Grape tomatoes are a member of the family Solanaceae, also known as the Potato family, one of the many species of the genus Solanum L. or Nightshade P. The plant was developed in Taiwan and was cultivated in North America in 1996 in Manatee County, Florida. By the turn of the 21st century the grape tomato was outselling the cherry tomato ten-to-one where they were available.
If you live in an apartment (like me), you know the woes of wanting a garden but not having enough space for one. Thankfully, you can successfully grow an indoor container garden if you have even just one windowsill that gets enough light. Come summer, all my windowsills are bursting with life, and trust me when I say it's the best feeling ever. I recommend growing plants from seed, then transferring them over to a pot on your windowsill. Here are three easy plants to start growing now for a beautiful indoor garden.
If you’re shameless about eating a pint of cherry tomatoes in the summer sun, you might consider including ground cherries in this year’s bounty. Though known by many a name—husk cherry, husk tomato, ground tomato, winter cherry, strawberry tomato, or cape gooseberry—the flavor of the ground cherry is like no other item you’ll sow in your garden.
The ubiquitous and humble chutney is often a staple on Indian tables—and it does more than just add heat or spice to the meal. More often than not, chutneys are digestive aids and tend to fire up the metabolism.
Remember those endless beauty secrets your grandma was such a proponent of? Well, most of them are true and do have a scientific explanation behind them. Let’s explore a few common kitchen ingredients and the kind of magic you can work with them for a truly glowing visage! The great thing is that you don’t have to make a market trip for these—you can simply raid your kitchen and are good to go.
Petunias are a member of the Solanaceae family that includes eggplants, peppers, potatoes and tomatoes. They became a separate species about thirty million years ago. The Petunia inflata is a small purple flower that attracts bees with its bright color, but some flowers lost their color and became Petunia axillaris, a larger white flower, resulting in the production of modified scent compounds to attract hawkmoths.
Many years ago, after a few hours on a sweltering beach, my friend and I gathered ourselves and climbed the dunes to a restaurant. It was on the patio there that we two tired, over-sunned young girls were brought back to life by generous bowls of cool, hearty, earthy gazpacho. Every summer since, when the temperatures soar, I think: soup. And although I love a good tomato gazpacho, it’s just the beginning.
Nightshades contain some of the world's most poisonous and beloved plants all at once. Potatoes, tomatoes, and peppers are all related to belladonna (deadly nightshade), jimsonweed (Datura stramonium), and mandrake, yet we love eating them!
Everyone in my family is fond of heavy white sauces, but not me; I’ve always been a fan of this thing called flavor. If you think you’re more of a white sauce person, think again. This velvety, luscious red sauce will even win over the hearts of Italians who think their nonna's “gravy” is the best hands down.
We all know that veggies are good for us. However, if the veggies have turned mushy or wrinkly, trash them not. Instead use them to boost your beauty routine!