A variety of indeterminate heirloom tomato developed in 1930s by MC Byles, "Radiator Charlie". His nickname derives from the radiator repair shop he opened at the foot of a steep hill as overheated trucks invariably found their way to him. The huge beefsteak tomato he developed proved so popular that he paid off his mortgage within six years, charging a dollar apiece. These pinkish-red fruits, weighing from 225-5500g (8 oz - 3 lb) have great flavour, meat flesh and few seeds, appear late in the season.
Moth beans are sometimes called brown lentils. A tiny pulse which, because it is small and dark, is often adulterated, so needs careful picking over. The flavour of sprouted beans is quite sweet.
American Mother. An excellent medium-sized, mainly red eating apple, sweet, juicy and aromatic, with skin that is yellow flushed and striped with crimson. It was raised in Worcester County in Massachusetts and is recorded in 1844. It is quite soft and, when fresh, perfumed and sweet. It is a mid- to late-season apple, harvested from late September in South-East England, is stored and is at its best between October and December. In the United States it is more commonly known as Mother.
A kind of fungus that floats in wine. In Italy, all dregs of wine, left-overs and undrunk wine that has gone sour is poured into a container, often a barrel, with this fungus in it and good vinegar will be the end result. Kept in many Italian homes, officially the mix should be two parts vinegar to one part wine in a barrel. The barrel is not sealed and the lid is left off so that mixture is exposed to the air. Vinegar is taken off from the bottom and the barrel is topped up with remnants of wines and vinegars used in the household.
Drumstick bean. A long, stick like pod. It is a delicacy used in fish stews or mixed vegetable dishes.
Cloudberry. A relation of the raspberry but with an amber colour and which grows wild in northern regions of Europe and North America. Cloudberries are seldom cultivated. They have a smoky flavour and are excellent for making jams (US: jellies) and preserves.
