1 00:00:09,320 --> 00:00:11,480 Speaker 1: Hello, and welcome to Saber production of I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:11,520 --> 00:00:14,520 Speaker 1: I'm Annie Reese and I'm Lauren Vogelbaum, and today we 3 00:00:14,600 --> 00:00:21,800 Speaker 1: have an episode for you about zucchini. Yes, I love zucchini, 4 00:00:20,960 --> 00:00:25,960 Speaker 1: I um and zoodles. And I know there's some detractors 5 00:00:25,960 --> 00:00:29,000 Speaker 1: about zoodles, but we'll talk about those of more, Okay, 6 00:00:29,080 --> 00:00:32,800 Speaker 1: in the history bit Um. I have this summer Lasagnia 7 00:00:32,800 --> 00:00:35,480 Speaker 1: recipe that I make where you make basically the noodles 8 00:00:35,560 --> 00:00:41,159 Speaker 1: are strips of zucchini my recommendation. And I'm normally a 9 00:00:41,200 --> 00:00:44,960 Speaker 1: person who will I will go any links to cut corners. 10 00:00:45,080 --> 00:00:48,240 Speaker 1: When cooking, you really should salt and jaine the strips. 11 00:00:48,360 --> 00:00:54,480 Speaker 1: It makes a huge difference, huge difference just because the moisture. 12 00:00:53,120 --> 00:00:57,120 Speaker 1: Oh and if you don't do that, then it's going 13 00:00:57,160 --> 00:01:01,560 Speaker 1: to be a very uh SUPI it was on you, Okay, okay, 14 00:01:01,680 --> 00:01:07,119 Speaker 1: duly noted. Yeah, yes, um, I do love zucchini bread. 15 00:01:07,520 --> 00:01:11,520 Speaker 1: My mom makes this like zucchini castrole thing that's um. 16 00:01:11,680 --> 00:01:15,280 Speaker 1: My brothers aren't big zucchini fans, but they'll eat this 17 00:01:15,400 --> 00:01:19,880 Speaker 1: because it's like very salty. It's like soup and fried 18 00:01:19,959 --> 00:01:28,920 Speaker 1: onion strips and mushrooms crackers tomatoes um and fried zucchini. I. 19 00:01:28,920 --> 00:01:31,280 Speaker 1: I remember the first time I had fried zucchini. I 20 00:01:31,360 --> 00:01:36,040 Speaker 1: was living pretty isolated in Australia and somebody in our 21 00:01:36,080 --> 00:01:39,000 Speaker 1: group made them and it was like the most special, 22 00:01:39,319 --> 00:01:41,959 Speaker 1: very best thing because we've been kind of, you know, 23 00:01:42,000 --> 00:01:45,120 Speaker 1: eating whatever we could find. This is making it sound 24 00:01:45,160 --> 00:01:46,839 Speaker 1: worse than it is. It's just like we didn't have 25 00:01:47,120 --> 00:01:51,640 Speaker 1: fried foods um, but that was so this is a 26 00:01:51,720 --> 00:01:56,920 Speaker 1: special yeah, special occasion. U. Yeah. I I love zucchini 27 00:01:56,960 --> 00:02:00,080 Speaker 1: as well. I love the we we just recorded an 28 00:02:00,080 --> 00:02:04,240 Speaker 1: episode about tater tots um earlier today, and I like 29 00:02:04,320 --> 00:02:08,480 Speaker 1: how in contrast to tater tots, which we're both like 30 00:02:08,600 --> 00:02:11,200 Speaker 1: kind of met about, like we're like, yeah, no, zucchini, 31 00:02:11,320 --> 00:02:14,120 Speaker 1: zucchini is hecking great. I adore this vegetable. This is 32 00:02:14,200 --> 00:02:18,600 Speaker 1: really really my jam. Um. Yeah, yeah, I love zucchini. 33 00:02:18,639 --> 00:02:22,359 Speaker 1: Have grown zucchini. Um. I it's one of the few 34 00:02:22,440 --> 00:02:26,280 Speaker 1: vegetables that like, if I know that I'm gonna if 35 00:02:26,280 --> 00:02:27,480 Speaker 1: I if I know that I'm going to be like 36 00:02:27,600 --> 00:02:31,920 Speaker 1: struggling to actually make myself cook and eat food because 37 00:02:31,960 --> 00:02:35,720 Speaker 1: sometimes it's just so much work. Um, I'll just buy 38 00:02:35,760 --> 00:02:38,760 Speaker 1: a few zucchini and I'll just like roast them off 39 00:02:39,000 --> 00:02:41,440 Speaker 1: in a big batch and then put them in everything 40 00:02:41,480 --> 00:02:45,440 Speaker 1: I eat to give it some kind of like vegetable 41 00:02:45,520 --> 00:02:51,919 Speaker 1: content for the next few days. And it's delightful. Yes 42 00:02:52,680 --> 00:02:57,120 Speaker 1: we um. We previously did an episode about pumpkin um, 43 00:02:57,200 --> 00:03:00,400 Speaker 1: which is related. You can see that if you like to. 44 00:03:02,040 --> 00:03:05,720 Speaker 1: I'm surprised we haven't done more squash. We gotta makeup. 45 00:03:06,440 --> 00:03:11,920 Speaker 1: We've gotta makeup for some some some time. Uh suprise, 46 00:03:12,000 --> 00:03:14,919 Speaker 1: that's only want. And it always, it always seems kind 47 00:03:14,919 --> 00:03:17,760 Speaker 1: of overwhelming. I'm always like, oh, I don't know, I 48 00:03:17,760 --> 00:03:24,280 Speaker 1: don't know your words. Oh, yes, well speaking up, I 49 00:03:24,280 --> 00:03:36,320 Speaker 1: guess question. Yeah, zucchini, what is it? Well? Um Zucchini 50 00:03:36,440 --> 00:03:40,120 Speaker 1: is a type of summer squash, meaning it's a relatively soft, 51 00:03:40,520 --> 00:03:43,560 Speaker 1: tender type of squash that was developed to be picked 52 00:03:43,680 --> 00:03:48,160 Speaker 1: in the summer before it would um form hard seeds 53 00:03:48,160 --> 00:03:51,880 Speaker 1: and a hard rind like it's winter squash cousins. Um 54 00:03:51,960 --> 00:03:58,120 Speaker 1: Zucchini is often called vegetable marrowmorrow or um courgette outside 55 00:03:58,160 --> 00:04:00,520 Speaker 1: the United States, um the latter names ms from its 56 00:04:00,560 --> 00:04:04,520 Speaker 1: botanical name. It is a member of the gourd family 57 00:04:04,720 --> 00:04:10,240 Speaker 1: uh coucurbytassier Um, which includes everything from pumpkin to watermelon, 58 00:04:10,280 --> 00:04:16,719 Speaker 1: to cucumbers to the lufa what yeah, like shower lufa. 59 00:04:17,080 --> 00:04:21,080 Speaker 1: That's a living thing. Well, I mean it was. I 60 00:04:21,080 --> 00:04:28,200 Speaker 1: mean it's not anymore. No, I feel terrible the plant. 61 00:04:28,360 --> 00:04:32,680 Speaker 1: Yeah yeah, Oh, I don't know why I feel so 62 00:04:32,720 --> 00:04:36,320 Speaker 1: bad for this plant. I don't know either, Like you 63 00:04:36,480 --> 00:04:39,920 Speaker 1: just admitted to to to zoodling zucchini, So I don't 64 00:04:39,920 --> 00:04:44,520 Speaker 1: think that's worse. Do you think I'm a boster? Because 65 00:04:49,279 --> 00:04:51,160 Speaker 1: I guess it's just the thought of like using this 66 00:04:51,440 --> 00:04:55,400 Speaker 1: dead plant to like clean my dirty body. Okay, all right, 67 00:04:56,400 --> 00:04:58,120 Speaker 1: I know it doesn't make sense. I have a lot 68 00:04:58,120 --> 00:05:01,720 Speaker 1: of opinions that I don't don't make Florida. I think 69 00:05:01,720 --> 00:05:11,400 Speaker 1: I'm just absorbing this information much like the loofah um goodness, 70 00:05:11,680 --> 00:05:19,280 Speaker 1: Well that that minor existential crisis aside um. Uh zucchini 71 00:05:19,360 --> 00:05:25,479 Speaker 1: itself um is of the species uh coucar beta peppo 72 00:05:25,920 --> 00:05:30,440 Speaker 1: um subspecies Peppo. Yes, and see Peppo is this broad 73 00:05:30,520 --> 00:05:35,320 Speaker 1: species that also includes stuff like acorn, squash um. Zucchini 74 00:05:35,360 --> 00:05:38,680 Speaker 1: plants though, are these kind of leafy, bushy vines that 75 00:05:38,800 --> 00:05:42,920 Speaker 1: put off these large green to yellow to golden flowers, which, 76 00:05:42,960 --> 00:05:47,800 Speaker 1: when pollinated, will grow oblong cylindrical fruit with a with 77 00:05:47,839 --> 00:05:50,640 Speaker 1: a thin edible skin. It'll be a yellow to deep 78 00:05:50,680 --> 00:05:54,520 Speaker 1: green and speckled with lighter spots in color. When the 79 00:05:54,560 --> 00:05:57,960 Speaker 1: fruit is ready to eat, the flesh inside is white, 80 00:05:58,200 --> 00:06:01,960 Speaker 1: pale yellow green in color, and crisp, with a lot 81 00:06:02,000 --> 00:06:05,280 Speaker 1: of juice that's really thick with mucilage, um and uh, 82 00:06:05,279 --> 00:06:09,000 Speaker 1: and it supports a column of pale, tender edible seeds. 83 00:06:09,720 --> 00:06:12,279 Speaker 1: Zucchini is most often used as a vegetable and can 84 00:06:12,320 --> 00:06:16,000 Speaker 1: be eaten raw, but I'd say more often is cooked 85 00:06:16,080 --> 00:06:20,920 Speaker 1: until tender um, steamed, sauteed, roasted, grilled, or fried um alone, 86 00:06:21,040 --> 00:06:24,279 Speaker 1: or with other firm vegetable um. It can be cooked 87 00:06:24,279 --> 00:06:27,160 Speaker 1: into soups or stews, can be hollowed out and stuffed 88 00:06:27,160 --> 00:06:30,080 Speaker 1: with some kind of tasty filling. It's relatively bland on 89 00:06:30,120 --> 00:06:32,320 Speaker 1: its own um. It tastes a little bit like fresh 90 00:06:32,400 --> 00:06:34,960 Speaker 1: and vegetable and a tiny bit sweet with a little 91 00:06:35,000 --> 00:06:37,800 Speaker 1: twinge of bitter um. Cooking will bring out more of 92 00:06:37,800 --> 00:06:41,320 Speaker 1: that natural sweetness. It can also be grated or pure 93 00:06:41,680 --> 00:06:45,360 Speaker 1: and added to sweet or savory breads. UM often quick breads, 94 00:06:45,360 --> 00:06:47,920 Speaker 1: which are made with chemical leaveners instead of like yeast 95 00:06:48,000 --> 00:06:51,520 Speaker 1: raising type processes and it doesn't add a lot of 96 00:06:51,600 --> 00:06:55,360 Speaker 1: flavor too quick breads, but can't help with texture um. 97 00:06:55,400 --> 00:06:59,160 Speaker 1: It provides like moisture and body um similar to to 98 00:06:59,279 --> 00:07:01,560 Speaker 1: like a grad at apples or apple sauce, or like 99 00:07:01,600 --> 00:07:05,760 Speaker 1: a mashed banana or pumpkin pure ah. The flowers are 100 00:07:05,800 --> 00:07:08,279 Speaker 1: also edible um. They can be stuffed with some kind 101 00:07:08,279 --> 00:07:11,720 Speaker 1: of savory filling UM, often like a blend of soft 102 00:07:11,840 --> 00:07:15,240 Speaker 1: cheese and herbs um, and then either deep fried or 103 00:07:15,280 --> 00:07:18,840 Speaker 1: sauteed with or without a coat of breading so good. 104 00:07:20,840 --> 00:07:22,480 Speaker 1: I don't know if I've ever had them, but I 105 00:07:22,560 --> 00:07:30,280 Speaker 1: really want to drive Squash blossoms are amazingly tasty. And 106 00:07:30,320 --> 00:07:33,600 Speaker 1: if you're if you're growing zucchini um yea. Zucchini flowers 107 00:07:33,680 --> 00:07:37,040 Speaker 1: come in male and female varieties UM, and you can 108 00:07:37,040 --> 00:07:39,640 Speaker 1: tell the difference because the female ones will have like 109 00:07:39,640 --> 00:07:42,560 Speaker 1: a wee baby squash growing down at the base of 110 00:07:42,600 --> 00:07:44,960 Speaker 1: the flower, So you want to pick the male ones 111 00:07:45,240 --> 00:07:47,480 Speaker 1: um so that you leave the female ones to grow 112 00:07:47,840 --> 00:07:52,720 Speaker 1: fruit for you. And and zucchini will fruit like if 113 00:07:52,760 --> 00:07:56,080 Speaker 1: if you've ever grown them, or even known someone who 114 00:07:56,160 --> 00:07:59,920 Speaker 1: had a patch in their backyard, they are prolific plant 115 00:08:00,440 --> 00:08:03,680 Speaker 1: um like like once the zucchini start coming, they don't 116 00:08:03,680 --> 00:08:06,440 Speaker 1: stop coming. Um, And it's like a lot of zucchini 117 00:08:06,880 --> 00:08:11,040 Speaker 1: and you wind up especially yeah, if you've planted multiple plants, 118 00:08:11,320 --> 00:08:14,680 Speaker 1: you're gonna wind up with like with like maybe like 119 00:08:14,760 --> 00:08:20,360 Speaker 1: four or five a week during peak season per plant. Um. 120 00:08:20,440 --> 00:08:22,720 Speaker 1: And so so that's how I think a lot of 121 00:08:22,760 --> 00:08:27,200 Speaker 1: these recipes for like zucchini breads and like like zucchini 122 00:08:27,280 --> 00:08:29,920 Speaker 1: please just get it out of my kitchen like started 123 00:08:29,960 --> 00:08:35,800 Speaker 1: developing because you're just like, Okay, what am I doing? Yeah? Yeah, 124 00:08:36,000 --> 00:08:38,320 Speaker 1: that makes sense because a lot of times, especially because 125 00:08:38,360 --> 00:08:40,960 Speaker 1: I live by myself, Like I recently, after we did 126 00:08:41,000 --> 00:08:42,360 Speaker 1: this ci launchro episode, I was like, I need all 127 00:08:42,440 --> 00:08:44,160 Speaker 1: the cilantro in the world, and I had way too 128 00:08:44,200 --> 00:08:46,400 Speaker 1: much cilantro, and I was like, looking online, how do 129 00:08:46,440 --> 00:08:50,559 Speaker 1: I use So I've tried all kinds of things now 130 00:08:50,600 --> 00:08:53,679 Speaker 1: and they've all been good. Yeah, I didn't know that 131 00:08:53,679 --> 00:09:00,000 Speaker 1: about zucchini. Um, well, what about the nutrition? Zucchini pretty 132 00:09:00,040 --> 00:09:02,840 Speaker 1: good for you, h Low in calories, lots of fiber, 133 00:09:02,920 --> 00:09:06,160 Speaker 1: a great smattering of vitamins and minerals in there. Um. 134 00:09:06,200 --> 00:09:09,040 Speaker 1: They contain very little protein and no fat really to 135 00:09:09,080 --> 00:09:11,160 Speaker 1: speak of, though, so um so even though they will 136 00:09:11,200 --> 00:09:12,800 Speaker 1: help fill you up to to keep you going, you 137 00:09:12,800 --> 00:09:15,960 Speaker 1: should pair them with some protein and fats. The thing 138 00:09:16,000 --> 00:09:19,120 Speaker 1: that I was reading, Uh, if squash and other um 139 00:09:19,400 --> 00:09:23,000 Speaker 1: coucarabit species make you kind of gassy, um, be sure 140 00:09:23,000 --> 00:09:25,720 Speaker 1: to cook them before you eat them. This will break 141 00:09:25,760 --> 00:09:29,280 Speaker 1: down some of the insoluble fiber in these vegetables, which 142 00:09:29,320 --> 00:09:32,200 Speaker 1: means that the bacteria in your gut don't have to 143 00:09:32,320 --> 00:09:35,200 Speaker 1: break down those fibers, which means the bacteria in your 144 00:09:35,200 --> 00:09:39,920 Speaker 1: gut will produce less gas as a byproduct. The things 145 00:09:42,160 --> 00:09:49,040 Speaker 1: search history a truly heroic amount of information about farts. Um. 146 00:09:49,559 --> 00:09:57,120 Speaker 1: Yea truly heroic um gosh. I was also reading the 147 00:09:57,360 --> 00:10:02,160 Speaker 1: bitterness in zucchini and related vegetables UM and some other 148 00:10:02,240 --> 00:10:05,679 Speaker 1: vegetables as well. UM comes from a group of compounds 149 00:10:05,800 --> 00:10:11,320 Speaker 1: called coucarbtassins. Yeah, um, and these generally occur in in 150 00:10:11,640 --> 00:10:14,800 Speaker 1: fairly small amounts in these vegetables, but when they occur 151 00:10:14,880 --> 00:10:17,920 Speaker 1: in very large amounts, they can cause symptoms of food 152 00:10:17,920 --> 00:10:21,800 Speaker 1: poisoning UM like nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, stuff like that. There 153 00:10:22,160 --> 00:10:25,320 Speaker 1: enough so that UM like they're occasionally have been seed 154 00:10:25,360 --> 00:10:29,960 Speaker 1: recalls like this particular strain of zucchini grown from this 155 00:10:30,000 --> 00:10:33,440 Speaker 1: particular batch of seeds has just been given people a 156 00:10:33,440 --> 00:10:35,760 Speaker 1: bad time. So um, yeah, there was a seed recall 157 00:10:35,800 --> 00:10:40,800 Speaker 1: for those in and um somewhere in the UK. That's 158 00:10:40,840 --> 00:10:48,680 Speaker 1: interesting because UM, I once got violently ill over what 159 00:10:48,880 --> 00:10:50,960 Speaker 1: now is like that was way too much squashy reading. 160 00:10:50,960 --> 00:10:53,840 Speaker 1: But it was like spaghetti squash with zucchini and squash 161 00:10:53,960 --> 00:10:58,199 Speaker 1: in it. And I got so sick into this day, 162 00:10:58,280 --> 00:11:01,480 Speaker 1: Like I was, I was afraid that I had developed 163 00:11:01,480 --> 00:11:04,760 Speaker 1: some like yeah, in tolerance or allergies, so I get 164 00:11:04,800 --> 00:11:07,240 Speaker 1: nervous about it. But that's interesting. That gives me hope 165 00:11:07,280 --> 00:11:12,920 Speaker 1: that maybe I just went overboard that Yeah, variety. Variety 166 00:11:13,160 --> 00:11:17,960 Speaker 1: is so important in dietary conversations. Yeah, it was so 167 00:11:18,040 --> 00:11:22,960 Speaker 1: good when I was eat again. UM. We do have 168 00:11:23,080 --> 00:11:27,439 Speaker 1: a couple of numbers for you. Zucchini is the most 169 00:11:27,520 --> 00:11:33,080 Speaker 1: widely distributed and profitable summer squash. UM. China produces the 170 00:11:33,080 --> 00:11:36,680 Speaker 1: most by far, like eight point four million metric tons 171 00:11:36,720 --> 00:11:39,959 Speaker 1: a year, which is almost half of the world supply UM. 172 00:11:40,000 --> 00:11:42,200 Speaker 1: But but it has grown around the world. UM. The 173 00:11:42,320 --> 00:11:46,800 Speaker 1: US usually imports the most, and there are festivals centered 174 00:11:46,800 --> 00:11:51,120 Speaker 1: around zucchini UM over Labor Day and oh that's Ohio. 175 00:11:51,559 --> 00:11:55,920 Speaker 1: There is a four day Zucchini Fest which is builled 176 00:11:55,960 --> 00:12:02,800 Speaker 1: as the biggest party in central Ohio. UM, which I love. Yeah. 177 00:12:02,800 --> 00:12:06,720 Speaker 1: It's got bands like a pageant, a car show, carnival rides. 178 00:12:07,000 --> 00:12:11,480 Speaker 1: UM local brewery brew Dog makes a zucchini beer for 179 00:12:11,559 --> 00:12:15,880 Speaker 1: the festival. Um. There's also one out in Hayward, California, 180 00:12:16,040 --> 00:12:18,800 Speaker 1: in the third week of August. Um. It's this Bay 181 00:12:18,880 --> 00:12:22,000 Speaker 1: Area event that attracts some thirty thousand people every year. 182 00:12:23,160 --> 00:12:28,240 Speaker 1: Thirty thousand people. Yeah, I love it. People love zucchi, 183 00:12:28,760 --> 00:12:34,960 Speaker 1: they do. And a festival that also true, very true 184 00:12:35,000 --> 00:12:39,480 Speaker 1: excuses the party. Yes, yes, I mean I still one 185 00:12:39,559 --> 00:12:41,600 Speaker 1: day I would love to take a year and just 186 00:12:41,640 --> 00:12:43,600 Speaker 1: go to a bunch of food festivals and trying to 187 00:12:43,640 --> 00:12:47,320 Speaker 1: win a bunch of stuff. I'm with the crowns and 188 00:12:47,360 --> 00:12:49,720 Speaker 1: the scepters. I want it all. I'm not in earning 189 00:12:49,760 --> 00:12:52,959 Speaker 1: any food eating contest, so that's not my game. Okay, okay, 190 00:12:53,000 --> 00:12:56,040 Speaker 1: but um, but but food pageantry. You're going to get 191 00:12:56,040 --> 00:13:00,360 Speaker 1: into the pageantry? Okay, Yeah, there's an angle can be 192 00:13:00,360 --> 00:13:05,240 Speaker 1: good at something there, I know it. I will have 193 00:13:05,320 --> 00:13:12,480 Speaker 1: that Kale scepter. But in the meantime, we do have 194 00:13:12,520 --> 00:13:15,760 Speaker 1: a lot of history for you about the zucchini. We do, um, 195 00:13:15,760 --> 00:13:17,760 Speaker 1: But first we've got a quick break for a word 196 00:13:17,760 --> 00:13:29,760 Speaker 1: from our sponsor, and we're back. Thank you sponsored, Yes, 197 00:13:29,760 --> 00:13:35,680 Speaker 1: thank you. Uh So, the the Kuckarbit family originated in 198 00:13:36,040 --> 00:13:41,520 Speaker 1: what's now India in the late Cretaceous period, so like 199 00:13:41,720 --> 00:13:45,320 Speaker 1: sixty six to a d million years ago, you know, 200 00:13:45,440 --> 00:13:50,920 Speaker 1: like when dinosaurs were walking around. Wow. Yeah, I wonder 201 00:13:50,920 --> 00:13:53,800 Speaker 1: if the dinosaurs were into them, you know, I bet 202 00:13:53,840 --> 00:13:58,040 Speaker 1: they were, but they were, and certainly it seems like 203 00:13:58,080 --> 00:14:01,559 Speaker 1: some animals were because because the family got distributed through 204 00:14:01,559 --> 00:14:05,520 Speaker 1: every continent except Antarctica. Um. Researchers think that either birds 205 00:14:05,640 --> 00:14:09,560 Speaker 1: carry the seeds across whole dang oceans and their digestive tracks, 206 00:14:09,760 --> 00:14:12,520 Speaker 1: or that the gourds, Um, we're we're hardy enough to 207 00:14:12,600 --> 00:14:17,440 Speaker 1: float all the way across oceans and make new landfall. Um. 208 00:14:17,480 --> 00:14:22,200 Speaker 1: The zucchini genus itself split off nine to twenty three 209 00:14:22,280 --> 00:14:29,280 Speaker 1: million years ago or so um in Central or South America. Yes. Um. 210 00:14:29,360 --> 00:14:32,720 Speaker 1: And it gets kind of confusing because I've read in 211 00:14:32,760 --> 00:14:36,120 Speaker 1: places that the zucchini is both pretty new and not 212 00:14:36,240 --> 00:14:40,680 Speaker 1: so new. So it's kind of like it's kind of 213 00:14:40,680 --> 00:14:44,240 Speaker 1: like the the species has been around for a very 214 00:14:44,320 --> 00:14:49,240 Speaker 1: long time. UM. The specific variety that we call a 215 00:14:49,320 --> 00:14:55,000 Speaker 1: zucchini UM and what that looks like is much more recent. Yes, 216 00:14:56,160 --> 00:14:59,080 Speaker 1: so we'll try to get dig through all of that. U. 217 00:15:00,160 --> 00:15:02,880 Speaker 1: Zucchini or the squash that it descends from, originated in 218 00:15:02,960 --> 00:15:06,200 Speaker 1: Central America and Mexico going back to seven thousand to 219 00:15:06,440 --> 00:15:10,200 Speaker 1: five thousand, five hundred BC. UM ce Peppo is believed 220 00:15:10,200 --> 00:15:13,640 Speaker 1: to be one of the first domesticated species. The oldest 221 00:15:13,640 --> 00:15:15,760 Speaker 1: known remains were discovered in Mexico and are thought to 222 00:15:15,880 --> 00:15:19,680 Speaker 1: date back to eight thousand, seven hundred fifty b c. UM. 223 00:15:19,720 --> 00:15:22,720 Speaker 1: This same species has also been discovered at other archaeological 224 00:15:22,760 --> 00:15:25,600 Speaker 1: sites in Missouri and Mississippi from about four thousand to 225 00:15:25,640 --> 00:15:29,120 Speaker 1: fourteen hundred BC. Thinking some experts to suspect they were 226 00:15:29,160 --> 00:15:33,840 Speaker 1: domesticated separately in different locations. UM. They were integral to 227 00:15:33,880 --> 00:15:35,800 Speaker 1: many people in these areas, and we're a part of 228 00:15:35,800 --> 00:15:40,040 Speaker 1: the Staple three sister crops, which we've discussed many times. 229 00:15:41,240 --> 00:15:44,640 Speaker 1: By hundred CE, these crops had reached what would later 230 00:15:44,680 --> 00:15:49,240 Speaker 1: become the northeastern US. Pretty much all of the squash 231 00:15:49,320 --> 00:15:52,040 Speaker 1: was used. People would boil them or steam them, sometimes 232 00:15:52,040 --> 00:15:54,960 Speaker 1: with the blossoms and animal fat. Slice squashes and blossoms 233 00:15:55,000 --> 00:15:56,840 Speaker 1: were dried for the winter, while the seeds were roasted 234 00:15:56,920 --> 00:16:00,360 Speaker 1: or boiled. Sometimes the rhines were thick enough they would 235 00:16:00,400 --> 00:16:03,720 Speaker 1: be dried and used for storage, or cut into spirals 236 00:16:03,800 --> 00:16:08,000 Speaker 1: and used to make mats. As colonizers arrived at these 237 00:16:08,000 --> 00:16:11,040 Speaker 1: squashes were transported back to Europe and all over the world. 238 00:16:11,400 --> 00:16:13,600 Speaker 1: When they arrived in Italy, they were given the name 239 00:16:13,800 --> 00:16:17,120 Speaker 1: zucchino and yes, in France they were called courgette, a 240 00:16:17,240 --> 00:16:20,680 Speaker 1: name the English later adopted, which was news to me. 241 00:16:21,960 --> 00:16:25,000 Speaker 1: Yeah yeah um, but but right, okay, So, so the 242 00:16:25,000 --> 00:16:30,680 Speaker 1: Italian word first squash was zuka um, and zucchino is 243 00:16:30,720 --> 00:16:33,560 Speaker 1: a diminutive form of that, so like like well, like 244 00:16:33,560 --> 00:16:37,680 Speaker 1: a little baby squash cute. Yeah um, that's singular, though, 245 00:16:38,000 --> 00:16:42,960 Speaker 1: Zucchini is the plural, yes, which almost tripped me up 246 00:16:42,960 --> 00:16:45,480 Speaker 1: when I did our opening question, because that was like 247 00:16:45,920 --> 00:16:54,360 Speaker 1: the singular do um. Records show that q curbata fruits 248 00:16:54,360 --> 00:16:57,520 Speaker 1: of all sizes and maturities were being used in Italian 249 00:16:57,600 --> 00:17:00,720 Speaker 1: kitchens by the mid sixteenth century. In about fo years later, 250 00:17:01,160 --> 00:17:04,960 Speaker 1: younger and rounder varieties, perhaps zucchini as we think of it, 251 00:17:05,400 --> 00:17:11,000 Speaker 1: were mentioned as being their own separate ingredients. Early colonists 252 00:17:11,000 --> 00:17:14,080 Speaker 1: who arrived in North America grew various types of winter squash, 253 00:17:14,400 --> 00:17:18,159 Speaker 1: a name they picked up from indigenous people's squash. George 254 00:17:18,240 --> 00:17:23,840 Speaker 1: Washington and Thomas Jefferson were big fans and growers of squash, 255 00:17:24,119 --> 00:17:26,919 Speaker 1: and yeah, historical evidence suggests that zucchini may actually be 256 00:17:26,960 --> 00:17:30,960 Speaker 1: a relatively new cultivar. It wasn't specifically documented until a 257 00:17:31,000 --> 00:17:34,480 Speaker 1: horticultural book at of Milan in nineteen o one. UM 258 00:17:34,480 --> 00:17:37,520 Speaker 1: most likely bred in Italy in the late eighteen hundreds. 259 00:17:37,920 --> 00:17:41,160 Speaker 1: That being said, they probably did develop before that. As 260 00:17:41,200 --> 00:17:45,959 Speaker 1: mentioned earlier, UM, the Italian diminutive zucchini was first recorded 261 00:17:46,119 --> 00:17:48,800 Speaker 1: in the nineteenth century. It was used to refer to 262 00:17:48,880 --> 00:17:54,919 Speaker 1: these small, dried up gourds that served as tobacco storage vessels. However, 263 00:17:54,960 --> 00:17:57,000 Speaker 1: it didn't take long for the words meaning to shift 264 00:17:57,000 --> 00:17:59,760 Speaker 1: gears by the eighteen forties, instead referring to young and 265 00:17:59,760 --> 00:18:05,400 Speaker 1: toly elongated squash. Italian art from this time often depicted 266 00:18:05,440 --> 00:18:08,120 Speaker 1: various types of squash, and Italians were fans of using 267 00:18:08,160 --> 00:18:11,439 Speaker 1: squash in their cooking, whether boiled, steam, stuffed, baked, fried, 268 00:18:12,000 --> 00:18:16,880 Speaker 1: you name it. The first written instances of zucchini written 269 00:18:16,880 --> 00:18:18,879 Speaker 1: in the US started popping up towards the end of 270 00:18:18,880 --> 00:18:22,520 Speaker 1: the nineteenth century, with cooks using pearl ash as the 271 00:18:22,560 --> 00:18:28,040 Speaker 1: chemical leavening product. Um Zucchini weren't really popular in the 272 00:18:28,160 --> 00:18:31,800 Speaker 1: US until the mid nineteen hundreds, though largely thanks to 273 00:18:32,359 --> 00:18:35,600 Speaker 1: arriving Italian immigrants. Before that, you'd be hard pressed to 274 00:18:35,640 --> 00:18:39,280 Speaker 1: find zukine American homes or commercial kitchens, though in the 275 00:18:40,119 --> 00:18:42,320 Speaker 1: U S publications were seeing the praises of the quote 276 00:18:42,359 --> 00:18:45,399 Speaker 1: Italian squash, and during World War Two it was a 277 00:18:45,480 --> 00:18:50,119 Speaker 1: crop in many victory gardens, which, as we've discussed, not 278 00:18:50,200 --> 00:18:55,960 Speaker 1: always good for a crop's reputation. Sometimes a lot of 279 00:18:55,960 --> 00:19:00,960 Speaker 1: times people got tired of it. Let's talk pride zucchini. 280 00:19:01,920 --> 00:19:06,480 Speaker 1: According to Charlie Pellegrini, his grandmother, a Tuscany native who 281 00:19:06,480 --> 00:19:10,840 Speaker 1: immigrated to Pennsylvania named Rose Marie Tambollini, is largely to 282 00:19:10,960 --> 00:19:13,760 Speaker 1: thank for the stacy snack. And I was so surprised 283 00:19:13,760 --> 00:19:17,360 Speaker 1: to find a whole article about this. I was very happy. 284 00:19:18,160 --> 00:19:22,800 Speaker 1: Her family had owned these restaurants, and they were cooks, 285 00:19:22,920 --> 00:19:25,880 Speaker 1: and they would take zucchini, slice them into thin strips, 286 00:19:26,200 --> 00:19:32,119 Speaker 1: and then fry them up in Rose's daughter and Charlie's mother, Mary, 287 00:19:32,680 --> 00:19:34,920 Speaker 1: along with her sister and her husband, opened a small 288 00:19:34,960 --> 00:19:37,960 Speaker 1: restaurant called Seventh Street Cafe in an area that was 289 00:19:38,040 --> 00:19:42,280 Speaker 1: more known for its bar. Yeah. So Mary got to 290 00:19:42,320 --> 00:19:45,640 Speaker 1: thinking looking for a salty appetizer slash side that would 291 00:19:45,640 --> 00:19:48,680 Speaker 1: go well with beer and arrived at these thin fried 292 00:19:48,680 --> 00:19:52,360 Speaker 1: strips of zucchini. At the time, zucchini still wasn't well 293 00:19:52,400 --> 00:19:53,879 Speaker 1: known in this country, so she had a bit of 294 00:19:53,920 --> 00:19:57,720 Speaker 1: trouble selling them, and even offered free samples on the 295 00:19:57,760 --> 00:20:00,479 Speaker 1: streets to try to get people to give them a chance. 296 00:20:01,240 --> 00:20:05,879 Speaker 1: Staff members would order order fried zucchini performatively enjoy it 297 00:20:06,400 --> 00:20:10,160 Speaker 1: to convince patrons to try it, which I know it's 298 00:20:10,240 --> 00:20:14,200 Speaker 1: kind of dubious work practice, but does crack me up. Um. 299 00:20:14,240 --> 00:20:17,159 Speaker 1: It took time, but these efforts did pay off. By 300 00:20:17,200 --> 00:20:19,600 Speaker 1: the time the restaurant changed their name to F. Tambollini's 301 00:20:19,600 --> 00:20:22,560 Speaker 1: Seventh Street in the nineteen sixties, the fried zucchini was 302 00:20:22,640 --> 00:20:27,160 Speaker 1: a popular menu item. The restaurant was going through about 303 00:20:27,160 --> 00:20:31,800 Speaker 1: fifty pounds of fried zucchini a day in the nineteen nineties, 304 00:20:31,920 --> 00:20:36,640 Speaker 1: and their websites r L was Eat zucchini dot com. 305 00:20:36,680 --> 00:20:40,119 Speaker 1: They ended up closing in but they were hugely important 306 00:20:40,200 --> 00:20:45,480 Speaker 1: in popularizing this dish. They were like the fried zucchini restaurant, right, 307 00:20:46,000 --> 00:20:50,560 Speaker 1: love it? Yes. And then, thanks in part to the 308 00:20:50,560 --> 00:20:55,400 Speaker 1: popularity of low carb diets like paleo, spiralizers started trending 309 00:20:55,440 --> 00:20:59,080 Speaker 1: in the US. UM. So you've probably seen these, but 310 00:20:59,160 --> 00:21:01,920 Speaker 1: basically you're like, well, there's a couple of different devices 311 00:21:01,960 --> 00:21:04,280 Speaker 1: that do it, but you basically kind of use this 312 00:21:04,400 --> 00:21:08,800 Speaker 1: crank in a blade to make spiral shapes out of 313 00:21:08,840 --> 00:21:12,600 Speaker 1: many many things, but often vegetables. Um. People use these 314 00:21:12,600 --> 00:21:16,480 Speaker 1: gadgets to make a long noodle like vegetable replacements or 315 00:21:16,560 --> 00:21:20,919 Speaker 1: vegetable parallels to noodles and dishes like spaghetti. Um. And 316 00:21:20,960 --> 00:21:24,479 Speaker 1: out of this came the term zoodle, the zucchini noodle. 317 00:21:25,320 --> 00:21:27,480 Speaker 1: I have a spiralizer. I love it. I've used it 318 00:21:27,520 --> 00:21:29,280 Speaker 1: for all kinds of things. I would say that, as 319 00:21:29,320 --> 00:21:31,760 Speaker 1: we've often discussed, it's better to not think of these 320 00:21:31,800 --> 00:21:36,960 Speaker 1: as noodle substitutes. Um. Even though I just described the way, UM, 321 00:21:36,960 --> 00:21:40,200 Speaker 1: it's more of like the shape and the sauce transporting aspect, 322 00:21:40,520 --> 00:21:44,720 Speaker 1: and less the taste and texture of like a starchy 323 00:21:45,080 --> 00:21:50,200 Speaker 1: uh wheat noodle. Yeah, another way to eat zucchini yeah, yeah, 324 00:21:50,240 --> 00:21:54,119 Speaker 1: I always I get really mad about zoodle's actually, and 325 00:21:54,200 --> 00:21:56,199 Speaker 1: like other I'm like, I'm like, just don't call it. 326 00:21:56,200 --> 00:21:58,920 Speaker 1: Just don't call it a noodle. Like you're like, oh man, 327 00:21:58,920 --> 00:22:01,760 Speaker 1: it's zucchini and I've tasty sauce on it. I'm like, heck, 328 00:22:01,840 --> 00:22:03,800 Speaker 1: yeah you did feed that to me. If you're like 329 00:22:03,800 --> 00:22:08,439 Speaker 1: it's a noodle, I'm like, it's not. And now I'm mad, right, 330 00:22:09,080 --> 00:22:13,399 Speaker 1: um yeah. And there were actually some people who of 331 00:22:13,480 --> 00:22:19,200 Speaker 1: the same mindset were like, don't call it a zoodle. Yeah, 332 00:22:19,240 --> 00:22:21,720 Speaker 1: it's it's it's it's fine, it's a cute name. Um 333 00:22:22,440 --> 00:22:27,080 Speaker 1: uh yeah. And uh. Some of the headlines that I 334 00:22:27,160 --> 00:22:31,400 Speaker 1: ran across from the past few years um included phrasing 335 00:22:31,800 --> 00:22:39,520 Speaker 1: like um like like courgette crisis or courgette like calamity 336 00:22:39,600 --> 00:22:42,080 Speaker 1: or something like that. I think mostly because it sounds fun, 337 00:22:42,200 --> 00:22:46,639 Speaker 1: but um but basically, um, just some of the crops 338 00:22:46,920 --> 00:22:50,960 Speaker 1: in Europe of zucchini UM were lower than expected due 339 00:22:51,000 --> 00:22:55,600 Speaker 1: to climate change and changing temperatures and so uh so, yeah, 340 00:22:55,640 --> 00:22:57,639 Speaker 1: the crops just didn't come in as well, and so 341 00:22:57,760 --> 00:23:02,080 Speaker 1: um there you know, I read reports of the of 342 00:23:02,160 --> 00:23:09,800 Speaker 1: the zucchini shelves being empty in England empty. Um so 343 00:23:11,480 --> 00:23:15,920 Speaker 1: oh no, and it you know, it was in conversation 344 00:23:16,000 --> 00:23:20,960 Speaker 1: about about how how we think about our food and 345 00:23:21,040 --> 00:23:25,280 Speaker 1: about how our food gets to us, and you know, 346 00:23:25,400 --> 00:23:28,480 Speaker 1: maybe like maybe we need to reconsider that, like maybe 347 00:23:28,560 --> 00:23:33,760 Speaker 1: zucchini is not a winter food, you know, it's you know, 348 00:23:33,800 --> 00:23:39,640 Speaker 1: maybe we don't need to eat it in January. So yeah, 349 00:23:39,880 --> 00:23:42,520 Speaker 1: it does taste like summer to me. It does. It's 350 00:23:42,560 --> 00:23:53,120 Speaker 1: a very yeah right ah fresh taste. Oh, stomach is growling. 351 00:23:53,200 --> 00:23:57,280 Speaker 1: So that's what we have to say about zucchini for now. 352 00:23:57,520 --> 00:24:00,119 Speaker 1: It is. Um. We do have some listener mail for you, 353 00:24:00,200 --> 00:24:01,920 Speaker 1: but first we've got one more quick break for a 354 00:24:01,920 --> 00:24:13,120 Speaker 1: word from our sponsor. And we're back. Thank you sponsored, Yes, 355 00:24:13,200 --> 00:24:23,800 Speaker 1: thank you. We're back with listener summer. Yeah sure, sure, 356 00:24:25,400 --> 00:24:30,040 Speaker 1: how I feel, Sarah wrote, I just listened to your 357 00:24:30,040 --> 00:24:34,280 Speaker 1: salant episode and I know who Brittain and Wilson are. Yes, 358 00:24:34,440 --> 00:24:38,560 Speaker 1: thank you always for helping us solve these mysteries, Um continued. 359 00:24:38,640 --> 00:24:41,600 Speaker 1: Britain is Nathaniel Lord Britton, who, along with his wife 360 00:24:41,600 --> 00:24:45,000 Speaker 1: Elizabeth Gertrude Britton, founded the New York Botanical Garden in 361 00:24:45,160 --> 00:24:48,480 Speaker 1: y b G in the Bronx, New York, Percy Wilson 362 00:24:48,560 --> 00:24:50,919 Speaker 1: was his assistant. If you want to learn more about 363 00:24:50,960 --> 00:24:53,520 Speaker 1: them or other food plants, I highly recommend checking out 364 00:24:53,520 --> 00:24:57,639 Speaker 1: the n y B. G Merits Library and the Humanities 365 00:24:57,680 --> 00:25:00,560 Speaker 1: Institute has a series of food at lecture recording available 366 00:25:00,680 --> 00:25:06,399 Speaker 1: for free. Oh cool, Yeah, thank you? Yes, And I 367 00:25:06,520 --> 00:25:10,560 Speaker 1: visited that garden and it's very lovely. Oh cool. Oh 368 00:25:10,640 --> 00:25:15,720 Speaker 1: I haven't been. Okay Um on my list, Amanda wrote 369 00:25:16,200 --> 00:25:19,159 Speaker 1: your roasted chicken with grapes rant made me think of 370 00:25:19,200 --> 00:25:21,760 Speaker 1: a Hello fresh meal I once made of chicken and 371 00:25:21,840 --> 00:25:24,560 Speaker 1: roasted grapes and put me down the trade of thought. 372 00:25:25,080 --> 00:25:28,840 Speaker 1: Where do these beautiful, magical packages of ingredients come from? 373 00:25:28,880 --> 00:25:32,880 Speaker 1: What's the history behind all these new meal kit subscription services? Um? 374 00:25:32,920 --> 00:25:35,800 Speaker 1: You do have these in the States, I'm assuming you must. Uh. 375 00:25:35,840 --> 00:25:38,800 Speaker 1: What is the real environmental impact of meal subscription kits 376 00:25:38,920 --> 00:25:42,040 Speaker 1: versus regular food from the grocery store. I'm pretty jazzed 377 00:25:42,040 --> 00:25:44,880 Speaker 1: about the local food we have grown here in Manitoba, Canada, 378 00:25:45,000 --> 00:25:48,120 Speaker 1: and have found both the winter um once a year 379 00:25:48,160 --> 00:25:51,359 Speaker 1: grain lagom and other things and a summer fresh vegg 380 00:25:51,520 --> 00:25:55,359 Speaker 1: a CSA, plus a few other streams of locally produced food. 381 00:25:55,760 --> 00:25:58,040 Speaker 1: But it's nice to take a break from serious cooking 382 00:25:58,080 --> 00:26:00,760 Speaker 1: and meal planning in the off seasons. So I'd like 383 00:26:00,760 --> 00:26:04,639 Speaker 1: to suggest my first episode recommendation of meal kit delivery services. 384 00:26:05,119 --> 00:26:06,960 Speaker 1: Thank you again for all you do. Only you guys 385 00:26:06,960 --> 00:26:09,040 Speaker 1: can make me appreciate and crave one of my most 386 00:26:09,080 --> 00:26:14,000 Speaker 1: hated candies, tutsie roles, and yes, all the food cravings. 387 00:26:14,440 --> 00:26:16,760 Speaker 1: I really need to follow the advice of some of 388 00:26:16,800 --> 00:26:20,520 Speaker 1: your brilliant listeners and plan my infrequent grocery trips based 389 00:26:20,520 --> 00:26:23,240 Speaker 1: on what is coming in your feed, but usually can't 390 00:26:23,240 --> 00:26:26,680 Speaker 1: wait that long to dive into your new episodes. Oh 391 00:26:26,760 --> 00:26:29,680 Speaker 1: I hear you. We like have a longer lead time 392 00:26:29,720 --> 00:26:31,359 Speaker 1: and we know what we're going to record, and I 393 00:26:31,440 --> 00:26:39,440 Speaker 1: still make this mistake every time. Every time. It's ridiculous. Yeah, 394 00:26:39,800 --> 00:26:42,399 Speaker 1: that is a genius. Our listeners are brilliant and that 395 00:26:42,480 --> 00:26:46,800 Speaker 1: is a genius idea. Yeah, we do have food kits here. 396 00:26:47,320 --> 00:26:49,800 Speaker 1: I think this would be a great episode topic to 397 00:26:49,880 --> 00:26:54,400 Speaker 1: do you. I too have like tried to deep dive 398 00:26:54,480 --> 00:26:56,560 Speaker 1: some of these questions, but if I could do it 399 00:26:56,600 --> 00:27:00,119 Speaker 1: for work, that would be great. Yeah, Yeah, let's do out. 400 00:27:00,119 --> 00:27:05,440 Speaker 1: I'm a clock that sounds perfectly um and yeah, I 401 00:27:05,440 --> 00:27:07,200 Speaker 1: I love I love c S. A S and all 402 00:27:07,240 --> 00:27:09,400 Speaker 1: that stuff too. There's just something about like the kind 403 00:27:09,440 --> 00:27:14,440 Speaker 1: of surprise delivery aspect that I'm like, oh, in an 404 00:27:14,480 --> 00:27:17,800 Speaker 1: odd way. And I know my friends have told me, 405 00:27:18,000 --> 00:27:21,359 Speaker 1: like complained about my terrible habits around this, but in 406 00:27:21,400 --> 00:27:23,480 Speaker 1: an odd way, my like I only go to the 407 00:27:23,520 --> 00:27:26,119 Speaker 1: grocery store every two weeks and now I'm down to 408 00:27:26,200 --> 00:27:30,439 Speaker 1: these five ingredients has become really fun for me because 409 00:27:30,480 --> 00:27:32,280 Speaker 1: I have to I have to come up with something. 410 00:27:32,320 --> 00:27:36,880 Speaker 1: I have to experiment in ways that I never would 411 00:27:36,920 --> 00:27:39,960 Speaker 1: have before, and so far everything's been pretty good. I 412 00:27:40,000 --> 00:27:43,920 Speaker 1: just made like a really nice couscous that I had 413 00:27:43,960 --> 00:27:50,159 Speaker 1: to get really creative with and it worked out. Heck, yeah, yes, 414 00:27:51,480 --> 00:27:55,040 Speaker 1: so yes added to the list. Um, we promised, there's 415 00:27:55,080 --> 00:27:56,520 Speaker 1: a list. It is quite a mess, but there is 416 00:27:56,560 --> 00:28:02,800 Speaker 1: a little um And thanks to both of those listeners 417 00:28:02,800 --> 00:28:04,320 Speaker 1: for writing. If you would like to write to us, 418 00:28:04,359 --> 00:28:06,840 Speaker 1: that you can or emails hello at favor pod dot com. 419 00:28:06,880 --> 00:28:08,880 Speaker 1: And we are also in social media. You can find 420 00:28:08,960 --> 00:28:12,719 Speaker 1: us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at saver pod and 421 00:28:12,800 --> 00:28:14,919 Speaker 1: we do hope to hear from you. Savor is a 422 00:28:14,920 --> 00:28:17,320 Speaker 1: production of I Heart Radio. For more podcasts from my 423 00:28:17,359 --> 00:28:19,400 Speaker 1: Heart Radio, you can visit the I Heart Radio app, 424 00:28:19,520 --> 00:28:22,440 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. 425 00:28:22,880 --> 00:28:25,359 Speaker 1: Thanks as always to our super producers Villain Fagan and 426 00:28:25,359 --> 00:28:27,680 Speaker 1: Andrew Howard. Thanks to you for listening, and we hope 427 00:28:27,680 --> 00:28:37,239 Speaker 1: that lots more good things are coming your way.