{"id":77768,"date":"2014-08-12T17:04:29","date_gmt":"2014-08-12T07:04:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=77768"},"modified":"2014-08-18T20:47:05","modified_gmt":"2014-08-18T10:47:05","slug":"mean-and-green","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2014\/08\/12\/mean-and-green\/","title":{"rendered":"Mean and Green"},"content":{"rendered":"

June 30, 2014<\/strong>
\n\"\"<\/a>by Jason Ford<\/strong>
\nFord on Food<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Kiwifruit may be commonplace nowadays; however when I first started cooking in the mid 1980s, it was still considered by many people\u00a0as an exotic fruit.<\/p>\n

Kiwifruit has a long and interesting history.<\/p>\n

It was originally referred to as \u2018Chinese Gooseberry\u2019 or Yang Tao in its native country of northern China. There are also many variant species originating from\u00a0other Asian countries.<\/p>\n

It wasn\u2019t until New Zealand began cultivating and exporting the fruit to countries such as the US that it became popular in Western cultures.<\/p>\n

It also underwent a market driven re-branding after World War II, to the well-known name of \u2018Kiwifruit\u2019, which helped attract Western consumers.<\/p>\n

Kiwifruit has a light brown, furry skin that encases a soft, bright green flesh.\u00a0The centre contains an edible white core surrounded by dozens of tiny black seeds.<\/p>\n

Although the skin is edible, most people either peel the fruit or cut it in half and scoop the flesh out with a spoon.<\/p>\n

The flavour of a ripe kiwifruit would be best described as sweet and perfumed, yet slightly acidic.<\/p>\n

Kiwifruit flesh is best served raw as an addition to fruit salad, blended into smoothies or pureed and frozen as a sorbet.<\/p>\n

It is high in vitamin C, and has a unique enzyme that can help tenderize other ingredients such as squid flesh.<\/p>\n

I have tenderized calamari rings in fresh kiwifruit puree on many occasions, it works a treat.<\/p>\n

* * *<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Mean Green Smoothie<\/strong><\/h2>\n

I\u2019m pretty much addicted to fruit and vegetable smoothies these days, and one of my favourites contains kiwifruit.<\/p>\n

Blend together the following chilled ingredients:<\/p>\n