(* Warning: The following story contains some challenging names for pronunciation, but since you are reading this on a screen, I trust it will be fine).
A Chinese myth tells about the garden of Xiwangmu (The Queen Mother of the West) who grew magical trees with wonderful properties. One of them, the flat peach tree, was well known due to its miraculous quality – to grant eternal life to anyone who eats from its fruits. When the fruits on the tree ripened, once every 3,000 years (gives some perspective to when we expect our fruits to ripen, doesn't it?), the queen invited her friends, the Eight Gods (super powerful heroes in Chinese mythology. Each of them owns a power that gives life and expels evil and death – a bit simplistic, but the summary is necessary for us to return to the story about the peaches. All this info was taken from Google, as usual) to a magnificent banquet.
Those who had tasted the fruit remained forever young (I suppose they were organic fruit, as suitable for fruits in the Chinese mythology, and in the queen's garden), could freely fly among the clouds, as eternal as the earth and the moon. But what about those mortals who arrived at the garden just after the last peach was consumed, to find only a pile of seeds and an especially thick calendar with place to mark enough X’sfor the next 3000 years? Well… They can indulge with a "Longevity Peach," a dough bun designed and painted in a way that resembles these desirable peaches -and is still eaten at Chinese birthday parties, especially for the elderlywho wish to preserve this tradition, as a blessing for a long life.
In Chinese mythology the peach symbolizes youth, eternity, virginity and purity, the delicate and feminine, and also the cycle of life renewed in bloom every spring. Chinese traditions also relate the tree with energies and magic that protect against evil forces. Therefore, various amulets were made from peach trees, as well as staffs for mystical uses such as the expulsion of evil spirits, figurines of saints and prophets, and images of deifying gods. Branches of peach trees were hung over doors on the New Year's Eve, in order to delay the entrance of any evil spirit that was intent on destroying the celebration inside the house. Peach was also the main ingredient in the life potion of Chinese Taoists. It arrived in the United States in 1871, and much effort was invested in adapting the delicate crop to the different climatic conditions. Today, one of the main growing areas of the fruit is found in Spain – where climate conditions are very suitable for it.
The Flat Pita has accumulated quite a lot of names during its existence: DonutPeach, Saturn Peach, ParaguayoPeach, Pan Tao Peach, and Saucer Peach- followed by Flying Saucer Peach… Wait, there are more: Belly-Up Peach, Hat Peach, Anjeer Peach, Custard Peach, Wild Peach, White Peach, Pumpkin Peach, Squashed Peach, Bagel Peach… and even more. In Israel, as part of the process of adapting them to the Israeli taste buds (what is the Israeli taste for peaches? Well, every population and geographic region has its own perception and preferences for food, including fruit. The British, for example, prefer their peaches full of juice and slightly soft, while the people living in Zion prefer them a little hard and crunchy) they also looked for a more “sabra” name – and what could be more Israeli than Pita Peach….
The organic pita peach contains not only access to Chinese mythology and charming photogenic properties, but also vitamins that make the body very happy: it contains antioxidants, carotenoids, and they are good for skin health and vision. And above all – very tasty in a cold summer shake, good ice cream or even a breakfast treat in the form of muesli with some yogurt and fresh cut fruit.
To health!
Yours,
Maggie's Garden team
Forecast:
In the ORGANIC vegetable baskets we expect (draft only):
Tomato
Cucumber
Lettuce
Onion
Eggplant
Parsley
Potato
Spinach
Pumpkin
The LARGE organic vegetable baskets also include:
Coriander
Cabbage
In the ORGANIC fruit baskets:
Date – Zahidi
Banana
Watermelon
The LARGE organic fruit baskets also include:
Papaya
Melon
New! New! The ORGANIC Green Basket:
Kale
Swiss chard
Mint
Basil
Dill
Sprouts
Celery root
A kind of lettuce
