1. Persimmon — Kaki
One of the tastiest fruits ever is Persimmon. It is the edible fruit of a number of species of trees in the genus Diospyros, of which the most widely cultivated is the Asian or Japanese persimmon (Diospyros kaki). Hence the name Kaki as it’s known in certain parts of the world, including Egypt.
Also known as Oriental Persimmon and Japanese Persimmon, the fruit is native to China where it has been cultivated for many centuries and where more than two thousand different cultivars exist. Eventually, persimmon spread to Japan — about 1300 years ago — and Korea where additional cultivars were developed. It was first brought to the U.S when introduced to California in the mid 1850s.
Today’s major producers are China, Japan, Brazil, Korea and Italy, while minor producers are Israel, U.S, New Zealand, Australia, Spain, Georgia, Egypt and Chile.
Generally and commercially, there two different kinds of persimmon: Astringent Varieties and Nonastringent Varieties.
Astringent include Eureka, Saijo, Tamopan, and Triumph, which is sold as Sharon Fruit after astringency has been chemically removed.
The Nonastringent include Fuyu, Izo, Jiro, and Suruga among others.
Persimmons are fiber-rich fruits which are low in calories and fats. They are an outstanding source of Vitamin A and Vitamin C as well as contain a wide variety of antioxidants. ⠀
The word Diospyros comes from the ancient Greek words “dios” (δῐος) and “pyron” (πῡρον). A popular etymology interpreted this as “divine fruit”, or as meaning “wheat of Zeus”, “God’s pear”, and “Jove’s fire”. According to sources, however, the dio-, as shown by the short vowel ‘i’ has nothing to do with ‘divine’ (δῑoς ); dio- being an affix attached to plant names, and in classical Greek the compound referred to “the fruit of the nettle tree”. ⠀
As for the word ‘persimmon’, it is derived from putchamin, pasiminan, or pessamin, from Powhatan, an Algonquian language of the eastern United States, meaning “a dry fruit”. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀
Now you know. Time to Nom Nom Nom.
One of the tastiest fruits ever is Persimmon. It is the edible fruit of a number of species of trees in the genus Diospyros, of which the most widely cultivated is the Asian or Japanese persimmon (Diospyros kaki). Hence the name Kaki as it’s known in certain parts of the world, including Egypt.
Also known as Oriental Persimmon and Japanese Persimmon, the fruit is native to China where it has been cultivated for many centuries and where more than two thousand different cultivars exist. Eventually, persimmon spread to Japan — about 1300 years ago — and Korea where additional cultivars were developed. It was first brought to the U.S when introduced to California in the mid 1850s.
Today’s major producers are China, Japan, Brazil, Korea and Italy, while minor producers are Israel, U.S, New Zealand, Australia, Spain, Georgia, Egypt and Chile.
Generally and commercially, there two different kinds of persimmon: Astringent Varieties and Nonastringent Varieties.
Astringent include Eureka, Saijo, Tamopan, and Triumph, which is sold as Sharon Fruit after astringency has been chemically removed.
The Nonastringent include Fuyu, Izo, Jiro, and Suruga among others.
Persimmons are fiber-rich fruits which are low in calories and fats. They are an outstanding source of Vitamin A and Vitamin C as well as contain a wide variety of antioxidants. ⠀
The word Diospyros comes from the ancient Greek words “dios” (δῐος) and “pyron” (πῡρον). A popular etymology interpreted this as “divine fruit”, or as meaning “wheat of Zeus”, “God’s pear”, and “Jove’s fire”. According to sources, however, the dio-, as shown by the short vowel ‘i’ has nothing to do with ‘divine’ (δῑoς ); dio- being an affix attached to plant names, and in classical Greek the compound referred to “the fruit of the nettle tree”. ⠀
As for the word ‘persimmon’, it is derived from putchamin, pasiminan, or pessamin, from Powhatan, an Algonquian language of the eastern United States, meaning “a dry fruit”. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀
Now you know. Time to Nom Nom Nom.
2. Pigeons, Doves, Quails, Squabs
While growing up my grandmother’s household made stuffed pigeons maybe once or twice a year. It was something we enjoyed on rare occasions and only when home-made. At restaurants across Egypt they often serve the grilled pigeons, which are considered kind of a snack that isn’t really filling — at least comparatively — unless you consume quite a bit.
Of course during the decade spent in North America there was none. Same for the first two and a half years in Dahab before discovering they made stuffed pigeons at the local grill El Sharkawy. So naturally I gave them a go. Shortly after during last Ramadan I found them served at Nounette. Ever since, once every few months I then tell the owner Nada about a certain date, say a week earlier, and she would make them sur demande... all the way from Cairo. Tasteful they are. Also, the indoor and outdoor cats have a ball on that day,
leaving absolutely nothing to waste
Beside the taste, to me it is one of those unique meals that take me places while bringing childhood memories to the surface. You can read about a game I played mainly with grandparents as a young boy using the pigeon’s wishbone, known as furcula, in The Origin of ‘Wishbone’ and the “Yadas - Fi bali” (يدس - في بالي) Game.
There is also another investigative piece about yet another unique culinary delicacy that is Eating Cows’ Trotters — كوارع. Only this one I began eating much later in life, as my younger self was never exposed to it.
Alright, now to the essence.
In Arabic, Pigeons, Doves, and Quails are known as ( حمام، يمام، سمان ) respectively.
While I knew pigeons are ( حمام ), the other two remained confusing. Interestingly, my grandfather Omar Cherif homed and bred pigeons as seen in photo below. He shared an uncanny resemblance to Nikola Tesla who apparently used to communicate with pigeons.
With that, I began digging into these somewhat similar yet seemingly distinct types of birds.
While I knew pigeons are ( حمام ), the other two remained confusing. Interestingly, my grandfather Omar Cherif homed and bred pigeons as seen in photo below. He shared an uncanny resemblance to Nikola Tesla who apparently used to communicate with pigeons.
With that, I began digging into these somewhat similar yet seemingly distinct types of birds.
Now, pigeons (Columba livia) [ حمام ] (hamam) — also known as Common Pigeon, Rock Dove, Rock Pigeon — are members of the bird family Columbidae, which are distributed on almost every continent. They have a pale grey plumage with two distinct black bars across each wing. With a dazzling speed of 150 km/h, their lifespan in the wild is around 6 years. The domestic pigeon (Columba livia domestica) is a descendant of this species. Escaped domestic ones have increased the populations of feral pigeons around the world.
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| Grandfather Omar Cherif with pigeons he bred and homed |
Doves (Streptopelia) [ يمام ] (yamam) is a genus of birds also in the family Columbidae. As it turns out, in scientific nomenclature there’s no difference between pigeon & dove; but colloquial English tends to categorise them by size — some even do it by colour; usually they are smaller than pigeons. However, both doves and pigeons refer to the 308 species of birds from the family. While the word dove came into English from Nordic languages, pigeon was borrowed from French.
Then there are Quails (Coturnix coturnix) [ سمان ] (semman) or Common Quail. Quail is a collective name for several genera of mid-sized birds generally placed in the order Galliformes. Old World quail and New World quail belong to different families. Also, quail eggs are smaller than chicken eggs, yet contain more fat, protein, iron, riboflavin, and Vitamin B12 by weight.
If I recall correctly, we had semman at grandmother’s only like once or twice over the years, as a secondary choice probably when the hamam was not available. It is a smaller bird with less meat, yet tasting almost the same.
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| Stuffed pigeons being eyed by Floppino and his instincts |
Then there are also the lesser known Squabs, referring to young pigeons. The word in Arabic is [ زُغْلُول ] (zughlūl) or [ فَرْخ الحَمام ] (far' al-hamam).
In culinary terminology, a squab refers to an immature — unfledged — domestic pigeon, typically under 4-weeks old, or its meat. It is widely described as tasting like dark chicken. The term is probably of Scandinavian origin; the Swedish word “skvabb” means loose, fat flesh. While squabs can be found in Egypt, certainly not as much as pigeons. Personally, I have never come across them.
Historically, squabs/pigeons have been consumed in various civilisations, like ancient Egypt, ancient Rome, and Medieval Europe.
And now we know.
Another earlier triad here on One Lucky Soul is the article The Difference Between Mandarin, Tangerine, and Clementine (2015), which happens to be number three in the all-time views list with tens of thousands.
In culinary terminology, a squab refers to an immature — unfledged — domestic pigeon, typically under 4-weeks old, or its meat. It is widely described as tasting like dark chicken. The term is probably of Scandinavian origin; the Swedish word “skvabb” means loose, fat flesh. While squabs can be found in Egypt, certainly not as much as pigeons. Personally, I have never come across them.
Historically, squabs/pigeons have been consumed in various civilisations, like ancient Egypt, ancient Rome, and Medieval Europe.
And now we know.
Another earlier triad here on One Lucky Soul is the article The Difference Between Mandarin, Tangerine, and Clementine (2015), which happens to be number three in the all-time views list with tens of thousands.
3. Alla Puttanesca
Pasta Alla Puttanesca
‘Whorechata’ was defined in Words I Made Up — The Fourquel as a milky beverage made of ground almonds, sesame seeds, rice, and barley that is favoured by prostitutes. Uhu.
Similarly, the word ‘puttanesca’ had also come mind. Wanting to play with it, I checked its meaning and origin to find something utterly amusing, probably common knowledge to some.
So, ‘puttanesca’ is an adjective denoting a pasta sauce typically including tomatoes, garlic, olives, olive oil, anchovies, and capers. Invented in Naples mid-20th Century, “Alla puttanesca” in Italian literally means “In the style of a whore”. The word originates from puttana ‘prostitute’, because the sauce is said to have been devised by prostitutes as one which could be quickly cooked between clients’ visits. Ta-Da.
Ha-Ha. My potential wordplay has been ruined.
*The photo shows five prostitutes waiting for customers in a brothel in Naples, Italy — 1945.
4. Common Figs (Ficus carica) — [ تين برشومي ]
‘Whorechata’ was defined in Words I Made Up — The Fourquel as a milky beverage made of ground almonds, sesame seeds, rice, and barley that is favoured by prostitutes. Uhu.
Similarly, the word ‘puttanesca’ had also come mind. Wanting to play with it, I checked its meaning and origin to find something utterly amusing, probably common knowledge to some.
So, ‘puttanesca’ is an adjective denoting a pasta sauce typically including tomatoes, garlic, olives, olive oil, anchovies, and capers. Invented in Naples mid-20th Century, “Alla puttanesca” in Italian literally means “In the style of a whore”. The word originates from puttana ‘prostitute’, because the sauce is said to have been devised by prostitutes as one which could be quickly cooked between clients’ visits. Ta-Da.
Ha-Ha. My potential wordplay has been ruined.
*The photo shows five prostitutes waiting for customers in a brothel in Naples, Italy — 1945.
4. Common Figs (Ficus carica) — [ تين برشومي ]
Figment of the Figurehead
Depending on the season, street food vendors in Egypt are known for selling a wide variety of items. The carts seen around my neighbourhood mainly offer grilled corn, sweet potatoes, pumpkin seeds, bananas among other fruits like figs here, aka common figs ( تين برشومي ). In more rural areas you would find popcorn, different vegetables, chickpeas, even juices.
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Generally speaking, fruits and veggies around many such parts of the world tend to be significantly tastier than, say, North America. Ask anyone who has tried both and they will certainly concur. While the look, size, and colour may seem more appealing in the New World, the richer, more natural taste of the produce coming from the Old World remains incomparable. Peaches, watermelon, mango are just few examples from the top of me head. ⠀
With that, here is another succulently juicy fruit from the old world: the Common Fig (Ficus carica). Simply known as fig, this Asian species of flowering plant is part of the mulberry family.
Figs happen to be one of the oldest crop plants in the world. Cultivated as an agricultural crop in the Mediterranean, it was a staple in the ancient Greek diet. Aristotle himself was an actual fan. Figs were even mentioned in the Bible
While it is native to the Middle East and western Asia, it has been naturalised in various locations across Asia and North America and now is cultivated throughout the globe — for its fruits as well as an ornamental plant. In 1880, they were introduced to California where they eventually thrived due to its Mediterranean climate.
The term fig originates from the Latin word, ficus, as well as the older Hebrew name, feg. The name of the caprifig (Ficus caprificus Risso) is derived from Latin, with capro referring to billygoat and ficus referring to fig.
In Arabic it’s called[ تين برشومي ] — spelled like ‘teen’. The ones seen here are Egyptian and they are delightfully mouthwatering. Apparently Egypt is number two in world production of raw figs after Turkey and before Algeria. Together these three nations account for 58% of the world’s total.
Figs contain potassium as well several other vitamins and minerals, like vitamin A, B vitamins, magnesium and iron. The skin is edible and is supposedly beneficial for the digestive system.
5. Thorny Figs (Opuntia ficus-indica) [ تين شوكي ] —
Figuring the Figurative
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Since we’re at it, here is a sibling fruit to common figs sharing the same name, which can also be acquired from street vendors in Egypt: Opuntia ficus-indica ( تين شوكي - literally thorny fig).
Other English names for the plant and its “fruit” are Indian Fig Opuntia, Barbary Fig, Prickly Pear, Cactus Pear, Spineless Cactus. More Arabic names are ( صبير التين الهندي - أكناري - البِلِس ).
Notice fruit is between “ ” because technically figs are not fruits in the traditional sense, but rather they are a mass of inverted flowers and seeds. Who knew? Most people however refer to them as fruits.
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Domesticated since a long time ago, it is widely agreed this species of cactus originated in Mexico before spreading throughout the world by the 16th century. In Mexican Spanish, the plant is called nopal, while the fruit is called tuna — both terms used in American English, especially as culinary terms. Unlike the seedless figs, opuntia is full of seeds, yet I was just reminded that you end up eating most of them.
Mexicans have used Opuntia for thousands of years to make an alcoholic drink called colonche. They also eat the young cactus pads by slicing them into strips and served with fried eggs and jalapeños.
Lastly, just like how botanically Arugula is Eruca sativa, those thorny figs are Opuntia ficus-indica. Another reason to love fruits… and plants and cacti. Wink Wink.
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