Thursday, March 19, 2009

Theme Thursday: Vegetable

Quickie post!

Did you know that the term VEGETABLE is not a botanical term, but only a culinary term?

Did you know that a tomato is NOT a vegetable but a FRUIT! Well, a BERRY to be precise. It is referred to as a vegetable in culinary terms, but it's really a fruit (like a coconut is not a nut but a fruit!)

And the tomato is NOT the only culinary vegetable that is a botanical fruit: eggplants, cucumbers, and squashes of all kinds (such as zucchini and pumpkins) share the same ambiguity.

VEGETABLE backwards is ELBATEGEV. - random!

From the letters in VEGETABLE, you can form the following 5-or-more lettered words: table, beget, beetle, bagel, gable... add some more!
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29 comments:

  1. Bleu MarianeMarch 19, 2009 at 9:34 PM

    bleat.

    Wow, I found a word. This early, without my coffee !

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  2. Wings1295March 20, 2009 at 12:43 AM

    gavel

    Fun post!

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  3. R.L. BourgesMarch 20, 2009 at 12:52 AM

    bevel

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  4. Tess KincaidMarch 20, 2009 at 1:12 AM

    I never thought of tomatoes as being berries! Interesting.

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  5. CandieMarch 20, 2009 at 1:55 AM

    LOL Ambiguous veggies..

    Now,I'll be a tomato,would you tell me why you would an eggplant please?

    :D LOL

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  6. AnonymousMarch 20, 2009 at 2:01 AM

    Hey reyjr! I knew about the eggplant( thanks to Mom ). But the squash as well? I learn something to-day :)

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  7. New Yorker wannabesMarch 20, 2009 at 2:37 AM

    Yes we make sweets with tomatoes here in Greece lol
    Great...linguistic post!

    Take care
    xoxo

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  8. Ronda LaveenMarch 20, 2009 at 2:58 AM

    I did not know about vegetable being only a culinary term. Interesting. TEAL

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  9. TomMarch 20, 2009 at 3:13 AM

    these are good things to know...something to talk over at the dinner table.

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  10. RoyMarch 20, 2009 at 4:26 AM

    Tomatoes are native to the Americas. The English wouldn't eat them for the longest time, convinced they were poisonous (well, they are related to Nighshade, and tomatoes look like larger Nightshade berries). The Spanish knew better because they saw the Aztecs and Mayans making sauces and such with them, and of course the French consider everything potential food (after all, who else would eat snails?). Now, of course, even the English can't live without tomatoes!

    Oh yeah - beet, level, able, veal...

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  11. tut-tutMarch 20, 2009 at 4:50 AM

    Ha! A nice jumble of fun facts. Thanks!

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  12. HollyMarch 20, 2009 at 5:02 AM

    I knew the tomato was a fruit....wasn't sure about the egg plant but all peppers are fruits too....go figure. Thanks for the fun facts!!!

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  13. Mama KMarch 20, 2009 at 5:46 AM

    This is the most sensible explanation of the whole "tomato: fruit or vegetable?" controversy that I have ever heard. Of COURSE there have to be two genres of classification: the culinary and the botanical!! Of Course!! why did no one ever point this out before? Actually I think I almost thought of this but never quite got it into words!! Next time this discussion comes up (and it will), I will be ready! Thank you!

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  14. Colette AmeliaMarch 20, 2009 at 7:27 AM

    Now I am confused, it was bad enough when a tomato was fruit but now a berry?

    And how about that rhubarb that is really a vegetable but we treat it as a fruit?

    great post!

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  15. BainoMarch 20, 2009 at 7:49 AM

    So what's an avocado then? *delicious that's what!*

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  16. JaimeMarch 20, 2009 at 9:45 AM

    a tomato is a BERRY? i have a hard enough time thinking of it as a fruit

    ReplyDelete
  17. Evening Light WriterMarch 20, 2009 at 11:32 AM

    Now that I think about it, I can see how a tomato would be a berry. This perplexes me, I'm going to go sip a cup of tea and ponder such wonders. Thank you for teaching me something new.

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  18. MeganMarch 20, 2009 at 12:15 PM

    Shoot, I was going to say bevel. Oh well! :)

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  19. Kris McCrackenMarch 20, 2009 at 1:51 PM

    Table is just far too obvious, isn't it?

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  20. MrsupoleMarch 20, 2009 at 3:16 PM

    Gee, get, a, bee, lab, tag, bag, baget, tee, vet, lag, tab, beg, leg, gab, eat, tea, bat, bet, alee, eel, glee, let, gel, be, baa, gave, eve, aleve.

    Okay, this is a game that we used to play as kids and we always had fun doing this. Thank you for bringing back some memories.

    I did not know about tomatoes being in the berry family or that vegetable was a culinary word. And I too am curious about the eggplant thing.

    But did you know the banana is the weird thing, in that it is not truly a fruit in that it does not have seeds, but is not a vegetable, but is classified as a fruit. And I do not think it is a tuber or root vegetable either. I think it is in a class of its own.

    Very good explanation about vegetables. I actually learned something.

    And thank you so much for offering about how to post a video. I will take you up on that offer anytime that you would like to help me. I have so much to learn and you seem to be able to explain things so well. I really appreciate your willingness to do this.

    Salamat and God bless.

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  21. ReyjrMarch 20, 2009 at 6:34 PM

    WOWOWOW! so many visitors for such a short post. haha. Thanks all for the visit!

    Mariane - congrats! maybe 5 more words after your morning coffee!

    Wings - Thanks!!

    R.L. Bourges - yep! that's one too!

    willow - same here. lol!

    Candie Bracci - I want to be an eggplant for the OBVIOUS reason that it's uhm.. violet.

    subtorp77 - lol. I know right? who thinks of these stuff anyway?

    Marianna - I love Greek food! Love it!

    Ronda Laveen - same here. i don't cook, that's why!

    runmotman - lol, was that an invitation to dinner? haha!

    Roy - Thanks for the info! very interesting!

    tut-tut - thank you too for the visit!

    Holly Jolly - haha. i wonder if a gourd is a vegetable..

    Mama K - haha! glad to have helped!

    Colette Amelia - i've never had a rhubard in my life!

    Baino - hahaha! yes it is!

    Jaime - a berry like a cherry!

    Evening Light Writer - lol. it's wonders of the tomato berry.

    Megan - haha, better luck next time. have some coffee first!

    Kris - you don't get any points! hahah!

    Mrsupole - no worries! shall i post a comment with detailed instructions on your blog?

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  22. DianaMarch 20, 2009 at 9:59 PM

    Fun post! Thank you for the education, and thank you for the well wishes for our garden!

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  23. Dakota BearMarch 21, 2009 at 5:26 AM

    Vegetable or fruit what's in a title, they are all good, except Okra.

    Interesting scramble word: leave

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  24. talkMarch 21, 2009 at 2:25 PM

    Hi, Your blog is nominated for the Filipino Blog of the Week award (week 153). You may visit the site and vote. Please find the poll at the sidebar.
    http://salaswildthoughts.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  25. CocoDivaDogMarch 21, 2009 at 9:04 PM

    Dude, I voted for you.
    And remember to eat your veggies!
    xxoo

    ReplyDelete
  26. ReyjrMarch 22, 2009 at 1:52 AM

    Diana - you're welcome!

    Dakota Bear - but i like Okra too!

    Auntie - THANKS MUCH!

    talk - awesome! i hope i win! :D

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  27. tonyMarch 22, 2009 at 6:05 AM

    Congratulations on your nominatation!BerryGood post!

    ReplyDelete
  28. Brian MillerMarch 23, 2009 at 1:07 AM

    glave...fun!

    ReplyDelete
  29. ReyjrJune 16, 2009 at 5:23 PM

    @ tony - Thanks Tony! I won this! :D

    @ Brian - haha. :p

    ReplyDelete

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