for the dogs and cats that experience digestive problems. Raw pumpkin can be fed to the poultry to increase egg production especially during the winters. So many folk tales are also associated with them like in Cinderella the fairy godmother turns a pumpkin into a carriage, but it later reverts to a pumpkin. In the Harry Potter novels the pumpkin juice is a very popular delicacy among the students of Hogwart's School of Witchcraft.

Beans: A Healthy Dietary Vegetable

Bean is a common name applied to large seeds of several genera of family Fabaceae used for human as well as animal consumption. The green, young pods of bean plants are often consumed as raw or cooked. They are known as green beans when unripe. The term bean is generally used for the broad bean but later on it was expanded to include members belonging to the genus Phaseolus as well as Vigna. The term is now applied to many other plants also for example soybeans, peas, lentils, chickpeas (garbanzos), vetches, and lupins.

Beans are one of the oldest plants known in cultivation since times immemorial. Broad beans were earlier cultivated in Afghanistan and Himalayan foothills. Common bean is known in cultivation for about six thousand years in America. About 4,000 cultivated varieties are known from America alone. The common varieties of bean include broad bean, moth bean, urad bean, mung bean, rice bean and cowpea. Some varieties of bean especially the red and kidney beans contain a toxin that must be destroyed before cooking. The recommended method adopted for these beans is to boil them for ten minutes as the undercooked beans are more harmful than the raw ones. Fermentation is often employed in many parts of Africa as it improves the nutritional value of beans by removing toxins. Inexpensive fermentation improves the nutritional value of the flour of beans and hence enhances digestibility as shown in a study carried out at Addis Ababa University. They are a major source of protein in Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.

They contain significant amounts of fiber and soluble fiber. One cup of cooked beans provides about 9-13 grams of fiber. Soluble fiber helps to lower the cholesterol level. They also contain high levels of protein, complex carbohydrates, folate, and iron. Many edible beans especially the broad beans and the soy beans contain oligosaccharides which is a type of a sugar molecule as found in cabbage. An anti-oligosaccharide enzyme is required to digest these sugar molecules. The human digestive system lacks any anti-oligosaccharide enzyme these sugar molecules are particularly broken down by the bacteria present in the large intestine. These sugars upon digestion produce flatulence-causing gases as a byproduct. Some species of molds produce alpha-galactosidase, an anti-oligosaccharide enzyme which facilitate the digestion of these oligosaccharide molecules more effectively in the small intestine if consumed by humans. These enzymes are sold in the markets under the trade name Beano in the United States. Beans can be cooked with natural carminatives like anise seeds, coriander seeds and cumin. They are also soaked in water and the vinegar is added to them. Brazil is the largest producer of beans followed by India and China.

Buy Assortment of Delicious Milk Products Online

Milk is considered a wholesome food with essential nutrients including calcium, folic acid, Vitamin D, Vitamin A and Vitamin B12. Milk products are available in plenty and in different varieties. Consumption of these products is necessary to lead a healthy life. It is considered an ideal food which helps in the growth of bones and teeth in children. It is rich in calcium which proves to be beneficial to the aged as it prevents osteoporosis and breakage of bones.

What Are the Commonly Used Milk Products?

Milk products are used in a variety of forms including plain cheese, cottage cheese, butter, ice creams, curd, yogurt, whipped cream, custard, sour cream and different types of milk. These include flavoured, homogenised, fermented, ultra pasteurised, whole milk and so forth.

Whole milk contains fat and it can be either pasteurised or raw. It contains essential nutrients and fats required for the healthy development of bones and teeth in toddlers as well as infants. It is an excellent source of calcium for the aged and recuperating people.

Milk products such as condensed milk and creams are also used for the preparation of sweets and cakes. It is also an essential ingredient in chocolates. Most of the Indian sweets are rich in milk and its products.

It is also used in a variety of baby products such as soaps, shampoos, creams and lotions as it is an excellent moisturiser which is rich in Vitamin D. Baby formulas also contain milk products as it is essential for the brain and body development of a baby.

It is also an important ingredient in many of the cosmetics available today. Soaps, creams and beauty lotions contain traces of this product as it is known to soften the skin and promote hair growth.

Buying Variety of Products from Online Suppliers

A huge variety of milk products can be bought from many of the online stores which include different flavours of ice creams, processed cheese, mayonnaise, margarine and so forth.

Varieties of butter milk can also be bought from the online suppliers which include natural, fresh and spicy butter milk. There are many suppliers who sell authentic ghee made from pure cow's milk. Among the different types of cheese include the pizza cheese, cheddar choko cheese, mozzarella choko cheese, Parmesan and many more.

Other dairy products include the condensed, evaporated and flavoured milk. Powdered and dried milk are also available in many of the online stores at affordable rates. Flavoured milk includes strawberry, rose, banana, kesar and apple. The dried powder is another product that is commonly used in most of the households. It contains calcium and vitamins but is fat free.

Condensed milk is another product which is used in puddings and cakes. It is also used in preparing many of the Indian sweets. Another product includes the evaporated powdered milk which is also fat free though it is available in both full cream and skimmed varieties. It is also used for cooking several dishes.

With innumerable varieties, it is possible to purchase any product of your choice from the online markets.

Benefits Of Organic Food In The Modern Era

More and more people are getting aware of the benefits of organically manufactured and cultivated food and as a result, they tend to appreciate and follow organic diet. Its better taste is not the major aspect behind its widespread acceptability, rather people are more interested in the fact that the organic food is devoid of toxins that are harmful to our health. In view of this increase in awareness, there has been a constant increase in the number of people who prefer to have environment friendly food and it is going to be the norm of the day in the near future.

Our normal food contains hormones, preservatives, and additives which make them hazardous not only to the consumers but also to the environment. Widespread use of pesticides and fertilizers in agriculture is a major factor in making our food unhealthy.

People have access to all sort of information in this era of information explosion. Our generation is extremely lucky since it is not at all a daunting task to know what is good for us. With the help of various media, now we know the risk of taking detrimental food that contains toxins. Another factor contributed to the reputation of organically devoloped food is that many organizations and companies start promoting such food. A few years before, it was not available in the market and therefore it was impractical to turn to organic food even if someone wanted to avoid unsafe food.

Knowing the growth in demand of organic food, many people and even multinational companies have ventured in the process of production and sale of such commodities. The only drawback of organic food is its high pricing compared to its counterpart. However, when we take the benefits of organic food into consideration, the price difference is undoubtedly ignorable. Just think of the harmful effect of organic food on our vital organs and the subsequent problems that we may encounter in the future which will lead to psychological trauma and financial loss.

Automatic Versus Traditional Concessions

Many functions and services in our modern-day world have become automated. Despite the ease and convenience technological advances have ushered into our lives, this phenomenon has caused some to ponder what the long-term effects will be on our society and culture. There is concern that human interaction will slowly fade and be replaced by machines. And in many facets of life, this is already happening.

There are both positive and negative aspects to an increasingly mechanized, "push-button" society. We can now process ourselves through a grocery store checkout line, scanning and paying for items ourselves without the assistance of a cashier. Within seconds on the Internet we can dial up directions without the need for a physical map, or learn about historical figures without help from a shelf full of encyclopedias.

Systems within the business world have been streamlined to the point where we can video conference with people half a world away, or download large documents and send them to the farthest corners of the globe in a matter of seconds.

Effects of Automation on Concession Businesses

Although traditional in many ways, the concession businesses have not been spared from the effects of technology. Concession trailers and food carts are staples at local carnivals, festivals, concerts and sporting events. With racks full of snacks and candy on display, coolers filled with cold water and soda, popcorn makers popping and hot dog rollers turning, these stands have taken care of multitudes of hungry and thirsty customers for many years. Part of the charm of the concession trailer is the interaction with friendly vendors who will greet us with a smile before quickly and enthusiastically gathering up our order.

Although we still experience that personal touch from a large percentage of concession stands around the country, there are now automatic concession carts and trailers which eliminate the human interaction aspect of the business.

The Modern Food Cart

The very nature of technological evolution dictates a decrease in personal interaction and brings forth convenience and ease-of-use. By eliminating vendor-customer interaction, many of these modern food concession trailers are not much more than large vending machines or kiosks. With LCD readouts, change machines and microwaves integrated into this automatic vending system, customers are able to serve themselves with the push of just a few buttons.

The smaller self-serve vending trailers usually contain about two or three snack machines and a beverage machine. The larger automatic vending trailers can house around 9 or 10 different machines offering a combination of various snacks, microwaveable sandwiches, beverages and hot drinks.

While quick and convenient, "hot" sandwiches often must be warmed up by the customer in a microwave located on the trailer. Additionally, bottled soft drinks are the rule rather than the exception, therefore those who enjoy a fountain drink with ice on a hot summer day may no longer have that luxury.

Overall, there are positives and negatives when comparing automated food trailers to traditional ones manned by a vendor. You just have to ask yourself which will your customers prefer; The quickness, convenience and organization of self-serve? Or the personal touch and freshness of the traditional food cart? Regardless of technological advances, for many people the sights, sounds and smells of an event are woven into the total experience, and traditional concession stands are part of that.