Mabon
began the November program reflecting on our blessings and how our needs are
met by the harvest time bounty God provides. She read from James Weldon
Johnson’s poem about the creation and the forbidden fruit. Mabon and Norris
prepared for their program by going to the International Farmer’s Market and
purchasing lesser known, unusual fruits and vegetables that are available to us
from around the world.
Today’s
globalized economy and the long ago Oriental trading trails have made available
unusual foods that we can enjoy today. Mabon and Norris had the garden club
members and guests play a game guessing and naming the eleven fruits and
vegetables.
Indian
bitter melon is a member of the gourd family that contains lutein, lycopene and
is thought to fight cancer and diabetes and help with the digestion. Those
disease fighting properties make it very popular today.
Prickly
pear cactus contains lots of Vitamin C and fiber and grows on sand dunes from
Florida to the North East. The fruit can be made into jelly and its juices
flavor many candies and jellies.
Thai
eggplant, small and purple or purple and white is used in curry dishes. Horned
melon fruit, kiwano, or hedge gourd looks like a blowfish but is a delicious
fruit snack. One fruit from the mulberry family, breadfruit, has a
distinguished literary history as you rarely read a lost at sea, Captain Bligh,
or Pacific boating-island hopping-sea adventure story that does not involve
eating breadfruit.
The
South American pepino melon is grown for its sweet fruit that reminds one of
cucumbers with their large seeds. One of the most intriguing fruits at the
program was “Buddha’s Hand,” a fragrant citron variety that features twisted fingers
that can be broken off and steeped for a lemony tea. When the stems tips curl
inward the fruit is thought to look like the praying hands of Buddha. Joan Allen identified the fruit and said she
sees it at Whole Foods where cooks use it as a lemon substitute.
Cherimoya,
native to the Andes, but is so popular it is now grown in North and South
America and throughout California. The flesh is creamy white with black seeds
that must not be eaten because they are toxic, but then a peach pit and apple
seeds also are toxic. The flavor is a blend of pineapple, banana, papaya, peach
and strawberry and Mark Twain called it the most delicious fruit known to man.
Some call it ice cream fruit and say its tastes like bubblegum.
No
club member was able to identify more than two of the unusual fruits and
veggies, but all recognized and sampled the slices of colorful papaya. The
program was fun and a wonderful learning experience.
Several
quick announcements were made before breaking for refreshments: Mt. Venus
serves its Thanksgiving fundraiser the next Saturday from 12-3 at Mt. Carmel.
The funds raised goes to families in need. Menlia Trammell told about being
recognized for her book Team up for Turtles and presenting her book at the
Redbud meeting. The state garden club is actively following the state allowed
development at Jekyll Island and its certain effects on the sea turtles
population.
December
5th from 12-3 a Christmas tea is planned at Carla Snider’s and
December 14th from 10:30 – 12:30 is Sallie Mabon’s annual Christmas
Coffee. Sally Neal announced she will be decorating the Greenville railroad
bridge and hanging the Christmas wreaths at the courthouse during the
Thanksgiving holidays. The Hobsons will be decorating the courthouse with the
lighted trees again this year.
Mabon,
Norris and Williams treated everyone to a delicious luncheon of homemade
chicken vegetable soup, pimiento and chicken salad croissant sandwiches, and
chocolate bread pudding.
