On this page you have a list of food origins. It is quite extensive covering livestock, fruits & nuts, vegetables, spices & herbs, seafood, grains, mushrooms and dairy products. If you think anything should be included just let me know, use the "Contact" button on the left.
My main goal has been to create a resource that will put the origins of food in focus. I myself have always nurtured an interest for this but I can imagine that it is of interest to others as well. I have collected this information almost exclusively from online sources, in particular the fantastic Wikipedia. There are other great places, like
Gernot Katzer’s Spice Pages
that i time and again has returned to. I can highly recommend these for further reading.
Discussing origins is quite hard since these many times are debated topics, I reserve myself from any errors in my information since I am a layman, if you have better info just let me know and I will be sure to correct it straight away. I have tried to illustrate botanical and/or domestication origins when appropriate.
There are also pages linking from this one to others of my pages on the same topic: origins. Click the links below to get there.
Origins Of Food By Continent The division between continents is not completely accurate, I have limited North America to USA and Canada. The reasons are that it works better, the meso american cultures has created a similarity between the other regions of America - the flora is also more uniform between them. Click on the desired region on the world map below to go straight there.
All Continents (not counting Antarctica)
Abalone are large seasnails found in oceans all over the world, they dwell best in cold waters. Most are found off Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Western us and Japan. Is a successfully farmed seafood. Fish & Seafood Amaranth (also Chinese spinach) are several species found in warmer climates throughout the world, partly they are grown for the grain. It is also used as leaf vegatable and is very popular in parts of Africa and Asia. Grains & Cereals Anchovy is a small fish. Salted and canned in brine it is consumed all over the world. Native to all seas, prefer temperate waters. There are about 140 species. Fish & Seafood Anglerfish is a group of fish found all over the world. The name comes from a kind of fleshy rod protuding from the head, acting as a lure. Fish & Seafood Barnacles are species belonging to the family cirripedia. Fish & Seafood Bass are a number of fish species that are both fresh-and saltwater dwelling. Belongs to the family perciformes. Exist in all continents except Antartica. The big brother in the family is the grouper that can weigh 100 kg. Fish & Seafood Billfish include the species swordfish, sailfish and marlin, they all have a sword like beak used for hunting. Migratory species that are found in temparate to tropicl waters around the world. Fish & Seafood Bluefish is found in temperate to tropical waters around the world. Fish & Seafood Bream is a group of both fresh- and saltwater dwelling fish. The gilt-head bream common in the Mediterranean is the most important for food. The freshwater bluegill is common in North America. Fish & Seafood Catfish are a number of species that vary a lot in size. Native to all continents except Antartica. Have been cultivated for hundreds of years. Cultivated. Fish & Seafood Chiton are species of primitive shellfish. Are found worldwide in oceans. Has been eaten by indigenous people in the Americas. Fish & Seafood Chives is a small strong tasting onion, the stalks are the culinary part. Native to all continents except Antartica. Spices & Herbs, Vegetables Clam is a very confusing general name that can mean a lot of things. One, that I use, is that they are bivalves that burrow in sediment, which separates them from bivalves that cling to other things or that swim freely that would be scallops. Fish & Seafood Cockle a group of clams that belong to the cardiidae family. Found all over the world, very popular food in China. Fish & Seafood Crabs is a group of several thousands species. Living salt- and freshwater around the world. Commercially very important. The largest is the Red king crab. Fish & Seafood Crayfish are several species living in freshwater. Related to true lobster. Carrion eaters. Are found all over the world. Fish & Seafood Dog have been domesticated for at least 14000 years and are all related to wild wolfs. The practice of eating dog in Korea has been widely criticized in the West but that is done with a short memory. Dogs were kept as pets, for hunt and for security but if the going got tough and there was no food on the table - that was when the dog got eaten. Livestock Eel are over 800 species found in sweet and salt water all over the world, snake like. Many times the term refer to eels of the species anguillidae that live in sweetwater and procreate by migrating to certain salt water areas (like the Sargasso Sea). The biggest species are morays. Fish & Seafood Elder and Elder berry is a number of species spread around the world. Common in as a spice are flavour in various European kitchens. Spices & Herbs Elderberry (also elder, sambucus) are native to temperate regions around the world. Fruits & Nuts
Green bean (French bean, runner bean) is just a collective name for most culinary fresh beans. Vegetables Juniper berry grows on junipers. Used in northern European cooking. Used to flavour gin. Spices & Herbs Langust also called spiny lobster or rock lobster is a group of crustaceans related to true lobster. They are found in warm waters in all oceans. Fish & Seafood Mackerell is a collective name for number of species, most of them of the "scombridae" family. They are found in temperate and tropical seas around the world. Include bonito and king mackerell. Fish & Seafood Mantis shrimp is not a shrimp but belongs to another family of crustraceans. Found in oceans around the world, lives in warm water. Fish & Seafood Mint (also mentha) is a generic term for various species, varieties and hybrids of plants native to all continents except Antartica. Examples are spearmint and the hybrid peppermint. Many times used in candies but also to flavour meat. Not all plants that are called mints belong to this family. Spices & Herbs Mussels are several species of clams that all have an almost oval shape. brown and blue mussels are common commercial species that are also cultivated. They thrive best in temperate waters, are native to all oceans. Fish & Seafood Octopus are a group of molluscs that have eight arms. They are quite intelligent and commonly can use ink as a defence mechanism while fleeing. The larger species can have a arm span of over 4 meters and weigh up to 70kg. They are found in all oceans and are readily caught as food. Fish & Seafood Oyster mushroom is a mushroom found throughout the world and largely cultivated. The origin is not defined. Mushrooms Oysters are several species belonging to the ostreidae family. Many are eaten by humans, raw or cooked. They are found in salt and semi-salt waters in all oceans. They are cultivated on a big scale. Fish & Seafood Perch is a large family of fish containing among many others walleye and pike-perch. They are freshwater dwelling and found around the world. Fish & Seafood Prawn is a collective name for various species that can be salt- or freshwater dwellers. Found in all oceans, few are commercially fished in Europe where shrimp are dominant. The big tiger prawn and the Atlantic white shrimp are examples. The terms shrimp and prawn are used interchangably, biologically there are differences. Many species are cultivated. Fish & Seafood Sardine or pilchard are several species of small oily fish. Most commonly eaten canned in brine or grilled. Native to all oceans. Fish & Seafood Scallops are found in all oceans. They are cultivated. All scallops are migratory which means they don´t burrow themselves but swim around. They are priced food. An interesting specie is the ocean quahog that can live to be over 400 years old! Fish & Seafood Sea cucumbers are found in all oceans. They are readily eaten and very popular in East Asia. They are cultivated, mainly in China. Fish & Seafood Sea lettuce (also aosa) are species of edible green algae growing in all the world oceans. Traditionally eaten in China, Japan, Korea, Scandinavia and on the British Isles. Vegetables Sea snails is part of a huge family that include all land dwelling species. The abalone is the most famous but many others are harvested and eaten throughout the world. Are found in all habitats including oceans and freshwater. Fish & Seafood Sea urchin belong to a big family called echinoidea. Are found in all oceans and is a popular seafood. Fish & Seafood Shrimp is a collective term for various species. They can live in fresh- or saltwater. Found all over the world. They are farmed in many places. Fish & Seafood Slipper lobsters are a number of species found in all oceans. Sometimes called "bugs" since they ressemble insects. Fish & Seafood Snapper are several species, the most famous being red snapper. Are domestic in tropical and sub tropical waters around the world. Fish & Seafood Snow fungus (also silver ear) is another "jelly mushroom". Is native in most sub-tropical regions over the world. Mushrooms Squat lobster is the name for a number of species. Found all over the world in saltwater. Fish & Seafood Squid belong to a family called called teuthida, Erranously they are often described as having 10 arms separating them from octopusus, that is only true for some of them, most of them have 8 arms and two long tentacles. They are not as intelligent as octopusus, they don´t have ink bladders. The biggest species are deep sea dwelling and can weigh up to 500 kg. They are found in all oceans. Fish & Seafood Sumac is a number of species that are native to temperate regions around the world. Both the fruits of this bush has culinary uses both as a spice and for other. Spices & Herbs
Tilefish is a name for several species, important for commercial fishing. Domestic in temperate waters around the world. Fish & Seafood Truffles this legendary culinary mushroom is a type of a "tuber mushroom". The several hundred species are found all over the world. Cultivation has been in practice since the 19th century, they grow on certain tree roots, however creating host trees has not been successful. Mushrooms Tuna are several species of fish belonging to the scombridae family. Very important commercial fish, several species are endangered. Domestic to all oceans, generally in temperate and tropical waters. Have recently started to be bred commercially. Fish & Seafood
Africa
Ackee (also achee, akee apple, akee, vegetable brain) is native to tropical regions of West Africa. Fruits & Nuts African cherry orange (also omuboro, West African cherry orange, Uganda cherry orange) is native to Central and Western Africa. Fruits & Nuts African Medlar is rural to South Africa. Apple like. Fruits & Nuts Ajwain (also ajowan caraway, carom seeds) was used already by the Egyptians. Today it is used all the way from India to Ethiopia. Origins in Afria and the Middle East. Spices & Herbs Alexanders (also alisanders horse parsley, smyrnium) is native to North Africa, Europe and southwestern Asia. Appreciated by both Romans and Greeks, replaced today by the similar celery. Spices & Herbs Anise (also aniseed) is native to the Mediterranean and southwestern Asia. In use in Europe and Asia. Spices & Herbs Asparagus are several types, originally native to West Asia, North Africa and Europe. Vegetables BarleyWild barley is native to Africa, Europe and Asia. Widely grown as a base for beverages like beer. Very important in Europe before wheat took over. Grains & Cereals Cabbage (also head cabbage, heading cabbage) was cultivated in ancient times from wild mustard native to the Mediterranean. Vegetables Calabash (also bottle gourd) are various species native to the tropics around the old world. Widely used as a container. Fruits & Nuts Candlenut (also candleberry, Indian walnut, kukui nut tree) is native to tropical regions around the world. Common in cuisines in Southeast Asia and on Hawaii. Spices & Herbs Caraway (also Persian cumin, Meridian fennel) is native to West Asia, North Africa and Europe. Are grown for their small fruits that are very popular in cuisines in Europe. Not to be confused with cumin so common in Indian cuisine. Spices & Herbs Carob is native to the Mediterranean. The pod was popular in many ancient cultures like the Egyptian. Fruits & Nuts Cassava (also yuca, manioc, aipim) is a root vegetable native to South America and perhaps West Africa but has spread around the world and is an important staple food in Africa. Eaten cooked or made into flour. Vegetables Cattle of the family bovinae is one of our most important and loved livestock animals. They have been domesticated for over 8000 years providing us with milk and dairy products. Today they are spread out all over the world, originally they all stem from a now extinct wild species known as auroch, these huge animals lived in Europe, Asia and North Africa. There are many breeds all around the world, specialiced in producing milk, leather or meat. Livestock Chard (also perpetual spinach, Swiss chard, silver beet, spinach beet, crab beet, mangold,) are the cultivars of beet with edible leafs. Descendant of the wild sea beet native to parts of Europe, Africa and Asia. Vegetables Cheese is manufactured by various methods of coagulating milk and thus removing liquid called whey, rennet is normally added to this "curd" to make it stabilize. The cheese can then sit to let ripen creating taste with thge help of bacteria and sometimes mold fungus. There are hundreds of methods where cheese can be cooked, dried or flavoured before consumed. The orgin of cheese is uncertain, but to say several thousands of years ago somewhere in the Middle East, Europe or Northern Africa you won´t be wrong. Dairy Products Clawed lobsters are two saltwater dwelling species only found in the Atlantic north of the equator. Priced for their good taste. Fish & Seafood Clementine is a variety of the mandarin orange, it is believed to have its origins in either Algeria or China. Most of the time seedless. Fruits & Nuts Coconut is found in tropical regions around the world. Has spread with the help of currents and migration. Fresh green coconut are popular for its liquid. The dried older coconuts provide the white pulp from which many products are made, among them coconut milk. Fruits & Nuts
Coffee (also coffea) is native to sub tropical regions of Africa and Asia. Fruits & Nuts Collard greens was cultivated from wild cabbage native to the Mediterranean. Vegetables Common Quail has been domesticated for hundreds of years. They provide eggs and meat. Native to Asia and Africa. Livestock Common sole native to the Eastern North Atlantic until the Mediterranean. Very popular, the meat is expensive. Fish & Seafood Coriander is native to South Europe, North Africa and Southwest Asia. Is a plant whose leaves and fruits (seeds) are used. The leaves are also known as cilantro, coriander leaves and Chinese parsley. Is an integral part of many cuisines all over the world. Spices & Herbs Corn salad (also Lewiston corn salad, lamb's lettuce, field salad, rapunzel) is a leafy green native to Europe, western Asia and North Africa. Vegetables Cottage cheese is a loose "curd" that still holds quite a lot of whey. Often mild in flavour. Can be made with or withour rennet with different results. Origin and age is quite unknown, it can probably be connected with general cheese making. Dairy Products Cuban oregano (also Spanish thyme, Indian borage, Mexican thyme, Mexican mint) is native to South and East Africa but quickly spread to the Americas. Very similar to oregano in taste, hence the name. Spices & Herbs Cultured buttermilk you get from adding a lactic bacteria to milk provocing a fermentation process. Can be used in bread or icecream making. A related products is the Swedish "filmjölk". Origin is somewhere in Europe, Asia or Africa.Dairy Products Curd is the solified form of milk when it has coagulated with the help of acid or rennet. Dairy Products Cuttlefish related to squids and octopuses. Found in salt waters in East and South Asia, Europe, Africa and Australia. Fish & Seafood Date come from the datepalm. Is native to desert oases in southwestern Asia and North Africa. Has been cultivated for at least 6000 years. Fruits & Nuts Deer have only recently started to be domesticated for meat production. Deer are native to all continents except Australia and Antarctica. Livestock Donkey is a relative to the horse. Has been domesticated for over 5000 years. Mainly a beast of burden but also provide meat. Donkey´s milk is considered to be healthy. Its ancestor is the African Wild Ass that is domestic to the north eastern part of Africa. Livestock Ensete (also enset) is a relative of the banana native to tropical regions in Asia and Africa. It is a root vegetable with high per acre yield popular in parts of Africa. Vegetables Fava bean (also broad bean, horse bean, field bean, bell bean, tic bean) is an important Old World bean, native to North Africa and Southwest Asia. Vegetables Fennel seeds are harvested from the fennel herb native to the Mediterranean. in use for thousands of years. Ingredient in Asian and European kitchens. Spices & Herbs Florence fennel (also finocchio) is a variety of the fennel herb that has a swollen root. Native to the coasts of the Mediterranean. Vegetables Fonio is probably native to Africa where it is important today. Grains & Cereals
Goose Are domesticated fowl from two species, one native to East Asia and the other to Europe, North Africa and Western Asia. There is proof that Egyptians bred them 3000 BC. Foodwise they provide meat and eggs. Livestock Grains of paradise (also grains of paradise, melegueta pepper, alligator pepper, Guinea grains, Guinea pepper) are seeds from a plant native to West Africa. Common in African cuisines. Spices & Herbs Grains of selim (also kimba pepper, African pepper, moor pepper, negro pepper, kani pepper, kili pepper, Senegal pepper, Ethiopian pepper, Guinea pepper) are seeds from a tree native to Africa. A pepper substitute sometimes confused with grains of paradise. Spices & Herbs Grape are various species native to the northern hemisphere. Culturally extremely important it has been cultivated for at least 5000 years. Fruits & Nuts Guineafowl This bird native to Africa has been bred for thousands of years. This important livestock has many functions in Africa, one of the more important is to provide meat. Today they are bred allover the world and cherished for their savoury meat. Livestock Horned melon (also African horned cucumber/melon, gaka, jelly melon, hedged gourd, English tomato, melano, kiwano, blowfish fruit) is native to Africa. Fruits & Nuts Hyacinth bean (also Indian bean, Egyptian bean) is native to Africa and South Asia. Vegetables Imbé (also African mangosteen, Lowveld mangosteen) is native to Africa. Fruits & Nuts Ivy gourd is native to tropical regions in Asia, Australia and Africa. Vegetables Jamaican nutmeg (also calabash nutmeg, African nutmeg, African orchid nutmeg) is native to tropical regions of Africa. Is similar to nutmeg, hence the name. Spices & Herbs Jasmine is a collective name for various species native to warmer regions in Africa, Europe and Asia. Very common in tea. It is mostly the flower that is used. Spices & Herbs Korarima (also Ethiopian cardamom, false cardamom) is native to Africa where it is quite commonly used. Spices & Herbs Lavender are flowers from plants used in cooking. They are several species native to Europe, Asia and Africa. Spices & Herbs Lemon balm is a herb native to the Mediterranean. Belongs to the mint family and has a lemony scent and taste. Spices & Herbs Luffa (also loofah, lufah) are several cultivars from wild species native to tropical regions in Africa and Asia. Popular in Asia. Looks a bit like a cucumber. Vegetables Mahlad (also mahleb) is made from the seeds from the St Lucie cherry native to North Africa, Western and Central Asia and parts of Europe. A spice common in the Middle East. Spices & Herbs Malukhiyah are leaves popular in African and Asian cuisines. The various species are native to warmer regions throughout the world. Vegetables Malva (also mallow) is several species of plants native to Africa, Asia and Europe. The leafs are eaten. Vegetables Marjoram (also sweet marjoram, knotted marjoram) is a plant native to the Mediterranean. The leafs are used as a culinary herb, mostly in Europe. Spices & Herbs Marula is native to Africa. Fruits & Nuts Milk is generally referring to pasteurized cow´s milk. It is known that 5000BC cows were already kept to retain it. With time it spread all over the world, however milk consumtion is a lot higher in the Western world than anywhere else. It is the base for many other products, of which some I have listed below: Dairy Products Mulberry (also Morus) is a number of species af various shapes and colours. They are native to most regions on all continents except Australia. Fruits & Nuts
Naartjie is a South African bred variety of the mandarin orange. Fruits & Nuts Njangsa are seeds from a tree native to West Africa. Used for flavour and as a thickener. Spices & Herbs Okra (also lady’s finger, gumbo) are green vegetable fruits from a plant native to West Africa. Vegetables Onion is a collective name for several species in the allum family. Vegetables Oregano (also wild marjoram) is a herb native to South Europe, Southwest Asia and the Mediterranean. There are many different cultivars that are typically connected to a region. Mostly used in Europe, Turkey, South and Central America. Spices & Herbs Ostrich This big bird is native to Africa. It has been farmed on and off since Roman times; mainly for feathers, but also for meat and eggs. Livestock Parsley is a mainly two varieties of a herb commonly used in cooking. Native to the Mediterranean. Spices & Herbs Parsnip is a close relative to root parley and carrot. Has its origins in the Mediterranean. Very important in Europe before the potato arrived. Vegetables Pea are several cultivars stemming from the wild pea that is native to the Mediterranean and the Middle East. Varieties are garden peas (of which there are several others) and split peas. Vegetables Pear is a fruit native to Europe, Northern Africa and Asia. Fruits & Nuts Pig is domesticated offspring from the Wild Boar. They were first bred by humans more than 9000 years ago. Were kept for their meat. The Wild Boar is native to Europe, North Africa and Asia. Livestock Plaice are different species of flatfish native to the northern hemisphere. Popular. Fish & Seafood Rabbits are native to all inhabited continents Australia where their introduction has had disastrous consequences for the ecosystem. Have been bred for meat and pelt for over a thousand years. Livestock Rice was cultivated from wild rice first by the Chinese about 10000 years ago. Independantly that also happened in Nigeria about 1000 BC. Very important in tropical regions of the world. White rice is obtained through milling processes, brown rice is only milled once and considered a whole grain. Grains & Cereals Rocket (also rucola, aragula) is a strong tasting leaf plant native to the Mediterranean. Vegetables Root parsley (also Hamburg root parsley) is a type of parsley that has a root that can be used in cooking. It is native to the Mediterranean. Vegetables Rose hip is a berry like fruit that grows on of rose bushes native to Europe, North America, Africa and Asia. Used for soups, jams and teas. Fruits & Nuts Rosemary is a popular herb native to the Mediterranean. Spices & Herbs Safflower is native to Europe, Asia and North Africa. In ancient times a common culinary herb, nowadays mostly grown for to produce oil. Spices & Herbs Safou (also African pear) is native to Africa. Fruits & Nuts Sage (also salvia, common sage, culinary sage, garden sage, kitchen sage) is native to the Mediterranean. There are a few cultivars. Spices & Herbs Sea beet is the wild ancestor to vegetables like beetroot, chard and sugar beet. Native to parts of Africa, Asia and Europe. Vegetables
Snakehead is a group of freshwtaer dwelling fish. Native to Africa nd Asia but spread around the world. Fish & Seafood Sorghum is native to warmer regions around the world. Important in Africa, and southern Asia and Central America. Grains & Cereals Sorrel is (also spinach dock, common sorrel, garden sorrel)is a herbal plant native to Europe, Asia and Africa. There are several related species that have the name sorrel in it. Spices & Herbs Spiny monkey orange is native to Afrika. Fruits & Nuts Stinging nettle (also common nettle) is native to Europe, Asia, North Africa and North America. Is similar and used in same ways as spinach. Spices & Herbs Tamarind is native to Africa. Widely used in various Asian cuisines. Fruits & Nuts Tarragon (also dragon herb, dragon´s wort) is a group of plants native to the northern hemisphere. The kind cultivated in Europe known as French tarragon is regarded as best from a culinary perspective. Spices & Herbs Teff (also taf) is cultivated from a lovegrass native to Northeast Africa where it is an important grain. Grains & Cereals Thyme is a collective name for several cultivars of a plant that is used as a herb, examples are lemon thyme and common thyme. Common in kitchens in Asia, Europe and Africa. Native to the Old World. Spices & Herbs Tiger nut (also chufa sedge, yellow nut sedge, tiger nut sedge, earth almond) is a root vegetable believed to be native to warmer regions in Africa, Europe and Asia. Vegetables Tilapia is a generic term for hundreds of species of sweet water fish with African origins. Have been cultivated for thousands of years and thus have been spread around the world. only live in warm water. Fish & Seafood Walnut are several species native to the northern hemisphere. Fruits & Nuts Waterleaf (also Surinam purslane, Philippine spinach, sweetheart, Florida spinach, Ceylon spinach) is a leafy herb important in tropical regions around the world. Native to both the New and the Old World. Vegetables Watermelon has its origins in southern Africa. Fruits & Nuts West Indian Gherkin (also West Indian burr gherkin, burr gherkin, burr cucumber) is native to West Africa. Related to the cucumber. Vegetables Whey is the liquid that gets separated from the curd in cheese making. It can be used in baking or for other foods. Dairy Products White mustard seeds (also yellow mustard) is seeds from a type of mustard. Not so common. Native to the Mediterranean. Spices & Herbs Wild rice the wild ancestors of rice is still harvested in parts of North America. There are 4 main species, 3 domestic to North America and one to Asia and Africa. Grains & Cereals Yam is several cultivars of root vegetables native to Asia and Africa. Sometimes confused with sweet potato but they are not the same thing. Vegetables
Asia
Ajwain (also ajowan caraway, carom seeds) was used already by the Egyptians. Today it is used all the way from India to Ethiopia. Origins in Africa and the Middle East. Spices & Herbs Alexanders (also alisanders horse parsley, smyrnium) is native to North Africa, Europe and southwestern Asia. Appreciated by both Romans and Greeks, replaced today by the similar celery. Spices & Herbs Almond is native to the Middle East. Fruits & Nuts Amra is native to Southeast Asia. Fruits & Nuts Anise (also aniseed) is native to the Mediterranean and southwestern Asia. In use in Europe and Asia. Spices & Herbs Aonori (also green laver) is seaweed cultivated in Japan. Vegetables
Apple all the apples we have today are believed to stem from an original species that grew in Central and Southwestern Asia. Today they have spread around the world and have been bred into over 7000 different kinds. Fruits & Nuts Apricot is native to southwestern Asia. Fruits & Nuts Arhat is native to Southeast Asia. Fruits & Nuts Armenian cucumber (also yard long cucumber, snake cucumber, snake melon, uri) is a cultivar of melon with origin in the southwestern Asia. Vegetables Asafoetida (also devil´s dung, asant, food of the gods, stinking gum) is native to Southern Asia and the Middle East. Smelly when raw, common in some Indian cuisines. Spices & Herbs Asparagus are several types, originally native to West Asia, North Africa and Europe. Vegetables Aubergine (also eggplant, melongene, brinjal) is native to South Asia, it was cultivated first in India. Vegetables Ayran is a drink mix of yogurt, water and salt. It is from the Middle East. Dairy Products Azuki bean was domesticated thousands of years ago in the Himalayas. Vegetables Bactrian camel is of the family camelidae and distinguishes themselves with two impressive lumps of fat on their back, many times just referred to as "camel". Native to northeastern Asia. A great beast of burden but also a provider of milk and meat. Livestock Bael (also bilva, wood apple) is native to South and Southeast Asia. Fruits & Nuts Baked milk has its roots in Russia where it is still popular. By simmering milk on low temperature for many hours a brownish sweet liquid with a crust is obtained, industrial methods differ. Is used for desserts and baking sweet breads. Dairy Products Bamboo shoot (also bamboo sprout) is like the name suggest sprouts from some types of bamboo that are just out of the ground. Bamboos are native to Australia, Asia, Africa and the Americas but was only traditionally cultivated for sprouts in Asia. Vegetables Banana (also pisang) and softer varieties of the the musa family. Native to Southeast Asia. Fruits & Nuts BarleyWild barley is native to Africa, Europe and Asia. Widely grown as a base for beverages like beer. Very important in Europe before wheat took over. Grains & Cereals Basil is native to tropical regions in Asia. There are several varieties. The one common in Italian cuisine is known as sweet basil, Asian varieties are Thai basil, African basil, lemon basil and holy basil. Nowadays it is cultivated all over the world. Spices & Herbs Bay leaf (also bay laurel) is to southwestern Asia but common today in parts of India and Asia. Several similar species are "incorrectly" labeled bay leaves, the include California-, Indonesian- and Indian bay leaf which are unrelated. Spices & Herbs Beach mushroom (also shimeji) is native to East Asia. Mushrooms Beetroot (garden beet, red beet, table beet) is a common cultivated variety of beet that is native to Europe and Asia. Both root and leafs can be used. Vegetables Bengal fig (also Indian fig, Indian banyan) is native to South Asia. Fruits & Nuts Betel nut is actually areca nuts wrapped in betel leaves. Native to Asia and the Pacific. Mildly narcotic. Fruits & Nuts Bilberry (also blåbär, whortleberry, ground hurts, whinberry, wimberry, myrtle blueberry and fraughanare) is native in temperate regions in Asia and Europe. Fruits & Nuts
Bilimbi (also cucumber tree) is a fruit related to carambola. Native to Indonesia. Fruits & Nuts Bitter melon (also bitter gourd, karela) is as the name suggests a very bitter fruit. In the same family as melons and cucumbers. Probably native to tropical South and Southeast Asia, today also found in Africa and the Americas. Vegetables Black cardamom (also brown cardamom) are a few varieties native to northeastern India and southern China. Gets its special tast through a smoking process. Spices & Herbs Black cumin (also kala jeera) is native to northern India. Similar in appearance but not related to cumin. Spices & Herbs Black eyed pea (black eyed bean) is a bean that is a related to the cowpea. Native to India. Vegetables Black gram (also urad, black lentil, urad dal) a bean first cultivated in India. Vegetables Black salsify (also Spanish salsify, black oyster plant, serpent root, viper's herb, viper's grass) is a root vegetable native to southern Europe and southwestern Asia. Vegetables Blackberry are several species that are native to temperate areas in Asia, Europe, North America and South America. Fruits & Nuts Blackcurrant (also cassis) belongs to the family ribes. Used to make jellies and drinks. Native to temperate areas in the northern hemisphere. Fruits & Nuts Borage (also starflower) is native to Syria. Has spread over parts of Europe, North Africa and the Americas where it sometimes is used as a culinary herb and vegetable. Spices & Herbs Breadfruit is native to Southeast Asia and the Pacific but are commonly grown around the world. Fruits & Nuts Brown mustard are the seeds from mustard greens native to parts of Asia. Today the most common mustard seed. Spices & Herbs Buckwheat is actually a plant that has its botanical origin in two species, one native to North America and the other to Europe and Asia It was first domesticated in China about 8000 years ago. Grains & Cereals Buddha´s hand (fingered citron) is native to Southeast Asia. Fruits & Nuts Burmese grape is native to tropical regions in South and Southeast Asia. Fruits & Nuts Butter is produced in a process where you churn the cream from milk. It is believed that butter was used in the Middle East as early 10000 BC, then not made from cow´s milk but goat´s or sheep´s. Dairy Products Buttermilk is the liquid that is left over when you have churned the cream into butter. It is thicker than milk but not necessarily fatter. Dairy Products Button mangosteen (cherapu) is native to Southeast Asia. Fruits & Nuts Cabbage (also head cabbage, heading cabbage) was cultivated in ancient times from wild mustard native to the Mediterranean. Vegetables Calabash (also bottle gourd) are various species native to the tropics around the old world. Widely used as a container. Fruits & Nuts Calamondin is a citrus crossbreed commonly cultivated in the Philippines. Fruits & Nuts Cambodian palm (also Asian palmyra palm, toddy palm, sugar palm) is native to South and Southeast Asia. Fruits & Nuts Camphor laurel (also camphorwood, camphortree) is native to East Asia. Is a tree that produces the substance camphor that is used as a spice in Asia. Spices & Herbs Camu Camu is a berry native to the Amazon. Fruits & Nuts Candlenut (also candleberry, Indian walnut, kukui nut tree) is native to tropical regions around the world. Common in cuisines in Southeast Asia and on Hawaii. Spices & Herbs
Carambola (also starfruit) is native to South and Southeast Asia. Fruits & Nuts Caraway (also Persian cumin, Meridian fennel) is native to West Asia, North Africa and Europe. Are grown for their small fruits that are very popular in cuisines in Europe. Not to be confused with cumin so common in Indian cuisine. Spices & Herbs Cardamom Ginger relative. Is a generic term for some varieties that normally are divided in two; black and green cardamom, both are native to India. Spices & Herbs Carob is native to the Mediterranean. The pod was popular in many ancient cultures like the Egyptian. Fruits & Nuts Carp include several species. Has been cultivated for thosuands of years. Is native to Europe and Asia. Fish & Seafood Carrot is the cultivated form of wild carrot that is native to Europe and southwestern Asia. related to parsley. Vegetables Cassia (also Chinese cinnamon, Ceylon cinnamon, bastard cinnamon) is not true cinnamon but is related. The spice is the bark from the tree.is native to South and Southeast Asia. Spices & Herbs Cattle of the family bovinae is one of our most important and loved livestock animals. They have been domesticated for over 8000 years providing us with milk and dairy products. Today they are spread out all over the world, originally they all stem from a now extinct wild species known as auroch, these huge animals lived in Europe, Asia and North Africa. There are many breeds all around the world, specialiced in producing milk, leather or meat. Livestock Celery root (also celeriac, turnip rooted celery, knob celery) is a type of celery grown for its root. Native to Asia and Europe. Vegetables Celery (also Chinese spinach) is cultivated from wild celery native to temperate regions in Asia and Europe. Vegetables Celtuce (also stem lettuce, celery lettuce, Chinese lettuce, asparagus lettuce) was cultivated in China from lettuce, mostly stem and little leaves. Vegetables Cempedak (also chempedak) is native to Southeast Asia. Related to jackfruit. Fruits & Nuts Char is closely related to salmon and trout. Dwell in really cold fresh water. Native to North America, Europe and Asia. Fish & Seafood Chard (also perpetual spinach, Swiss chard, silver beet, spinach beet, crab beet, mangold,) are the cultivars of beet with edible leafs. Descendant of the wild sea beet native to parts of Europe, Africa and Asia. Vegetables Cheese is manufactured by various methods of coagulating milk and thus removing liquid called whey, rennet is normally added to this "curd" to make it stabilize. The cheese can then sit to let ripen creating taste with thge help of bacteria and sometimes mold fungus. There are hundreds of methods where cheese can be cooked, dried or flavoured before consumed. The orgin of cheese is uncertain, but to say several thousands of years ago somewhere in the Middle East, Europe or Northern Africa you won´t be wrong. Dairy Products Cherry is a generic term for various species native to northern America, Europe and Asia. The original cherry is native to Europe. Fruits & Nuts Chicken are direct descendants of wild fowl native to Southeast Asia, they have been bred by humans for at least 7000 years. Today it is the most important livestock fowl in the world. Foodwise they provide us with meat and eggs. Livestock Chickpea (also garbanzo bean, Indian pea, ceci bean, Bengal gram) is one of our oldest vegetables and has been domesticated for almost 10000 years. Its wild botanical ancestor is native to Turkey. Vegetables Chinese cabbage (also Chinese chard, Chinese mustard, celery mustard, spoon cabbage, bok choy, pak choy) is native to Southeast Asia. Vegetables Cinnamon (also canela, cannelle) The true variety, because there are several similar, is native to Sri Lanka. The spice is the actual bark of the tree. Spices & Herbs Citron (also cedrat) is native to eastern India. Lemon is known as citron in many countries. Fruits & Nuts
Clementine is a variety of the mandarin orange, it is believed to have its origins in either Algeria or China. Most of the time seedless. Fruits & Nuts Cloudberry (also bakeapple) part of the mulberry family. Grows in colder temperate areas in the northern hemisphere. Many times used in jams. Fruits & Nuts Clove is native to Indonesia. Are the dried flowerbuds of a tree. Used all over the world. Spices & Herbs Coconut is found in tropical regions around the world. Has spread with the help of currents and migration. Fresh green coconut are popular for its liquid. The dried older coconuts provide the white pulp from which many products are made, among them coconut milk. Fruits & Nuts Coffee (also coffea) is native to sub tropical regions of Africa and Asia. Fruits & Nuts Collard greens was cultivated from wild cabbage native to the Mediterranean. Vegetables Common Quail has been domesticated for hundreds of years. They provide eggs and meat. Native to Asia and Africa. Livestock Common sole native to the Eastern North Atlantic until the Mediterranean. Very popular, the meat is expensive. Fish & Seafood Coriander is native to South Europe, North Africa and Southwest Asia. Is a plant whose leaves and fruits (seeds) are used. The leaves are also known as cilantro, coriander leaves and Chinese parsley. Is an integral part of many cuisines all over the world. Spices & Herbs Corn salad (also Lewiston corn salad, lamb's lettuce, field salad, rapunzel) is a leafy green native to Europe, western Asia and North Africa. Vegetables Cottage cheese is a loose "curd" that still holds quite a lot of whey. Often mild in flavour. Can be made with or withour rennet with different results. Origin and age is quite unknown, it can probably be connected with general cheese making. Dairy Products Cranberry is native to colder temperate areas in Asia, Europe and North America. Mainly used to make juice and jam. Fruits & Nuts Cubeb (also tailed pepper, Java pepper) is a strong tasting spice similar to the spice pepper. It was an important spice in Europe until the Middle Ages. Still common in Asia. Has its botanical origin in Indonesia. Spices & Herbs Cucumber is several cultivars of various shapes, sizes, colors and tastes. The original cucumber is native to India. Has been cultivated for thousands of years. Gherkins can be sorted into this category. Vegetables Cultured buttermilk you get from adding a lactic bacteria to milk provocing a fermentation process. Can be used in bread or icecream making. A related products is the Swedish "filmjölk". Origin is somewhere in Europe, Asia or Africa.Dairy Products Cumin is one of our oldest spices and is was first cultivated in the Middle East. Today it is very common and used in cuisines all over the world, particularly in Indian and Mexican. Sometimes confused with the similar caraway. Spices & Herbs Curd is the solified form of milk when it has coagulated with the help of acid or rennet. Dairy Products Curry leaves (also sweet neem leaves) are the leaves from the curry tree native to India. Has given name to the spice mix curry of which it not always is part. Spices & Herbs Cuttlefish related to squids and octopuses. Found in salt waters in East and South Asia, Europe, Africa and Australia. Fish & Seafood Daikon (also mooli) is a large white radish. Cultivated first in East Asia. Vegetables Damson (damson plum, damascus plum) is a cultivar of plum first grown around Damascus several thousand years ago. Fruits & Nuts Date comes from the datepalm. Is native to desert oases in southwestern Asia and North Africa. Has been cultivated for at least 6000 years. Fruits & Nuts Deer have only recently started to be domesticated for meat production. Deer are native to all continents except Australia and Antarctica. Livestock Dromedary also known as the "Arabian camel" has got one lump of fat om its back. It is probably native to the Arabian Peninsula , but is today found in North Africa, Australia and all over the Middle East. Provide meat and dairy products. Livestock
Drumstick (also moringa) is a vegetable fruit from a tree native to northwestern India. Quite popular in Asia. Vegetables Duck just like the chicken, duck are believed to first have been domesticated wild ducks (called mallards) in Southeast Asia, this several thousands of years BC. In the Americas another breed was domesticated, the Muscovy, this was before Columbus. Duck provide meat and eggs. Livestock Duku (also langsat) is native to Southeast Asia. Fruits & Nuts Dulse (also dillisk, dilsk, red dulse, sea lettuce flakes, creathnach) is red algae native to oceans in the northern hemisphere where it is also harvested and eaten. Vegetables Durian are several species native to Southeast Asia. Te fruit is highly regarded and can cost a fair bit of money. The strong smell has made it forbidden to bring into the Singapurian subway. Fruits & Nuts Durum wheat (also macaroni wheat) evolved by selective breeding from emmer wheat that occured in the Middle East. Still culinary important in several cuisines. Grains & Cereals Ear fungus (also black fungus, wood ear, cloud ear fungus, Judas´s ear fungus) are two species and named so since they resemble the shape of ears; they are so called "jelly mushrooms". Native to East Asia. Mushrooms Elephant foot yam (also stink lily, white spot giant arum) is a type of yam native to Southeast Asia. Vegetables Elephant garlic is a plant closely related to the leek. It is cultivated from wild garlic that is native to southern Europe and western Asia. Spices & Herbs, Vegetables Emmer wheat (also farro) is an early cultivar of wheat domesticated in the Near East about 10000 years ago. Got replaced by cultivars that gave a higher yield. Grains & Cereals Ensete (also enset) is a relative of the banana native to tropical regions in Asia and Africa. It is a root vegetable with high per acre yield popular in parts of Africa. Vegetables Fava bean (also broad bean, horse bean, field bean, bell bean, tic bean) is an important Old World bean, native to North Africa and Southwest Asia. Vegetables Fennel flower seeds (also nutmeg flower, Roman coriander, blackseed, black caraway, black onion seed, nigella) is harvested from the flower of a plant native to southwestern Asia. Quite common in some Indian cuisines. Spices & Herbs Fennel seeds are harvested from the fennel herb native to the Mediterranean. in use for thousands of years. Ingredient in Asian and European kitchens. Spices & Herbs Fenugreek is a plant native to Europe and Asia. The leaves and the seeds are used. Fenugreek seeds are very common in Indian cuisine but also is found in some European, African and other Asian kitchens. Spices & Herbs Fig grow on fig trees, is native to southeastern Europe and southwestern Asia. There are several hundred species. Fruits & Nuts Fingerroot (also Chinese ginger) is native to China and Southeast Asia. Is a common spice in various parts of Asia. Spices & Herbs Florence fennel (also finocchio) is a variety of the fennel herb that has a swollen root. Native to the coasts of the Mediterranean. Vegetables Flounders are several species of flatfish native to the Northern Atlantic and the Pacific. Fish & Seafood
Galangal (also galanga, blue ginger) is a relative to ginger and quite similar. Has its origins in South and Southeast Asia. There are four main species Spices & Herbs, Vegetables Gambooge (also brindleberry, malabar tamarind) is native to Indonesia. Its rind is used as a spice in Indian cooking. Spices & Herbs Garden cress (also garden pepper cress, pepper grass, pepperwort, poor man's pepper) is a leafy herb native to Europe and Asia. Vegetables Garden onion are several varieties of different shapes, tastes, colour and sizes. Examples are red-, white-, shallot-, brown- and yellow onion. Is probably a cultivated version of a wild onion native to Central Asia. Came to America with Columbus. Vegetables Garlic chives (also Chinese chives, Chinese leek) is a type of onion native to East Asia. Spices & Herbs Garlic is part of the onion family alliaceae and thus related to leeks, onions and such. It is believed to have its ancestor in a type of wild garlic native to southwestern Asia. Spices & Herbs, Vegetables Ghee (also clarified butter) invented by the Indians, it is called clarified butter in English. By melting butter you separate the milk substances from the butter, the result can store for longer periods in closed containers. Dairy Products Ginger is a culinary tuber who was first cultivated from wild species in South Asia. Spices & Herbs, Vegetables Goat All species of goat has it´s origin from the a wild goat that is domestic to East Europe and southwestern Asia. Has been domesticated for about 10000 years and is one of our most valued livestock. Providers of milk and meat. Livestock Golpar (also Persian hogweed) is a herb used in the Persian cuisine. Spices & Herbs Goose Are domesticated fowl from two species, one native to East Asia and the other to Europe, North Africa and Western Asia. There is proof that Egyptians bred them 3000 BC. Foodwise they provide meat and eggs. Livestock Gooseberry belong to the ribes family. Native to alpine regions in Europe and Western Asia. Fruits & Nuts Gotu kola (also Asiatic pennywort, Indian pennywort) is a herb native to Asia. Used in some kitchens, mainly on Sri Lanka. Spices & Herbs Grape are various species native to the northern hemisphere. Culturally extremely important it has been cultivated for at least 5000 years. Fruits & Nuts Greater burdock (also edible burdock, lappa burdock) is a root vegetable native to Europe and Asia although mostly eaten in East Asia. Vegetables Green cardamom (also cardamom, Ceylon cardamom, true cardamom) is native to South and Southeast Asia. Is a common spice in various parts of Asia. Spices & Herbs Guar bean (also cluster bean) is mostly grown for its gelatin like quality when processed. Native to South Asia. Vegetables Hazelnut are several species belonging to the family corylus. Native to temperate regions in the northern hemisphere. Fruits & Nuts Herring are various species native to the North Atlantic and the North Pacific. Smoked, salted, fried and pickled it has been an importants staple food. Fish & Seafood Hijiki (also hiziki) is a sea vegetable native to coasts in the northwestern Pacific. It grows wild and is harvested. Vegetables Hilsa is a salt-and freshwater dwelling species. Only found in Bangladesh and on the Indian sub continenent where it is commonly eaten. Fish & Seafood Hops are the female flowers of several varieties of a plant called "humulus". Its botanical origins is in temparate regions in the northern hemisphere. Commonly used in beer making. Spices & Herbs
Horseradish is the root of a plant native to Europe and West Asia. Common around the world. Spices & Herbs Horses have been with humans for at least 5000 years. The modern horse breeds are derived from various wild ones, some of them extinct. At the time of domestication horses were found in Europe and in Asia, hence the horse was introduced to the Americas. Meat and milk from horses have been important sources of nutrition for humans. Livestock Hyacinth bean (also Indian bean, Egyptian bean) is native to Africa and South Asia. Vegetables Ice Cream exists in a number of varieties and has a long history. The ancient Chinese is believed to have been the first to eat one made from milk. A traditional way to make it is to slowly freeze flavoured cream, eggs is sometimes used to emulsify. Italy is famous for its "gelato" which is lower in fat and sugar than say what is sold in Western Europe. In the 1970´s in the US "frozen yoghurt" was invented. Dairy Products Indonesian cinnamon (also Padang Cassia, korintje) is one of the close relatives of true cinnamon. Is weaker in taste. Native to Southeast Asia. Spices & Herbs Ivy gourd is native to tropical regions in Asia, Australia and Africa. Vegetables Jackfruit this giant of a fruit is native to South and Southeast Asia. Fruits & Nuts Jambul (also Malabar plum, Portuguese plum, jambolan plum, duhat plum) is native to South and Southeast Asia. Fruits & Nuts Jasmine is a collective name for various species native to warmer regions in Africa, Europe and Asia. Very common in tea. It is mostly the flower that is used. Spices & Herbs Jujube (also red date, Chinese date) is native to various regions in Asia. Fruits & Nuts Kabosu is a green citrus fruit native to China, popular in Japan. Fruits & Nuts Kaffir lime leaves are the leaves from a species of lime native to Southeast Asia where it is widely used in cuisines. Spices & Herbs Kai lan (also Chinese broccoli, Chinese kale) is a broccoli like vegetable cultivated in China from wild cabbage. Vegetables Kefir is a fermented product that has its origin in the Caucasus. By adding a yeast like product to the milk the process commences. Dairy Products Kencur (also sand ginger, aromatic ginger, resurrection lily) is native to parts of South, East and Southeast Asia. Used as culinary herb mainly in parts of Indonesia. Spices & Herbs Kim is seaweed species that have been cultivated and eaten in Korea for hundreds of years. Same as nori and laver. Vegetables Kitembilla (also Ceylon Gooseberry) is native to Sri Lanka and southern India. Fruits & Nuts Kiwifruit (also Chinese gooseberry, kiwi, yang tao) is native to southern China. The national fruit of China. Fruits & Nuts Kokum (also wild mangosteen, red mango) is native to India. It is the bitter fruit that is prepared and used as a condiment. Spices & Herbs Kombu (also dashima, haidai) is a culinary kelp native to the northeastern Pacific. It has been cultivated since the 2oth century. Vegetables Kumis/Airag is a Central Asian slightly fermented drink. Traditionally a yeast/bacteria liquid is added to naturally sweet mare´s milk in a churning like process, today using sweetened cow´s milk is common today. Dairy Products Kurrat (also Egyptian leek) is a type of leek that started to be cultivated in the Middle East.. Vegetables
Langsat (also duku, lanzones) is native to Southeast Asia. Fruits & Nuts Lapsi is native to South and East Asia. Fruits & Nuts Lassi is an Indian yogurt drink. It is a mix with yogurt, milk, spices and sometimes fruit. Dairy Products Lavender are flowers from plants used in cooking. They are several species native to Europe, Asia and Africa. Spices & Herbs Leek is part of the onion family. Stems from wild species native to Europe and western Asia. Vegetables Lemon balm is a herb native to the Mediterranean. Belongs to the mint family and has a lemony scent and taste. Spices & Herbs Lemon is native to South and Southeast Asia. Fruits & Nuts Lemongrass (also silky heads, barbed wire grass, citronella grass) is a collective name for various species. The culinary kind is thought to have its botanical origin in India. Very common in Southeast and Asian cuisines. Spices & Herbs Lentil (also masoor dal) one of our earliest domesticated plants. Native to South and Southwest Asia. Many varieties exist. Vegetables Lettuce is a group of cultivars native to Asia and Europe, they vary a lot in shape, size and colour. The six main are: Chinese lettuce, butter head, iceberg, loose leaf, romaine and summer crisp. Vegetables Lime is a generic term for a number of citrus species native to Asia. They include key lime, kaffir lime and tahiti lime. Fruits & Nuts Limequat is a cross between kumquat and key lime. Fruits & Nuts Lingonberry (also cowberry, foxberry, quailberry, mountain cranberry, red whortleberry, lowbush cranberry, mountain bilberry, partridgeberry and redberry) is native to colder temperate areas in Asia, Europe and North America. This acid berry is used to make jams and juices. Fruits & Nuts Liquorice (also licorice) is a plant who is cultivated for its sweet root. Native to Asia and Europe. Mostly used in candy. Spices & Herbs Long pepper (also Indonesian- Indian- Javanese long pepper) related to the plant that gives us peppercorns. Native to South and Southeast Asia. Spices & Herbs Longan are small sweet fruit that grow on tall trees. Native to Southeast Asia. Fruits & Nuts Loquat (also Japanese medlar) is native to southeastern China. Is sweet and in some awys resemble the apple. Fruits & Nuts Lotus flower (also Indian lotus, sacred lotus, bean of India) is a flower native to Asia. All parts of the flower can be eaten. Vegetables Luffa (also loofah, lufah) are several cultivars from wild species native to tropical regions in Africa and Asia. Popular in Asia. Looks a bit like a cucumber. Vegetables Lychee (also litchi) is native to Southeast Asia. Priced for its health beneficial qualities. Fruits & Nuts Mabolo (also velvet apple) is native to the Philippines. Has a rancid smell. Fruits & Nuts Macadamia nut (also macadamia, bush nut, queen of nuts) is a nut native to Australia, Oceania and Sulawesi. Fruits & Nuts Mace is the derived from the fruit of the nutmeg tree native to the Spice Islands in Indonesia. Spices & Herbs Mahlad (also mahleb) is made from the seeds from the St Lucie cherry native to North Africa, Western and Central Asia and parts of Europe. A spice common in the Middle East. Spices & Herbs Malabar spinach (also red vine spinach, creeping spinach, climbing spinach) is a leaf vegetable native to tropical regions in Europe and Asia. Vegetables Malay apple (also Malacca apple, Malay rose apple) is native to Malaysia and Indonesia. Fruits & Nuts Malukhiyah are leaves popular in African and Asian cuisines. The various species are native to warmer regions throughout the world. Vegetables Malva (also mallow) is several species of plants native to Africa, Asia and Europe. The leafs are eaten. Vegetables Mandarin orange is native to China. Has many sub species like the clementine, the satsuma and the tangerine. Fruits & Nuts Mango is native to India. Many cultivars are gropwn around the world. Fruits & Nuts Mangosteen (also purple mangosteen) is native to Indonesia. There are other types but the purple one is the most common. Fruits & Nuts Marang (johey oak, green pedalai, tarap) is native to Borneo. Related to jackfruit. Fruits & Nuts
Marjoram (also sweet marjoram, knotted marjoram) is a plant native to the Mediterranean. The leafs are used as a culinary herb, mostly in Europe. Spices & Herbs Medlar are two species. The common medlar is native to Southwest Asia, while Stern´s medlar is native to North America. Fruits & Nuts Milk is generally referring to pasteurized cow´s milk. It is known that 5000BC cows were already kept to retain it. With time it spread all over the world, however milk consumtion is a lot higher in the Western world than anywhere else. It is the base for many other products, of which some I have listed below: Dairy Products Millet is a generic name for several species. Have been cultivated for about 10000 years which started in East Asia. Important in parts of Asia and Africa. Can grow in difficult and dry climates. Grains & Cereals Mizuna (also Japanese mustard, potherb mustard, Japanese greens, California peppergrass, spider mustard) was cultivated from species of wild mustard in East Asia. Vegetables Mulberry (also Morus) is a number of species af various shapes and colours. They are native to most regions on all continents except Australia. Fruits & Nuts Mung bean (also green bean, mash bean, green gram, golden gram, green soy) is native to South Asia. Vegetables Muskmelon is the "base" melon that has been developed into cultivars like honeydew and cantaloupe. Native to northwestern India. Fruits & Nuts Mustard greens (also brown mustard, Indian mustard, Chinese mustard, leaf mustard, green mustard cabbage) is native parts of Asia. The green leaves are used in cooking, the seeds are used as a spice and is very common around the world. Spices & Herbs Napa cabbage is a cultivar of Chinese cabbage, the main ingredient in Korean kimchi. Vegetables New Zealand spinach (also warrigal greens, sea spinach, botany bay spinach, tetragon, Cook's cabbage) is native to New Zealand, Australia, Japan, Chile and Argentina) is cultivated for its green leaves that are eaten fresh. Vegetables Noni (also great morinda, Indian mulberry, dog dumpling, beach mulberry, cheese fruit) is native to Australia and Southeast Asia. Fruits & Nuts Nori is the Japanese name for the edible seaweed known in Korea as kim and on the British Isles as laver. Cultivated. Vegetables Nutmeg is the seed from the nutmeg tree native to the Spice Islands in Indonesia. Spices & Herbs Oat the botanical ancestor is native to southwestern Asia. Has been cultivated for about 4000 years, first in Europe where it still is quite common. Also popular in North America. Grains & Cereals Ogonori (also ogo, sea moss) a type of seaweed eaten in Japan. Vegetables Onion is a collective name for several species in the allum family. Vegetables Orange (also sweet orange) is a hybrid of the mandarin orange and the pomelo, has its origins in Southeast Asia. Is base for many other subspecies. Fruits & Nuts Oregano (also wild marjoram) is a herb native to South Europe, Southwest Asia and the Mediterranean. There are many different cultivars that are typically connected to a region. Mostly used in Europe, Turkey, South and Central America. Spices & Herbs Paddy straw mushroom is very common in Chinese cuisine. Started to be cultivated in China in the 19th century, it is native to East Asia. Mushrooms Pandan is a collective name for various species sometimes used in Southeast Asian cooking. Leaves and flowers are what is utilized. Spices & Herbs Parsley is a mainly two varieties of a herb commonly used in cooking. Native to the Mediterranean. Spices & Herbs Parsnip is a close relative to root parley and carrot. Has its origins in the Mediterranean. Very important in Europe before the potato arrived. Vegetables
Parwal (also green potato, pointed gourd, potol) probably cultivated from wild species native to India. Vegetables Pea are several cultivars stemming from the wild pea that is native to the Mediterranean and the Middle East. Varieties are garden peas (of which there are several others) and split peas. Vegetables Peach (also persica) is a fruit native to China. Fruits & Nuts Pear is a fruit native to Europe, Northern Africa and Asia. Fruits & Nuts Peppercorns is a quite confusing term since it can refer to many different spices. Peppercorns are from a plant that has its botanical roots in South and Southeast Asia. Black-, white-orange- and green peppercorns are obtained through different processes from the same corn. Spices & Herbs Perilla (also silam, beefsteak plant, purple mint, Japanese basil) is a type of mint native to Asia. Spices & Herbs Persimmon is a collective name for several species. The mabolo of the Philippines, the black persimmon of Mexico and the by far most common Japanese persimmon (also known as kaki, shizi or sharon) native to China. Fruits & Nuts Pewa is a fruit from a palm tree native to South and Central America. Fruits & Nuts Pheasants The many species of pheasants are all domestic to Europe and Asia. They have been bred for meat and feathers for hundreds of years. Livestock Pig is domesticated offspring from the Wild Boar. They were first bred by humans more than 9000 years ago. Were kept for their meat. The Wild Boar is native to Europe, North Africa and Asia. Livestock Pigeon pea (also Congo pea, gungo pea, no eye pea) most probably cultivated first in South Asia. An important crop in India. Vegetables Pili nut is native to the Philippines. Fruits & Nuts Pistachio a highly priced nut native to southwestern Asia. Fruits & Nuts Plaice are different species of flatfish native to the northern hemisphere. Popular. Fish & Seafood Plantain is harder less sweet varieties of the species musa commonly used in cooking. Many times referred to as cooking bananas. Origin in South and Southeast Asia. Fruits & Nuts Plum (also gage) is believed to have its roots in southwestern Asia. Fruits & Nuts Pomegranate seeds (also anardana) is used as a spice in Pakistani and Indian cuisine. Is native to Iran and Himalayan India. Spices & Herbs Pomegranate (also grenadine) is native to southwestern Asia. Cultivated for thousands of years. Fruits & Nuts Pomelo (also Chinese grapefruit, jabong, lusho fruit, pompelmous, papanas, shaddock) is the largest of all citrus fruits, has its origins in Southeast Asia. Fruits & Nuts Poppy seed is obtained from the plant opium poppy native to Europe and Asia. The seed is either used as a spice or for its oil. Spices & Herbs Pulasan a fruit closely related to the rambutan. Is native to Southeast Asia. Fruits & Nuts Quince native to Caucasus in Western Asia. A fruit mostly used in cooking. Fruits & Nuts Rabbits are native to all inhabited continents Australia where their introduction has had disastrous consequences for the ecosystem. Have been bred for meat and pelt for over a thousand years. Livestock Rambutan is native to South and Southeast Asia. Fruits & Nuts Rapini (also broccoli rabe, brocoletti) is believed to have its origins in China. Popular in Italy. Related to turnip. Vegetables
Raspberry native to temperate areas in Asia, Europe and North America. Fruits & Nuts Redcurrant belong to the family ribes. Used to make jellies. Native to temperate areas in the northern hemisphere. The albino version is known as whitecurrant. Fruits & Nuts Reindeer have been herded by indigenous populations at least since the 17th century. The wild species were native to sub-arctic tundra like environments in the northern hemisphere - Russia, Norway, Sweden, Canada and US etc. Meat and milk is consumed. Livestock Rhubarb is native to East Asia. Vegetables Rice paddy herb is native to Southeast Asia where it is used as a herb. Spices & Herbs Rice was cultivated from wild rice first by the Chinese about 10000 years ago. Independantly that also happened in Nigeria about 1000 BC. Very important in tropical regions of the world. White rice is obtained through milling processes, brown rice is only milled once and considered a whole grain. Grains & Cereals Rocket (also rucola, aragula) is a strong tasting leaf plant native to the Mediterranean. Vegetables Root parsley (also Hamburg root parsley) is a type of parsley that has a root that can be used in cooking. It is native to the Mediterranean. Vegetables Rose hip is a berry like fruit that grows on of rose bushes native to Europe, North America, Africa and Asia. Used for soups, jams and teas. Fruits & Nuts Rosemary is a popular herb native to the Mediterranean. Spices & Herbs Rye has its botanical origin in the Near East. Was first cultivated in Turkey about 5000 years ago but only became important in Europe about 1500 BC. It still is grown mostly in parts of Europe. Grains & Cereals Safflower is native to Europe, Asia and North Africa. In ancient times a common culinary herb, nowadays mostly grown for to produce oil. Spices & Herbs Saffron the most expensive spice in the world is obtianed from the pteals of the saffron crocus. It is native to southwestern Asia. Treasured around the world. Spices & Herbs Sage (also salvia, common sage, culinary sage, garden sage, kitchen sage) is native to the Mediterranean. There are a few cultivars. Spices & Herbs Saigon cinnamon (also Vietnamese cinnamon, Vietnamese cassia) is native to Southeast Asia. Very closely related to true cinnamon but slightly weaker in taste. Spices & Herbs Salak (also snake fruit) is native to Malaysia and Indonesia. Fruits & Nuts Salmon are large species of the salmonidae family that migrate between salt and fresh water. The steelhead kind is what is common in Europe. Domestic to the Northern hemisphere it is also cultivated in Chile and Australia. Fish & Seafood Santol (also sandorica, wild mangosteen) is native to Southeast Asia. Fruits & Nuts Sassafras are a few species of trees native to East North America and East Asia. The leaves are used to make filé powder. Spices & Herbs Scallion (also spring onion, Welch onion, salad onion, onion sticks, green onion) are several species of onions where the fresh stalks are used. Origins in Asia.Vegetables Sea beet is the wild ancestor to vegetables like beetroot, chard and sugar beet. Native to parts of Africa, Asia and Europe. Vegetables Sea buckthorn (also seaberry, sandthorn) is native to Asia and Europe. Has many uses, many of them medicinal. Fruits & Nuts Sesame seeds are harvested from a plant that was first cultivated in India. Is very common in cuisines all over the world, particularly in Asia. The oil from the seed is also used for flavouring. Spices & Herbs
Sheep is the result of domestication of the mouflon that is native to Eastern Europe and south and central western Asia, this happened around 10000 BC. Milk and meat is readily consumed. Livestock Shiitake (also forest mushroom) One of the more common mushrooms and a vital ingredient in East Asian cuisine where it also has its origins. Mushrooms Sichuan pepper (also szechuan pepper) is native to Asia. Despite its name it is not related to other common peppers and has a quite different taste. The whole plant can be used. Spices & Herbs Snake gourd (also serpent gourd) is a very long vegetable fruit native to South and Southeast Asia. Vegetables Snakehead is a group of freshwater dwelling fish. Native to Africa and Asia but spread around the world. Fish & Seafood Sorghum is native to warmer regions around the world. Important in Africa, and southern Asia and Central America. Grains & Cereals Sorrel is (also spinach dock, common sorrel, garden sorrel)is a herbal plant native to Europe, Asia and Africa. There are several related species that have the name sorrel in it. Spices & Herbs Soybean (also Soya bean) is native to East Asia. Very important for thousands of years. Other then to be cooked it is used to make oil, soy milk and tofu. Vegetables Spearmint is native to Europe and southwestern Asia. Is as the name suggests a mint. Widely grown to extract its oil. Spices & Herbs Spelt is a type of wheat that used to be important in Europe until the Middle Ages. Is a natural hybrid between emmer wheat and wild gota grass, it occurred in the Near East. Grains & Cereals Spinach beet leaves is a leaf vegetable native to Europe and Asia, the root being, is attached to a beetroot. Vegetables Spinach is native to Central and southwestern Asia, has been cultivated for thousands of years. There are several cultivars like Savoy, semi Savoy and leaf spinach. Vegetables Star anise (also star aniseed, Chinese star anise) is native to southwestern China. Is not related to anise but is similar in taste and has replaced the latter in many uses. Spices & Herbs Stinging nettle (also common nettle) is native to Europe, Asia, North Africa and North America. Is similar and used in same ways as spinach. Spices & Herbs Strawberry guava (also Cattley guava, lemon guava, waiawi) is native to tropical South America. A smaller cousin to the guava. Fruits & Nuts Sugar apple (also sweetsop) is native to the Americas and southern Asia. Also known as custard apple and can thus be confused with the other species. Fruits & Nuts Sugar beet is a variety of beet that is native to Asia and Europe. Is mostly grown to produce sugar. Vegetables Sweet limetta (also Mediterranean sweet lemon, sweet lemon, sweet lime, sathukudi, mosambi) is native to South and Southeast Asia. Fruits & Nuts Sweet orange (also orange) is a hybrid of the mandarin orange and the pomelo, has its origins in Southeast Asia. Is base for many other subspecies. Fruits & Nuts Tangerine is a variety of the mandarin orange native to East and Southeast Asia. Fruits & Nuts Taro (also arrowroot, dasheen) is a plant grown both for its root and its leaves. Native to Indonesia but early on spread around the world. Vegetables Tarragon (also dragon herb, dragon´s wort) is a group of plants native to the northern hemisphere. The kind cultivated in Europe known as French tarragon is regarded as best from a culinary perspective. Spices & Herbs
Thornapple (also hawthorn, crataegus) grows in temperate areas in Asia, Europe and North America. Is many times used for sweets and snacks. Fruits & Nuts Thyme is a collective name for several cultivars of a plant that is used as a herb, examples are lemon thyme and common thyme. Common in kitchens in Asia, Europe and Africa. Native to the Old World. Spices & Herbs Tinda (also Indian round gourd, apple gourd, Indian baby pumpkin) is a gourd native to India. Vegetables Trout are the freshwater dwelling species of the "salmonidae" family. Native to Europe, Asia and North America - although have been spread to other continents by sport fishing enthusiasts. Fish & Seafood Turmeric is a plant native to South Asia. The ground root is used for colouring. The leaves is used as a herb. Spices & Herbs Turnip is a root vegetable grown in temperate regions around the world. Cultivated thousands of years ago in Asia and Europe from the wild turnip mustard. The leaves are also eaten. Vegetables Wakame is culinary seaweed that is cultivated in Japan and in Korea. Vegetables Walnut are several species native to the northern hemisphere. Fruits & Nuts Wampee small grape like fruits, native to Southeast Asia. Fruits & Nuts Wasabi (also Japanese horseradish) is a very strong tasting root of a plant native to Japan where it is a commonly used spice. Is related to horseradish. Spices & Herbs Water Buffalo has it´s origins in wild buffalos in Southeast Asia. Since 5000 years they have been in use by humans. The meat is eaten but it is the milk that is the big nutrient source, cheese and yogurt is made from the fatty liquid. Livestock Water chestnut (also Chinese water chestnut) is a water growing plant cultivated for its edible roots. Native to East Asia. Vegetables Water spinach (also water morning glory, Chinese spinach, swamp cabbage) is native to Southeast Asia. Very common in various Asian cuisines. Vegetables Watercress is native to Europe and Asia. Belongs to the cabbage family, lives in or close to fresh water. Used as a herb and a leaf vegetable. Spices & Herbs, Vegetables Waterleaf (also Surinam purslane, Philippine spinach, sweetheart, Florida spinach, Ceylon spinach) is a leafy herb important in tropical regions around the world. Native to both the New and the Old World. Vegetables Wheat was first cultivated in the ancient cultures from the fertile crescent in the Near East. The modern cultivars have evolved a lot through breeding. Grains & Cereals Whey is the liquid that gets separated from the curd in cheese making. It can be used in baking or for other foods. Dairy Products White mustard seeds (also yellow mustard) is seeds from a type of mustard. Not so common. Native to the Mediterranean. Spices & Herbs Wild rice the wild ancestors of rice is still harvested in parts of North America. There are 4 main species, 3 domestic to North America and one to Asia and Africa. Grains & Cereals Winged bean (also Goa bean) is native to Papua New Guinea. Vegetables Winter melon (also white gourd, ash gourd, fuzzy melon) is native to Southeast Asia. Vegetables Winter mushroom (also enokitake) Has been cultivated in Japan for over 300 years. Is native to East Asia. Mushrooms Wolfberry (also goji berry, mede berry, matrimony vine, bocksdorn, murali, red medlar) is native to temperate regions in Asia and southeastern Europe. Fruits & Nuts
Yak is native to Tibet and Nepal. In use by humans for thousands of years, as a beats of burden but also for meat and milk. Vegetables Yam is several cultivars of root vegetables native to Asia and Africa. Sometimes confused with sweet potato but they are not the same thing. Vegetables Yangmei (also yamamomo, yumberry, Chinese bayberry, Japanese bayberry, Red bayberry) is native to eastern Asia. Fruits & Nuts Yard long bean (also snake bean, asparagus bean, long podded cowpea, Chinese long bean) is native to Southeast Asia. Eaten fresh - raw or prepared. Vegetables Yogurt is created by fermenting milk with the help of certain bacteria. The process creates lactic acid. It holds much longer than ordinary milk. It is used in many other foods as breads and icecream. it has been consumed for at laest 5000 years, the origin is the Middle East or Central Asia. Dairy Products Za'atar (also zaatar, zaktar, satar) is a spice mix from the Middle East that contains cultivars of oregano, basil, thyme and savoury. Spices & Herbs Zedoary is a plant native to India and Indonesia. The root is used either dry or fresh as a spice. Spices & Herbs
Australia & Oceania
Amarella (also Malay apple, golden apple, pommecythere, juplon, caja-manga) is native to Melanesia and Polynesia in the Pacific. Fruits & Nuts Betel nut is actually areca nuts wrapped in betel leaves. Native to Asia and the Pacific. Mildly narcotic. Fruits & Nuts Breadfruit is native to Southeast Asia and the Pacific but are commonly grown around the world. Fruits & Nuts Coconut is found in tropical regions around the world. Has spread with the help of currents and migration. Fresh green coconut are popular for its liquid. The dried older coconuts provide the white pulp from which many products are made, among them coconut milk. Fruits & Nuts Cuttlefish related to squids and octopuses. Found in salt waters in East and South Asia, Europe, Africa and Australia. Fish & Seafood Desert quandong is native to desert areas in Australia. Fruits & Nuts Emu is the Australian ostrich. Thy have been farmed since the 80´s, they provide leather, oil and meat. Livestock Ivy gourd is native to tropical regions in Asia, Australia and Africa. Vegetables Lemon myrtle (also lemon scented ironwood, lemon scented myrtle) is native to Australia and its lemony flavour has many culinary uses. Spices & Herbs Macadamia nut (also macadamia, bush nut, queen of nuts) is a nut native to Australia, Oceania and Sulawesi. Fruits & Nuts Mountain pepper (also cornish pepper leaf) is peppery leafs from a plant native to Australia. Spices & Herbs New Zealand spinach (also warrigal greens, sea spinach, botany bay spinach, tetragon, Cook's cabbage) is native to New Zealand, Australia, Japan, Chile and Argentina) is cultivated for its green leaves that are eaten fresh. Vegetables Noni (also great morinda, Indian mulberry, dog dumpling, beach mulberry, cheese fruit) is native to Australia and Southeast Asia. Fruits & Nuts Riberry (also small leaved lilli pilli, cherry satinash, cherry alder, or clove lilli pilli) is a berry native to Australia. Fruits & Nuts Waterleaf (also Surinam purslane, Philippine spinach, sweetheart, Florida spinach, Ceylon spinach) is a leafy herb important in tropical regions around the world. Native to both the New and the Old World. Vegetables
Alexanders (also alisanders horse parsley, smyrnium) is native to North Africa, Europe and southwestern Asia. Appreciated by both Romans and Greeks, replaced today by the similar celery. Spices & Herbs Anise (also aniseed) is native to the Mediterranean and southwestern Asia. In use in Europe and Asia. Spices & Herbs Apple mint (also wooly mint, hierbabuena) is native to Europe and used in European cooking. Spices & Herbs Artichoke (also globe artichoke) is native to southern Europe. Is the actual flower of a thistle. Vegetables Asparagus are several types, originally native to West Asia, North Africa and Europe. Vegetables BarleyWild barley is native to Africa, Europe and Asia. Widely grown as a base for beverages like beer. Very important in Europe before wheat took over. Grains & Cereals Beetroot (garden beet, red beet, table beet) is a common cultivated variety of beet that is native to Europe and Asia. Both root and leafs can be used. Vegetables Bilberry (also blåbär, whortleberry, ground hurts, whinberry, wimberry, myrtle blueberry and fraughanare) is native in temperate regions in Asia and Europe. Fruits & Nuts Black mustard is native to southern Europe but has spread to various cuisines like in India and in Africa. Spices & Herbs Black salsify (also Spanish salsify, black oyster plant, serpent root, viper's herb, viper's grass) is a root vegetable native to southern Europe and southwestern Asia. Vegetables Blackberry are several species that are native to temperate areas in Asia, Europe, North America and South America. Fruits & Nuts Blackcurrant (also cassis) belongs to the family ribes. Used to make jellies and drinks. Native to temperate areas in the northern hemisphere. Fruits & Nuts Blood orange (also red orange) are bitter mutations of the sweet orange and native to Europe. Fruits & Nuts Broccoli is the actual flower of a plant in the family brassicaceae. It was cultivated in Europe about 2000 years ago from a type of wild cabbage. There are several cultivars. Vegetables Brussels (also Brussel sprouts) was cultivated from wild cabbage in Europe, probably as early as the 13th century. Vegetables Buckwheat is actually a plant that has its botanical origin in two species, one native to North America and the other to Europe and Asia It was first domesticated in China about 8000 years ago. Grains & Cereals Button mushroom (also champignon) is by far the most commonly grown mushroom. Varieties are portobello and crimini. It is native to Europe and North America. Mushrooms Cabbage (also head cabbage, heading cabbage) was cultivated in ancient times from wild mustard native to the Mediterranean. Vegetables Caper (also caper berry) is native to the Mediterranean. Mostly consumed pickled. Spices & Herbs Caraway (also Persian cumin, Meridian fennel) is native to West Asia, North Africa and Europe. Are grown for their small fruits that are very popular in cuisines in Europe. Not to be confused with cumin so common in Indian cuisine. Spices & Herbs Cardoon (also artichoke thistle) is closely related to the globe artichoke. Native to Mediterranean Europe. Vegetables Carob is native to the Mediterranean. The pod was popular in many ancient cultures like the Egyptian. Fruits & Nuts Carp include several species. Has been cultivated for thousands of years. Is native to Europe and Asia. Fish & Seafood
Carrot is the cultivated form of wild carrot that is native to Europe and southwestern Asia. related to parsley. Vegetables Cattle of the family bovinae is one of our most important and loved livestock animals. They have been domesticated for over 8000 years providing us with milk and dairy products. Today they are spread out all over the world, originally they all stem from a now extinct wild species known as auroch, these huge animals lived in Europe, Asia and North Africa. There are many breeds all around the world, specialiced in producing milk, leather or meat. Livestock Cauliflower mushroom (also sparassus) is native to Europe and North America. It has only started to be cultivated recently. Mushrooms Cauliflower are various cultivars originating in wild cabbage. First surged in Mediterranean Europe. Vegetables Celery root (also celeriac, turnip rooted celery, knob celery) is a type of celery grown for its root. Native to Asia and Europe. Vegetables Celery (also Chinese spinach) is cultivated from wild celery native to temperate regions in Asia and Europe. Vegetables Char is closely related to salmon and trout. Dwell in really cold fresh water. Native to North America, Europe and Asia. Fish & Seafood Chard (also perpetual spinach, Swiss chard, silver beet, spinach beet, crab beet, mangold,) are the cultivars of beet with edible leafs. Descendant of the wild sea beet native to parts of Europe, Africa and Asia. Vegetables Cheese is manufactured by various methods of coagulating milk and thus removing liquid called whey, rennet is normally added to this "curd" to make it stabilize. The cheese can then sit to let ripen creating taste with thge help of bacteria and sometimes mold fungus. There are hundreds of methods where cheese can be cooked, dried or flavoured before consumed. The orgin of cheese is uncertain, but to say several thousands of years ago somewhere in the Middle East, Europe or Northern Africa you won´t be wrong. Dairy Products Cherry is a generic term for various species native to northern America, Europe and Asia. The original cherry is native to Europe. Fruits & Nuts Chervil (also garden chervil, gourmet´s parsley) is a leaf herb domesticated in Europe. Common in the French kitchen. Spices & Herbs Chicory is an herb native to Europe. The roots are grown to make a coffee substitute. The leaves are cultivated for use in salads, the many times known as endive. Vegetables Clabber could be translated as curdled sour milk. Origin is the British Isles. Dairy Products Clawed lobsters are two saltwater dwelling species only found in the Atlantic north of the equator. Priced for their good taste. Fish & Seafood Clotted cream from South England. Made by heating milk unpasteurized milk and leaving it until the cream rises to the surface. Traditionally eaten with scones. Dairy Products Cloudberry (also bakeapple) part of the mulberry family. Grows in colder temperate areas in the northern hemisphere. Many times used in jams. Fruits & Nuts Cod is one of our more popular foods. Eaten dried, smoked or fresh. Is a number of species found in the Northern Atlantic, the Arctic and the Western Pacific oceans, other tha cod you have pollock. The commercial fishing has been concentrated to the Atlantic cod, overfishing has created problems. Fish & Seafood Collard greens was cultivated from wild cabbage native to the Mediterranean. Vegetables Common ling native to the North Atlantic. Large. Fish & Seafood Common sole native to the Eastern North Atlantic until the Mediterranean. Very popular, the meat is expensive. Fish & Seafood Condensed milk exist in various formulas, normally it is a high fat product that is obtained by removing water and adding sugar. Often used in desserts. Although similar products were used over a thousand years ago in Central Asia the modern form was invented in Europe in the early 19th century. Dairy Products
Coriander is native to South Europe, North Africa and Southwest Asia. Is a plant whose leaves and fruits (seeds) are used. The leaves are also known as cilantro, coriander leaves and Chinese parsley. Is an integral part of many cuisines all over the world. Spices & Herbs Corn salad (also Lewiston corn salad, lamb's lettuce, field salad, rapunzel) is a leafy green native to Europe, western Asia and North Africa. Vegetables Cottage cheese is a loose "curd" that still holds quite a lot of whey. Often mild in flavour. Can be made with or withour rennet with different results. Origin and age is quite unknown, it can probably be connected with general cheese making. Dairy Products Cranberry is native to colder temperate areas in Asia, Europe and North America. Mainly used to make juice and jam. Fruits & Nuts Cream cheese is derived through a quite complicated process. Bacterias are added to a milk and cream mixture and then carefully balanced through different temperatures to achieve the creamyness. Origin is 17th century Western Europe. Dairy Products Crème fraiche As the name suggest it has its origins in France, more exactly in Normandy. It is made by letting unpasteurized milk ferment during 12-24h, with pasteurized milk you have to add bacteria (normally from yoghurt) to achieve the same result. Dairy Products Cultured buttermilk you get from adding a lactic bacteria to milk provocing a fermentation process. Can be used in bread or icecream making. A related products is the Swedish "filmjölk". Origin is somewhere in Europe, Asia or Africa.Dairy Products Curd is the solified form of milk when it has coagulated with the help of acid or rennet. Dairy Products Cuttlefish related to squids and octopuses. Found in salt waters in East and South Asia, Europe, Africa and Australia. Fish & Seafood Dabberlocks (also badderlocks, winged kelp) is a seaweed harvested and eaten in the North Atlantic. Native to the North Atlantic and Alaska. Vegetables Deer have only recently started to be domesticated for meat production. Deer are native to all continents except Australia and Antarctica. Livestock Dill is a herb native to Europe and West asia that has been in use for thousands of years. First cultivated in Central Europe. Very common in Scandinavian and Russian cuisine. Both the leaves and the seeds are harvested. Spices & Herbs Dulse (also dillisk, dilsk, red dulse, sea lettuce flakes, creathnach) is red algae native to oceans in the northern hemisphere where it is also harvested and eaten. Vegetables Elephant garlic is a plant closely related to the leek. It is cultivated from wild garlic that is native to southern Europe and western Asia. Spices & Herbs, Vegetables Endive cultivated from wild specimens of the chicory family native to Europe. Its leaves are used in salads. There are several endive cultivars like frisé and escarole. Vegetables Fennel seeds are harvested from the fennel herb native to the Mediterranean. in use for thousands of years. Ingredient in Asian and European kitchens. Spices & Herbs Fenugreek is a plant native to Europe and Asia. The leaves and the seeds are used. Fenugreek seeds are very common in Indian cuisine but also is found in some European, African and other Asian kitchens. Spices & Herbs Fig grow on fig trees, is native to southeastern Europe and southwestern Asia. There are several hundred species. Fruits & Nuts Florence fennel (also finocchio) is a variety of the fennel herb that has a swollen root. Native to the coasts of the Mediterranean. Vegetables Flounders are several species of flatfish native to the Northern Atlantic and the Pacific. Fish & Seafood Garden angelica (also holy ghost, wild celery, Norwegian angelica) is native to Scandinavia and Greenland. Spices & Herbs Garden cress (also garden pepper cress, pepper grass, pepperwort, poor man's pepper) is a leafy herb native to Europe and Asia. Vegetables
Goat All species of goat has it´s origin from the a wild goat that is domestic to Eastern Europe and southwestern Asia. Has been domesticated for about 10000 years and is one of our most valued livestock. Providers of milk and meat. Livestock Goose Are domesticated fowl from two species, one native to East Asia and the other to Europe, North Africa and Western Asia. There is proof that Egyptians bred them 3000 BC. Foodwise they provide meat and eggs. Livestock Gooseberry belong to the ribes family. Native to alpine regions in Europe and Western Asia. Fruits & Nuts Grape are various species native to the northern hemisphere. Culturally extremely important it has been cultivated for at least 5000 years. Fruits & Nuts Greater burdock (also edible burdock, lappa burdock) is a root vegetable native to Europe and Asia although mostly eaten in East Asia. Vegetables Haddock is a popular food fish the North Atlantic. Fish & Seafood Halibut is native to the the North Pacific and the North Atlantic. Can weigh up to 300 kg. not the same as flounder. Fish & Seafood Hazelnut are several species belonging to the family corylus. Native to temperate regions in the northern hemisphere. Fruits & Nuts Herring are various species native to the North Atlantic and the North Pacific. Smoked, salted, fried and pickled it has been an importants staple food. Fish & Seafood Hops are the female flowers of several varieties of a plant called "humulus". Its botanical origins is in temparate regions in the northern hemisphere. Commonly used in beer making. Spices & Herbs Horseradish is the root of a plant native to Europe and West Asia. Common around the world. Spices & Herbs Horses have been with humans for at least 5000 years. The modern horse breeds are derived from various wild ones, some of them extinct. At the time of domestication horses were found in Europe and in Asia, hence the horse was introduced to the Americas. Meat and milk from horses have been important sources of nutrition for humans. Livestock Indian pea (also grass pea, blue sweet pea, white pea, chickling vetch, Indian vetch, white vetch grow) is believed to be native to Central Europe. Vegetables Jasmine is a collective name for various species native to warmer regions in Africa, Europe and Asia. Very common in tea. It is mostly the flower that is used. Spices & Herbs Kale (also borecole) cultivated in Europe from wild cabbage. There are several cultivars with leaves of different shapes and sizes. Vegetables Kohlrabi (also German turnip) was cultivated from wild cabbage in what is believed Central Europe. Vegetables Lavender are flowers from plants used in cooking. They are several species native to Europe, Asia and Africa. Spices & Herbs Laver is species of edible seaweed cultivated and harvested in the Northeast Atlantic. Same as nori and kim. Vegetables Leek is part of the onion family. Stems from wild species native to Europe and western Asia. Vegetables Lemon balm is a herb native to the Mediterranean. Belongs to the mint family and has a lemony scent and taste. Spices & Herbs Lettuce is a group of cultivars native to Asia and Europe, they vary a lot in shape, size and colour. The six main are: Chinese lettuce, butter head, iceberg, loose leaf, romaine and summer crisp. Vegetables Lingonberry (also cowberry, foxberry, quailberry, mountain cranberry, red whortleberry, lowbush cranberry, mountain bilberry, partridgeberry and redberry) is native to colder temperate areas in Asia, Europe and North America. This acid berry is used to make jams and juices. Fruits & Nuts Liquorice (also licorice) is a plant which is cultivated for its sweet root. Native to Asia and Europe. Mostly used in candy. Spices & Herbs Lophius are various species native to the coasts off Europe. Strange and sinister looking they are known as monkfish, goosefish and sea-devils. In Sweden fishermen would fill them with stones nad throw them back in thinking they were bad luck, today they are priced for their tasty meat. Fish & Seafood
Lovage is native to Europe. Seeds and leaves are used in South European cooking. Spices & Herbs Mahlad (also mahleb) is made from the seeds from the St Lucie cherry native to North Africa, Western and Central Asia and parts of Europe. A spice common in the Middle East. Spices & Herbs Malabar spinach (also red vine spinach, creeping spinach, climbing spinach) is a leaf vegetable native to tropical regions in Europe and Asia. Vegetables Malva (also mallow) is several species of plants native to Africa, Asia and Europe. The leafs are eaten. Vegetables Marjoram (also sweet marjoram, knotted marjoram) is a plant native to the Mediterranean. The leafs are used as a culinary herb, mostly in Europe. Spices & Herbs Milk Powder i dehydrated milk. The first real powdered milk was invented by a Russian chemist in 1832. Long shelf time and easy transportation are advantages. Is used in the process of making various other products like icecream, infant formula and milk chocolate. Dairy Products Milk is generally referring to pasteurized cow´s milk. It is known that 5000BC cows were already kept to retain it. With time it spread all over the world, however milk consumtion is a lot higher in the Western world than anywhere else. It is the base for many other products, of which some I have listed below: Dairy Products Morels are several species native to North America and Europe. Are poisonous so preparation has to be careful. In the 20th century it was found out that they grow on old papermill grounds. You can actually grow them yourself by digging down some newspapers in sandy soil and hope for some spores to arrive. Mushrooms Mulberry (also Morus) is a number of species af various shapes and colours. They are native to most regions on all continents except Australia. Fruits & Nuts Onion is a collective name for several species in the allum family. Vegetables Oregano (also wild marjoram) is a herb native to South Europe, Southwest Asia and the Mediterranean. There are many different cultivars that are typically connected to a region. Mostly used in Europe, Turkey, South and Central America. Spices & Herbs Parsley is a mainly two varieties of a herb commonly used in cooking. Native to the Mediterranean. Spices & Herbs Parsnip is a close relative to root parley and carrot. Has its origins in the Mediterranean. Very important in Europe before the potato arrived. Vegetables Pea are several cultivars stemming from the wild pea that is native to the Mediterranean and the Middle East. Varieties are garden peas (of which there are several others) and split peas. Vegetables Pear is a fruit native to Europe, Northern Africa and Asia. Fruits & Nuts Peppermint is a natural hybrid mint native to Europe. Just as flavour in candy and desserts. Spices & Herbs Pheasants The many species of pheasants are all domestic to Europe and Asia. They have been bred for meat and feathers for hundreds of years. Livestock Pig is domesticated offspring from the Wild Boar. They were first bred by humans more than 9000 years ago. Were kept for their meat. The Wild Boar is native to Europe, North Africa and Asia. Livestock Pike is a number of fish species found in North America, Europe and Russia. Fresh water dwelling but also found in the Baltic Sea. Fish & Seafood Plaice are different species of flatfish native to the northern hemisphere. Popular. Fish & Seafood Poppy seed is obtained from the plant opium poppy native to Europe and Asia. The seed is either used as a spice or for its oil. Spices & Herbs Qvark is a low fat fresh cheese with its origin in Eastern Europe. Dairy Products Rabbits are native to all inhabited continents Australia where their introduction has had disastrous consequences for the ecosystem. Have been bred for meat and pelt for over a thousand years. Livestock Radicchio (also lollorosso) is an endive first cultivated in Italy. Vegetables Radish are several varieties first cultivated in Europe over 2000 years ago. Vegetables
Ramsons (also wild garlic, buckrams, bear´s garlic) is a wild species of onions. Is native to Europe. Spices & Herbs Raspberry native to temperate areas in Asia, Europe and North America. Fruits & Nuts Redcurrant belong to the family ribes. Used to make jellies. Native to temperate areas in the northern hemisphere. The albino version is known as whitecurrant. Fruits & Nuts Reindeer have been herded by indigenous populations at least since the 17th century. The wild species were native to sub-arctic tundra like environments in the northern hemisphere - Russia, Norway, Sweden, Canada and US etc. Meat and milk is consumed. Livestock Rocket (also rucola, aragula) is a strong tasting leaf plant native to the Mediterranean. Vegetables Root parsley (also Hamburg root parsley) is a type of parsley that has a root that can be used in cooking. It is native to the Mediterranean. Vegetables Rose hip is a berry like fruit that grows on of rose bushes native to Europe, North America, Africa and Asia. Used for soups, jams and teas. Fruits & Nuts Rosemary is a popular herb native to the Mediterranean. Spices & Herbs Rutabaga (also swede, Swedish turnip, yellow turnip) is a root vegetable that is a cross between cabbage and turnip, the leaves are also eaten. Is believed to have been native to Russia or Sweden and brought to Sweden or vice versa by the Vikings. Vegetables Safflower is native to Europe, Asia and North Africa. In ancient times a common culinary herb, nowadays mostly grown for to produce oil. Spices & Herbs Sage (also salvia, common sage, culinary sage, garden sage, kitchen sage) is native to the Mediterranean. There are a few cultivars. Spices & Herbs Salmon are large species of the salmonidae family that migrate between salt and fresh water. The steelhead kind is what is common in Europe. Domestic to the Northern hemisphere it is also cultivated in Chile and Australia. Fish & Seafood Savory is a generic name for various herbs from the same family. summer- and winter savory are the most common for culinary uses. Both are native to Europe. Spices & Herbs Sea beet is the wild ancestor to vegetables like beetroot, chard and sugar beet. Native to parts of Africa, Asia and Europe. Vegetables Sea buckthorn (also seaberry, sandthorn) is native to Asia and Europe. Has many uses, many of them medicinal. Fruits & Nuts Sheep is the result of domestication of the mouflon that is native to Eastern Europe and south and central western Asia, this happened around 10000 BC. Milk and meat is readily consumed. Livestock Shipova (also Bolwiller pear) is a hybrid between a pear and a type of berry.Native to France. Fruits & Nuts Smetana is sour cream with its origin in Eastern Europe. The fat content can vary between 10% until 70%. Dairy Products Sorrel is (also spinach dock, common sorrel, garden sorrel)is a herbal plant native to Europe, Asia and Africa. There are several related species that have the name sorrel in it. Spices & Herbs Sour cream I similar to Crème fraiche but has a lower fat level. The bacteria used to create fermentation is from buttermilk, different thickening agents can be added. Sourcream has European origin but is most common in the US. Dairy Products Spearmint is native to Europe and southwestern Asia. Is as the name suggests a mint. Widely grown to extract its oil. Spices & Herbs Spinach beet leaves is a leaf vegetable native to Europe and Asia, the root being, is attached to a beetroot. Vegetables Squash is collective name for cultivars of both so called "winter-" and "summer squash". Native to the Americas. Vegetables Stinging nettle (also common nettle) is native to Europe, Asia, North Africa and North America. Is similar and used in same ways as spinach. Spices & Herbs Sugar beet is a variety of beet that is native to Asia and Europe. Is mostly grown to produce sugar. Vegetables
Tarragon (also dragon herb, dragon´s wort) is a group of plants native to the northern hemisphere. The kind cultivated in Europe known as French tarragon is regarded as best from a culinary perspective. Spices & Herbs Thyme is a collective name for several cultivars of a plant that is used as a herb, examples are lemon thyme and common thyme. Common in kitchens in Asia, Europe and Africa. Native to the Old World. Spices & Herbs Triticale is a wheat/rye manmade hybrid that came to be in 19th century Europe. Has its strongest base in Europe. Grains & Cereals Trout are the freshwater dwelling species of the "salmonidae" family. Native to Europe, Asia and North America - although have been spread to other continents by sport fishing enthusiasts. Fish & Seafood Turnip is a root vegetable grown in temperate regions around the world. Cultivated thousands of years ago in Asia and Europe from the wild turnip mustard. The leaves are also eaten. Vegetables Walnut are several species native to the northern hemisphere. Fruits & Nuts Watercress is native to Europe and Asia. Belongs to the cabbage family, lives in or close to fresh water. Used as a herb and a leaf vegetable. Spices & Herbs, Vegetables Whey is the liquid that gets separated from the curd in cheese making. It can be used in baking or for other foods. Dairy Products White mustard seeds (also yellow mustard) is seeds from a type of mustard. Not so common. Native to the Mediterranean. Spices & Herbs Wolfberry (also goji berry, mede berry, matrimony vine, bocksdorn, murali, red medlar) is native to temperate regions in Asia and southeastern Europe. Fruits & Nuts
North America
Acorn squash is closely related to the zucchini and belong in the "winter squash" family. All cultivars of squash have their ancestral roots in the Americas. Vegetables American groundnut (also potato bean, hopniss, indian potato, groundnut) is a type of bean native to eastern North America. Vegetables Blackberry are several species that are native to temperate areas in Asia, Europe, North America and South America. Fruits & Nuts Blackcurrant (also cassis) belongs to the family ribes. Used to make jellies and drinks. Native to temperate areas in the northern hemisphere. Fruits & Nuts Blueberry is native to North America. There is a smaller blue berry called bilberry that is native to the Europe and Asia. Fruits & Nuts Buckwheat is actually a plant that has its botanical origin in two species, one native to North America and the other to Europe and Asia It was first domesticated in China about 8000 years ago. Grains & Cereals Calabash tree (also kalebas, huingo, krabasi) is similar but not closely related to the calebash. Native to the Americas. Fruits & Nuts Cauliflower mushroom (also sparassus) is native to Europe and North America. It has only started to be cultivated recently. Mushrooms Char is closely related to salmon and trout. Dwell in really cold fresh water. Native to North America, Europe and Asia. Fish & Seafood Cherry is a generic term for various species native to northern America, Europe and Asia. The original cherry is native to Europe. Fruits & Nuts Clawed lobsters are two saltwater dwelling species only found in the Atlantic north of the equator. Priced for their good taste. Fish & Seafood Cloudberry (also bakeapple) part of the mulberry family. Grows in colder temperate areas in the northern hemisphere. Many times used in jams. Fruits & Nuts Cod is one of our more popular foods. Eaten dried, smoked or fresh. Is a number of species found in the Northern Atlantic, the Arctic and the Western Pacific oceans, other tha cod you have pollock. The commercial fishing has been concentrated to the Atlantic cod, overfishing has created problems. Fish & Seafood Common ling native to the North Atlantic. Large. Fish & Seafood
Corn smut is a kind of disease found on maize. Known as huitlacoche in Latin America where it is native. Common in Mexican cuisine. Mushrooms Cranberry is native to colder temperate areas in Asia, Europe and North America. Mainly used to make juice and jam. Fruits & Nuts Dabberlocks (also badderlocks, winged kelp) is a seaweed harvested and eaten in the North Atlantic. Native to the North Atlantic and Alaska. Vegetables Deer have only recently started to be domesticated for meat production. Deer are native to all continents except Australia and Antarctica. Livestock Dulse (also dillisk, dilsk, red dulse, sea lettuce flakes, creathnach) is red algae native to oceans in the northern hemisphere where it is also harvested and eaten. Vegetables Evaporated milk is milk where water has been removed. Sweet tasting but no sugar has been added. Dairy Products Filé powder (also gumbo filé) is leaves of the sassafras commonly used in North American Creole/Cajun cooking. Spices & Herbs Flounders are several species of flatfish native to the Northern Atlantic and the Pacific. Fish & Seafood Garden angelica (also holy ghost, wild celery, Norwegian angelica) is native to Scandinavia and Greenland. Spices & Herbs Geoduck is a large saltwater clam. A member can protude up to one meter. Native to Northwestern North America. Has become really popular in East Asia, therefor large scale cultivation has commensed. Fish & Seafood Granadilla a few species related to passion fruit. Native to the Americas. Fruits & Nuts Grape are various species native to the northern hemisphere. Culturally extremely important it has been cultivated for at least 5000 years. Fruits & Nuts Haddock is a popular food fish the North Atlantic. Fish & Seafood Halibut is native to the the North Pacific and the North Atlantic. Can weigh up to 300 kg. not the same as flounder. Fish & Seafood Hazelnut are several species belonging to the family corylus. Native to temperate regions in the northern hemisphere. Fruits & Nuts Herring are various species native to the North Atlantic and the North Pacific. Smoked, salted, fried and pickled it has been an importants staple food. Fish & Seafood Hijiki (also hiziki) is a sea vegetable native to coasts in the northwestern Pacific. It grows wild and is harvested. Vegetables Hops are the female flowers of several varieties of a plant called "humulus". Its botanical origins is in temparate regions in the northern hemisphere. Commonly used in beer making. Spices & Herbs Lingonberry (also cowberry, foxberry, quailberry, mountain cranberry, red whortleberry, lowbush cranberry, mountain bilberry, partridgeberry and redberry) is native to colder temperate areas in Asia, Europe and North America. This acid berry is used to make jams and juices. Fruits & Nuts Maize (also corn) are various cultivars domesticated by ancient American cultures where they are native. Very important in Africa and the Americas. Grains & Cereals, Vegetables Malabar gourd (also cidra, fig leaf gourd, Asian pumpkin, pie melon, Siam pumpkin, Thai marrow) is a type of squash and thus with its origins in the Americas where it also was cultivated. Popular in Asia. Vegetables Medlar are two species. The common medlar is native to Southwest Asia, while Stern´s medlar is native to North America. Fruits & Nuts Morels are several species native to North America and Europe. Are poisonous so preparation has to be careful. In the 20th century it was found out that they grow on old papermill grounds. You can actually grow them yourself by digging down some newspapers in sandy soil and hope for some spores to arrive. Mushrooms Mulberry (also Morus) is a number of species af various shapes and colours. They are native to most regions on all continents except Australia. Fruits & Nuts North American Bison The famous "buffalo" has been farmed since the 19th century. Livestock
Oroblanco (also sweetie) is a cross between types of grapefruit and pomelo. First bred in California. Fruits & Nuts Pattypan squash (also sunburst squash, white squash, scaloppini button squash, cymling, scallop squash, granny squash, custard marrow, custard squash) is a type of "summer squash" and thus has its origins in the Americas. Looks like a little pie. Vegetables Pecan is a nut native to Mexico and US. Fruits & Nuts Pike is a number of species found in North America, Europe and Russia. Fresh water dwelling but also found in the Baltic Sea. Fish & Seafood Pumpkin is several big sized cultivars from the family cucurbita that includes squash and gourd, has its botanical origins in the Americas. Very popular in the US. Vegetables Rabbits are native to all inhabited continents Australia where their introduction has had disastrous consequences for the ecosystem. Have been bred for meat and pelt for over a thousand years. Livestock Raspberry native to temperate areas in Asia, Europe and North America. Fruits & Nuts Redcurrant belong to the family ribes. Used to make jellies. Native to temperate areas in the northern hemisphere. The albino version is known as whitecurrant. Fruits & Nuts Reindeer have been herded by indigenous populations at least since the 17th century. The wild species were native to sub-arctic tundra like environments in the northern hemisphere - Russia, Norway, Sweden, Canada and US etc. Meat and milk is consumed. Livestock Rose hip is a berry like fruit that grows on of rose bushes native to Europe, North America, Africa and Asia. Used for soups, jams and teas. Fruits & Nuts Salmon are large species of the salmonidae family that migrate between salt and fresh water. The steelhead kind is what is common in Europe. Domestic to the Northern hemisphere it is also cultivated in Chile and Australia. Fish & Seafood Sassafras are a few species of trees native to East North America and East Asia. The leaves are used to make filé powder. Spices & Herbs Stinging nettle (also common nettle) is native to Europe, Asia, North Africa and North America. Is similar and used in same ways as spinach. Spices & Herbs Summer squash is a collective name for cousa squash, pattypan squash (Scallop squash), yellow crookneck squash, yellow summer squash and zucchini. All with their origins in the Americas. Vegetables Sweet corn (also indian corn, sugar corn, pole corn) is a type of maize and the most common cultivar. Is cooked or made into flour. Native to the Americas. Vegetables Tarragon (also dragon herb, dragon´s wort) is a group of plants native to the northern hemisphere. The kind cultivated in Europe known as French tarragon is regarded as best from a culinary perspective. Spices & Herbs Tepary bean is native to Central America and southwestern North America. Vegetables Trout are the freshwater dwelling species of the "salmonidae" family. Native to Europe, Asia and North America - although have been spread to other continents by sport fishing enthusiasts. Fish & Seafood Walnut are several species native to the northern hemisphere. Fruits & Nuts Wild rice the wild ancestors of rice is still harvested in parts of North America. There are 4 main species, 3 domestic to North America and one to Asia and Africa. Grains & Cereals Zucchini (also courgette) are types of squash and thus with ancestry in the Americas. Belong to the "summer squash". Vegetables
Abiu is native to tropical regions in South America. Fruits & Nuts Açaí (also aqai, acai) is one of the most popular "super foods" of today. Native to Central and South America. Fruits & Nuts Acerola (also Barbados cherry, manzanita, West Indian Cherry, wild crapemyrtle) this c-vitamin rich fruit is native to the Caribbean. Fruits & Nuts Acorn squash is closely related to the zucchini and belong in the "winter squash" family. All cultivars of squash have their ancestral roots in the Americas. Vegetables Allspice (also Jamaica pepper, kurundu, myrtle pepper, newspice) is native to Central America and the Caribbean. Spices & Herbs Alpaca is a so camelid and just like the llama realated to a wild species called vicuña which is found in alpine regions in the Andes. Kept for wool and meat for more than 6000 years. Are kept mostly for their meat and their pelt. Livestock Annato (also achiote, roucou) is native to tropical regions in the Americas. Much used in Central and South America including the Caribbean. Spices & Herbs Arracacha is a root native to the Andes. Related to the carrot. Vegetables Atemoya (also mamon, chirimorinon, achta) is a hybrid between sugar apple and cherimoya. Native to tropical regions of Central and South America. Fruits & Nuts Avocado (also butter pear, alligator pear, abacate, palta,) grows on trees and are native to Central America. There are many different cultivars that differ widely in size and fat content. Fruits & Nuts, Vegetables Babaco is a papaya like fruit native to Ecuador. Fruits & Nuts Bacupari is native to the Amazon. Fruits & Nuts Bell pepper (also sweet pepper, pepper) are milder cultivars of the capsicum native to Mexico, Central and South America. Not related to the spice pepper. Vary in colour according to type and stage of ripeness. Vegetables Biriba (also rollinia) is native to South America. Related to the custard apple. Fruits & Nuts Black persimmon (also black sapote, chocolate pudding fruit) is native to Central America and Colombia. Fruits & Nuts Blackberry are several species that are native to temperate areas in Asia, Europe, North America and South America. Fruits & Nuts Boldo is native to Chile but has spread all over South America. Spices & Herbs Brazil nut (also para nut) is native to South America. Fruits & Nuts Caigua (also ´slipper gourd, lady’s slipper, sparrow gourd) is native to South America and Central America where it was domesticated. Vegetables Cainito (also caimito, star apple, milk fruit) is native to Central America and the Caribbean. Fruits & Nuts Calabash tree (also kalebas, huingo, krabasi) is similar but not closely related to the calebash. Native to the Americas. Fruits & Nuts Candlenut (also candleberry, Indian walnut, kukui nut tree) is native to tropical regions around the world. Common in cuisines in Southeast Asia and on Hawaii. Spices & Herbs Canella (also cinnamon bark, wild cinnamon) is a tree which bark is similar to true cinnamon but is not related. Native to the Caribbean. Spices & Herbs Canistel is native to Central America. Fruits & Nuts Cashew (also caju) is native to the Norheast in Brazil but popular around the world. Both the fruit and the "nut" is used. Fruits & Nuts Cassabanana (also siskana, musk cucumber) is native to tropical regions of South America. Fruits & Nuts
Cassava (also yuca, manioc, aipim) is a root vegetable native to South America and perhaps West Africa but has spread around the world and is an important staple food in Africa. Eaten cooked or made into flour. Vegetables Cayenne pepper (also Guinea spice, aleva, bird pepper) is a type of chili pepper. Cultivated first in Guine, South America. In its powdered form known as red pepper. Spices & Herbs Charichuelo (lemon drop mangosteen, bumpy lemon, rheedia) is native to South America. Fruits & Nuts Chaya (also tree spinach) is a shrub with leafy edible plants native to Mexico. Vegetables Chayote (also chuchu, christophene, vegetable pear, pear squash) is native to Central America. Vegetables Cherimoya (also sugar apple, sweetsop) is native to Andean regions of South America. Also known as custard apple but there are various species with the same name. Fruits & Nuts Chili pepper (also chilli, pimenta malagueta) is native to South and Central America though widely spread around the world for hundreds of years. Spices & Herbs, Vegetables Chipotle is a smoke dried jalapeño chili native to Central America. Spices & Herbs Cocoa (also cacao) is native to Central and South America. Fruits & Nuts Coconut is found in tropical regions around the world. Has spread with the help of currents and migration. Fresh green coconut are popular for its liquid. The dried older coconuts provide the white pulp from which many products are made, among them coconut milk. Fruits & Nuts Cocoplum is native to tropical regions in the Americas. Fruits & Nuts Common bean is the name for the bean that was cultivated by ancient cultures in Central and South America. Eaten fresh when green, most of the times dried and then cooked. There are many sub species like the black bean (also black turtle), pinto (also mottled bean) pink, borlotto (also strawberry bean, romano bean), shell beans, yellow bean, white bean (also navy bean) and red bean (also kidney bean, chili bean). All these species have their ancestral botanical roots in the Americas. Vegetables Corn smut is a kind of disease found on maize. Known as huitlacoche in Latin America where it is native. Common in Mexican cuisine. Mushrooms Culantro (also Mexican coriander, shadow benny, wild coriander, long coriander, fitweed, spiritweed, duck-tongue herb, sawtooth, saw leaf herb) is native to South and Central America. Similar to coriander in taste but not related. Common in cuisines worldwide. Spices & Herbs Custard apple (also bullocks´s heart, bull´s heart) is native to tropical regions of the Americas. Fruits & Nuts Deer have only recently started to be domesticated for meat production. Deer are native to all continents except Australia and Antarctica. Livestock Duck just like the chicken, duck are believed to first have been domesticated wild ducks (called mallards) in Southeast Asia, this several thousands of years BC. In the Americas another breed was domesticated, the Muscovy, this was before Columbus. Duck provide meat and eggs. Livestock Dulce de leche is caramelized milk used in desserts. It has its origin in South America. Dairy Products Epazote (also wormseed, Jesuit´s tea, Mexican tea) is a herb native to the Americas. Common in Central American cooking. Spices & Herbs Feijoa (also pineapple guava, guavasteen) is native to highlands in South America. Fruits & Nuts Goitenyo (also jacatupe, Amazonian yam bean) is a root vegetable native to South America’s rainforests. Vegetables Golden apple (also jobo, yellow mombin, hog plum, java plum, Spanish plum) is native to tropical regions in South and Central America. Fruits & Nuts Granadilla a few species related to passion fruit. Native to the Americas. Fruits & Nuts Grapefruit is a very bitter variety of sweet orange that came to be in Barbados. Fruits & Nuts
Guarana (also cherimoya) is native to tropical regions of Brazil. Often made into a powder, a natural stimulant. Fruits & Nuts Guava this popular tropical fruit is native to Central America and northern South America. Fruits & Nuts Huacatay (also mint marigold, Mexican marigold, wild marigold, stinking Roger) is a culinary herb native to South America. Spices & Herbs Huito (also marmalade box, jenipapo) is native to South and Central America. Fruits & Nuts Ice cream bean is native to the Amazon. Vegetables Ilama similar to the cherimoya, native to Central America. Fruits & Nuts Jabuticaba (also Brazilian grape tree) is native to Argentina, Paraguay and Brazil. Fruits & Nuts Jícama (also yam bean, yam, Mexican turnip) is a root vegetable native to tropical and sub tropical regions in South America. Vegetables Kañiwa is a species of goosefoot and is a close relative of quinoa. Is native to Andean South America. Grains & Cereals Lima bean (also butter bean, haba bean, guffin bean, hibbert bean, sieva bean, Rangoon bean, Madagascar bean, prolific bean, civet bean, sugar bean, pallar bean, Burma bean) has its origins in Central and South America. Vegetables Llama The camel of South America is bred from the alpine living vicuña that were domesticated over 5000 years ago by tribes in western South America. The meat from the Llama is eaten. Livestock Lúcuma (also lucuma,lucmo, eggfruit) is native to Andean regions in South America. Fruits & Nuts Maize (also corn) are various cultivars domesticated by ancient American cultures where they are native. Very important in Africa and the Americas. Grains & Cereals, Vegetables Malabar gourd (also cidra, fig leaf gourd, Asian pumpkin, pie melon, Siam pumpkin, Thai marrow) is a type of squash and thus with its origins in the Americas where it also was cultivated. Popular in Asia. Vegetables Mamey sapote is native to Mexico. Fruits & Nuts Mammee apple (also mamey, Santo Domingo apricot, South American apricot) is native to tropical regions of South America. Fruits & Nuts Mamoncillo (also genip) is native to tropical regions in South and Central America. Fruits & Nuts Monster fruit (also ceriman, cheese plant, fruit salad plant) this smelly fruit is native to rainforests in Central America. Fruits & Nuts Mountain soursop is native to Central America and the Caribbean. Fruits & Nuts Mulberry (also Morus) is a number of species af various shapes and colours. They are native to most regions on all continents except Australia. Fruits & Nuts Nance (also savanna serrette, golden spoon) is a small fruit native to tropical parts of the Americas. Fruits & Nuts Naranjilla (also lulo) is native to northwestern South America. Fruits & Nuts New Zealand spinach (also warrigal greens, sea spinach, botany bay spinach, tetragon, Cook's cabbage) is native to New Zealand, Australia, Japan, Chile and Argentina) is cultivated for its green leaves that are eaten fresh. Vegetables Nopal is a cactus fruit native to Mexico. Vegetables Papaya (also paw paw, mamão) is native to Central America and northern South America. Fruits & Nuts Paprika (also paprika powder) is the result of grinding dried bell peppers or chili peppers, both domesticated species native to South and Central America. Spices & Herbs Passion fruit (also maracujá, galendar) is native to southern Brazil, Paraguay and northern Argentina. There are various cultivars of different shapes, colours and sizes - the large yellow and the small purple are two examples. Fruits & Nuts
Patagonian toothfish is an endangered species. They dwell in temperate to cold Southern Oceans in depths down to almost 4000 meters. Fish & Seafood Pattypan squash (also sunburst squash, white squash, scaloppini button squash, cymling, scallop squash, granny squash, custard marrow, custard squash) is a type of "summer squash" and thus has its origins in the Americas. Looks like a little pie. Vegetables Peach palm fruit (also pewa, pupunha) is a fruit native to Central and South America. Fruits & Nuts Peanut (also earthnuts, ground nuts, goober peas, monkey nuts, amendoim, pygmy nuts, pig nuts) this nut has its origin in South America. Today it is popular all over the world. Fruits & Nuts Pecan is a nut native to Mexico and US. Fruits & Nuts Pepino (also pepino melon, melon pear) is native to South America. Fruits & Nuts Pepper (also capsicum, bell pepper, paprika, chili peppers) is native to the Americas. Various sizes and cultivars are either treated as spices or vegetables. Vegetables Pequi (also souari nut) is a fruit native to Brazil and Paraguay. Fruits & Nuts Persimmon is a collective name for several species. The mabolo of the Philippines, the black persimmon of Mexico and the by far most common Japanese persimmon (also known as kaki, shizi or sharon) native to China. Fruits & Nuts Physalis (also Cape gooseberry, golden berry) is native to South America. Fruits & Nuts Pineapple (also ananas) is native to Paraguay and southern Brazil. Fruits & Nuts Pink peppercorns (also Brazilian pepper, rose pepper) is not related to other plants that give peppercorns. Native to South America. Spices & Herbs Pitanga (Surinam cherry, Brazilian cherry, Cayenne cherry) is a small fruit native to tropical regions in the Americas. Fruits & Nuts Pitaya (dragonfruit) is native to tropical regions in Central and South America. Fruits & Nuts Platonia (also bacuri, maniballi, naranjillo, bacurizeiro) is native to South America. Fruits & Nuts Potato is a tuber. All the cultivars of today are believed to have a common origin in wild varieties found in Peru but most of them were cultivated in ancient Chile. When it arrived in Europe it changed history. Vegetables Pumpkin is several big sized cultivars from the family cucurbita that includes squash and gourd, has its botanical origins in the Americas. Very popular in the US. Vegetables Quinoa is cultivated from a type of goosefoot native to South and Central America. It was first cultivated about 4000 BC in the ancient Andean cultures. Grains & Cereals Rabbits are native to all inhabited continents Australia where their introduction has had disastrous consequences for the ecosystem. Have been bred for meat and pelt for over a thousand years. Livestock Rhea is a large flightless bird native to South America. It has been farmed since the 20th century, provide meat, eggs and feathers. Livestock Runner bean (also scarlet runner bean) is native to Central America. Vegetables Sapodilla is native to Central America and the Caribbean. Fruits & Nuts Sonoya native to Central America, similar to cherimoya. Fruits & Nuts Sorghum is native to warmer regions around the world. Important in Africa, and southern Asia and Central America. Grains & Cereals Soursop (also graviola) is native to tropical regions of South and Central America. Fruits & Nuts Squash is collective name for cultivars of both so called "winter-" and "summer squash". Native to the Americas. Vegetables Sugar apple (also sweetsop) is native to the Americas and southern Asia. Also known as custard apple and can thus be confused with the other species. Fruits & Nuts
Summer squash is a collective name for cousa squash, pattypan squash (Scallop squash), yellow crookneck squash, yellow summer squash and zucchini. All with their origins in the Americas. Vegetables Sunflower is several species. Originally native to Central America. Grown for its seeds that are used as grains and to provide oil. Fruits & Nuts Sweet corn (also indian corn, sugar corn, pole corn) is a type of maize and the most common cultivar. Is cooked or made into flour. Native to the Americas. Vegetables Sweet potato (also kumara) is a root vegetable native to tropical regions in South and Central America where it was first cultivated. Vegetables Tamarillo (also tree tomato) is native to Andean regions in South America. Fruits & Nuts Tepary bean is native to Central America and southwestern North America. Vegetables Tomatillo (also green tomato, husk tomato, jam berry, husk cherry, Mexican tomato, ground cherry) is native to Central and South America. Not related to the tomato, rather to physalis. Vegetables Tomato is original native to highlands in South America. The earliest cultivars were a lot smaller and all yellow. Vegetables Toothache plant (also paracress) is a plant native to tropical Brazil. Used as a spice and a herb in cooking mainly in North Brazil. Spices & Herbs Turkey are related to wild turkey native to Mexico. We know they were domesticated by Mayans at least 2000 years ago. They are bred for meat and eggs. Livestock Vanilla is derived from an orchid native to Mexico. True vanilla is very expensive. Spices & Herbs Waterleaf (also Surinam purslane, Philippine spinach, sweetheart, Florida spinach, Ceylon spinach) is a leafy herb important in tropical regions around the world. Native to both the New and the Old World. Vegetables Yacón is a root vegetable native to Andean South America. Sweet. Vegetables Zucchini (also courgette) are types of squash and thus with ancestry in the Americas. Belong to the "summer squash". Vegetables
