Stuff You Missed in History Class Eponymous Foods: Fruits
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Apr 28, 2025 Dive into the quirky stories behind eponymous fruits! Discover the hilarious coping strategies of the hosts as they discuss the boysenberry’s fascinating origin tied to a dedicated park superintendent. Unravel the journey of clementines through colonial Algeria and their rise in popularity today. Plus, explore shifting citrus trends and the intersection of food with cultural commentary sparked by listener feedback. It’s a delightful mix of history, humor, and fruit lore!
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Origin of the Boysenberry
- Rudolph Boysen created the boysenberry by cross-pollinating various berries on a farm in California.
- Walter Knott later revived the abandoned vines and popularized the boysenberry, naming it after Boysen without sharing profits.
Bartlett Pear Naming Mistake
- The Bartlett pear was mistakenly named after Enoch Bartlett, who did not cultivate it but found it on a purchased estate.
- The pear was actually the Williams Bon Chrétien variety, known in Europe by that name, but the Bartlett name stuck in the U.S.
Brother Clément and Clementines
- Brother Marie Clément, a French monk in Algeria, became associated with the clementine fruit during the late 1800s.
- The fruit may have originated in China centuries earlier, but got its name from a botanist honoring the monk's connection.