Have you Tasted Banana Pepper? - Part 2 - Food Variety 25

You may read previous post (part 1):

- Have You ever Tasted Banana Pepper?- Part 1 -Food Variety 26

Fig 01- A Banana pepper photo taken from different angle.

I myself use this pepper as an ingredient in the many foods such as curry or mixed with other vegetables.

The taste of peppers is mild hot (heat), even tend to little bit sweet. Heat of pepper can be measured by Scorville Heat Unit (SHU).

Just for comparison, SHU of Banana pepper and Jalapeno:

- Banana peper, 500 SHU

- Jalapeno, about 5,250 SHU

Fig 02- Flowers start blooming, illustration

In term of nutritional values, the pepper has low calories. Rich in fiber, potassium and vitamins (vitamins A and C).

Fig 03- Sweet banana peppers, sold in Walmart

Peppers also contain more beta carotene than other chili. Hence, banana pepper is good for our health.

Have you ever seen or tried Banana peppers?

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Have you Tasted Tamarind Fruit or Juice? - Part 1 - Food Variety 27

We went to one of our neighborhood farmers markets couple days ago, and saw a peanut like fruit, called Tamarind.

Fig 01- Tamarind drink, sold in the farmer market

Tamarind is a tree with scientific name Tamarindus indica, origin from Africa, and grow well in the following countries:

- India

- Pakistan

- Thailand

- Indonesia

- Malaysia

- Vietnam and other tropical countries.

Fig 02- Walmart, just illustration

The tree could reach 15.24 m (50 feet) height and produces fruit about 160 kg a year. Fruits look like a big raw bean for me at glance. 

Fig 03- Tamarind drink sold in Walmart

The fruit contains several seeds (about 9 seeds). The fibrous pulp surrounds the seeds inside the fruit.

# To be continued to Part 2

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Have You ever Tasted Banana Pepper? - Part 1 - Food Variety 26

As you might be known that there are hundreds of pepper types sold in the market worldwide.

Fig 01- Banana peppers sold in a Mexican grocery.

Banana pepper with scientific name Capsicum annuum, with quite larger (bigger) size compared to normal chili, as far as I know.

However, from internet searching, size of Banana peppers includes medium in the peppers or chili varieties.

Length is around 6 inches (15 cm) and diameter is about 1.5 inches (3.8 cm). In the nature as reported by Pepper Geek (2022: “When To Pick Banana Peppers – How To Know When To Harvest”), this pepper could mature at a smaller length and a diameter.

Fig 02- Grasses in the Fall season

Fig 03- A bottle of Banana pepper’s Pickle, sold in Walmart.

I found this pepper in a Mexican store in my city. The color is yellow, but it is said that when peppers are ripen, the color changes to red, orange or even green.

Some of banana peppers is processed to pickled, and other used as ingredient in many type of foods.

# To be continued to Part 2

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Fresh Mango in the US Market – Part 2 - Food Variety 25

You may read previous post (Part 1):

- Fresh Mango in the US Market – Part 1 - Food Variety 25 | Tanza

Fig 01- Yellow mango’s meat

Actually, America produces mangoes as well as other tropical countries, but very limited, hence not enough for domestic consumption.

They are grown in the “warmer” temperature states such as:

- California

- Hawaii

- Florida

- and Puerto Rico.

Fig 02- Mangoes are ready to consume

Florida developed many kinds (varieties) of mangoes, some of the well-known “inventors” are Haden, Keitt, Kent, Tommy Atkins, Valencia Pride and Glenn. 

Fig 03- Mangoes and apples are sold in many Walmart groceries

These breeding are parts of more than 500 exist varieties of mangoes in the world. I believe that you know and probably just taste few of these varieties.

One of varieties called as “Tommy Atkins” planted commercially in South American countries include Mexico, Peru and Ecuador.

These countries export back to USA in great amount. We can see easily in many groceries across USA. If you never consumed mangoes, just try its!

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Fresh Mangoes in the US Market – Part 1 - Food Variety 25

A lot of mango types can be found in the USA market from spring to early fall. They are mainly imported from Mexico.

Fig 01- Mango from Mexico

It is surprising fact for me that those mangoes are not Mexican indigenous fruit, but introduced by British from a tropical country, Philippine around 200 or 300 years ago.

Then, the mangoes have grown very well in Mexico and other parts of South America regions.

Sure, there are many countries have exported mangoes to lucrative USA markets.

Fig 02- Honey mangoes in the net

It is estimated, revenue from fresh mangoes in USA market is about US$ 493 millions in 2020.

Fig 03- A half cut of sweet mango

Comparing to previous years, import of mango is increasing year by year in term of US$ values.

In addition to Mexico, other Latin countries which export mango to USA market are Ecuador, Peru, Haiti, Brazil and Guatemala.

USA also imports mango from some Asian countries such as Thailand, Pakistan and India.

# To be continued to Part 2

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Why are these Foods Stolen? - Part 2 – Food Variety 23

You may read previous post (Part 1):

- Why are These Types of Foods Stolen? - Part 1 – Food Variety 23 | Tanza Erlambang Update

Fig 01- Chocolates sold in a grocery

How about the food lost in the world?

Sure, much more compared to America in terms of percentage and total economic value.

What quite surprising me that food loss is due to stolen by customers, not only from groceries and retailers, but also from restaurants.

However, main thefts of restaurants are their own employee, very rare done by customers!

Fig 02- Iced tea, just for illustration

Fig 03- Candies, one of favorite foods

Fig 04- Fresh meat in the market.

There is long list of foods stolen worldwide, some of most shoplift items are:

- cheese and chocolate

- fresh meat

- alcohol

- seafood

- infant formula

The question then: Why are these foods stolen by people?

Quick and simple answer is that they are “lucrative goods,” especially in developing countries where not all people can afford them.

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Edible Mushroom in the World – Food Variety 24

Mushroom is one of my favorites, because, I think it is delicious and one of healthy foods.

Fig 01- Wild mushroom at backyard

There are more than 50 thousand types of mushroom live in tropical region, southern and northern hemispheres.

They are used for many purposes, include medical and food resources. Surprisingly that not very much percentage are poisonous, around 1% to 2% of 50 thousand kinds only.

Many species of commercial mushrooms sold in the market. We could buy in the groceries or small stores or at farmer markets.

Fig 02- Enoki mushroom, wrapped in plastic

Fig 03- Look like long “small sticks or strings”

Fig 04- Photo from other side of wild mushroom

However, we understand that about 90 types have been cultivated, and 30 species are developed for commercial purposes.

Some types of famous mushroom with economic values are following:

- Shitake mushroom and Cremini mushroom

- White button mushroom and Maitake mushroom

- Oyster mushroom and Beech mushrooms

- Porcino mushrooms and Portobello mushroom

What type of mushroom do you familiar with?

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Have You Tasted Pistachio Muffins? - Part 2 – Food Variety 22

You may read previous posting (Part 1):

- Have You Tasted Pistachio Muffins? - Part 1 – Food Variety 22 | Tanza Erlambang Update

Fig 01- The Pistachio muffin on the table

In term of economic value, California get US$ 3.6 billion per year from pistachio seeds industry as reported by FarmProgress (2018).

Pistachio seeds price is increasing recently, from US$ 2.65 per pound in 2018, to be about US$ 9 per pound in 2021, and predicted more in coming years.

Two factors caused price increasing:

- increasing demand

- cost of production is getting expensive due to increasing water price to keep plants healthy.

Fig 02- Pistachio nuts, sold in Walmart

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Fig 03- Homemade Pistachio muffin

Moreover, It is estimated by Todd Fitchette (2018: California pistachios a $3.6 billion industry, report says) that highly profitable to grow Pistachio trees in the USA farms.

Back to muffins, do you like Pistachio seeds or Pistachio green muffins or both of them?

What do you think?

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