In the botanical sense a 'fruit' is the structure of a plant, usually surrounding seeds, which develops from the flower ovary after pollination and fertilization. However, popular understanding of the term is based not on plant anatomy but on usage. Thus, in a culinary sense, a fruit is the edible part of a plant which is fleshly, succulent and sweet. Its sweetness, often balanced with acid, distinguishes 'fruit', in food terms, from other foods, notably vegetables. Some parts of a plant which technically are fruit are treated otherwise. Generally fruits are foods imbued with pleasure, and often eaten as the finale of a meal.
There are numerous species of fruit, from a variety of families. Many familiar fruits belong to two families in particular, Rose (Rosaceae) and Citrus (Rutaceae). Rather than botanical classification, fruits are commonly categorized by culinary characteristics: whether they have pips, stones, are berries, or soft. Fruits are also divided according to the season in which they ripen, and their place of origin.
Within species, different cultivars have been developed over the years for their individual attributes and habits.
Most fruits are suitable for eating raw, and some are well-suited to cooking. Many fruits can be preserved, often by drying, resulting in different eating and cooking properties.
Exotic Fruit
Exotic and tropical fruits like kiwi, mango, guava, and passion fruit have become more and more common, more and more available. We can now walk into a grocery store at almost any time of the year and buy these fruits, no matter where we live. On the other hand, there are so many luscious unusual and sometimes striking fruit that we have yet to taste. We stand in the fruit section staring, not knowing how it tastes, how to serve it, what to do. We want to, but we just don't know how, so we pass it by, all the while wondering what we were missing in that mysterious looking specimen, wondering where that tropical fruit might take us, missing the luxury of the new taste and a new experience. We want to to take a bite. We want to reach out and grab the fruit with reckless abandon but we are afraid of the unknown. Well, sit back, allow us to introduce you to a gastronomical world you might not have even known existed. We'll explain how they taste, how to open them, how to serve them, and how to eat them. Sink your taste buds into these unusual delicacies. There is such a wonderful variety of tasty fruit in the world; try something new!
Like fruit, 'nut' has a botanical definition that is rather more restricted than the popular sense of the term. Botanically, nuts are fruits, specifically one-seeded fruits, with a tough, dry outer layer. In common parlance a 'nut' is an edible kernel surrounded by a hard shell. Thus, fruit not technically nuts, such as almonds, and even non-fruit, such as peanuts, are treated as nuts.
Nuts generally contain little water, moderate protein, and much oil, predominantly unsaturated. Their high oil content renders nuts prone to rancidity, and to tainting by surrounding odours.
Often toasted to intensify their flavours, nuts are eaten as snacks and incorporated, whole, chopped or ground, into the sweet and savoury dishes of many cuisines.
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