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Here’s Why Jalapeño Peppers Are Less Spicy Than Ever
(www.dmagazine.com)
We're focused on cooking and the science behind how it changes our food. Some chemistry, a little biology, whatever it takes to explore a critical aspect of everyday life.
Background Information:
Regarding vegetables: I don't know where you live, but at least in the United States there are tons of online seed stores selling heirloom produce, and a growing number selling open pollinated varieties at that. There are also quite a number of hybrids that aren't bred for industrial agriculture. I'm in a somewhat odd climate in the Pacific Northwest so I try to source seed locally because the varieties they sell often perform better here, but even then I have my choice of numerous seed companies.
Regarding fruit: agreed, fruit seeds can be really hard to source; most fruit is sold by the plant instead and variety options are extremely limited compared to vegetables (plus plant starts are so much more expensive than buying seeds, especially online because of shipping). I really hope that some of the companies doing great work in the vegetable seed field will start offering more fruit seeds, but unlike vegetables fruit tends to be perennial and more commonly utilizes complicating techniques like grafting so I don't know how viable this hope actually is.
I can grow and vegetable I like. I know how. Most people don't.
No experience with fruit, so you got me thinking on that bit.