Only a few hundred years ago these products were inedible. And it is only through breeders or natural changes, today we can enjoy the taste of carrots or watermelon.
Banana
The first bananas people have cultivated from 7 to 10 thousand years ago in Papua New Guinea. What we see on the shelves of shops, markets today is varieties of Musa acuminata and Musa balbisiana. Their flesh had too much hard inedible seeds. Modern hybrid has a more comfortable shape, discreet seeds, a pleasant taste, and healthy composition.
Watermelon
The painting of the Italian painter Giovanni Machines, written between 1645 and 1672 years, watermelon is quite different. It has a very thick peel and a small amount of pulp with voids. Modern watermelons have a more uniform structure juicy pulp, and breeders try to minimize the presence of seeds in it.
Peach
For the first time, the peach was domesticated around 4000 BC, Then it was the size of cherries, but the taste of it was like a lentil – salty and earthy. For hundreds of years, breeders have increased the size of the fruit by 16 times and made it juicier and sweeter.
Carrots
First carrots of Persia mentioned in the X century. Then, this root has a purple color and quite inconspicuous in appearance. However, farmers were left to grow carrots, and this vegetable has a juicy orange structure.
Eggplant
Eggplants were first cultivated in China. They had different color depending on variety from white to yellow and purple. The form of this vegetable has also been different, but it grew on branches with thorns. Breeders got rid of barbed natural protection, giving it today a familiar color and shape.
Corn
Corn was first planted in North America. The basis for it was the edible plant teosinte, which was domesticated around 7000 BCE and resembled dried potatoes. Now corn is 1000 times larger and much more simple in cultivation and purification.
However, I came up with the idea – what a great time we live?! From the point of view of cooking, anyway! So many different delicious foods, on the improvement of which our ancestors worked for centuries. Thank You for them. And to us – Bon appetit!
More about how these fruits looked like before watch in the video below:
