🚀 go-pugleaf

Article: 191910 of rec.food.cooking
Newsgroups: rec.food.cooking
Subject: QUERY TWO - Australian Fruit & Vegetables
Organization: Compulink Information eXchange
X-News-Software: Ameol

Another question which has been bothering me - with all the differing 
fauna & flora in Australia & New Zealand, how come every fruit & 
vegatable used seems to have originally come from overseas ? Every 
cookbook ancient or modern relies on fruit or veg. originally coming from 
Europe or via America with the early settlers, nowadays with people from 
different cultures moving in, F & V from Asia is being introduced - as 
are "Designer" F & V.

Were there any INDIGENOUS Fruit & Vegetables (even Berries) that the 
Aborigines used ? And if so, why aren't they known about and used 
nowadays?

Regarding New Zealand - the same query applies. Were there any INDIGENOUS 
F & V there before the Maoris settled and perhaps brought Taro root,  etc 
?

It seems very strange that with all the wealth of different plant life, 
different fish, mammals, birds, reptiles, etc. - even between Australia & 
New Zealand - that there are NO native F & V existing. For the moment I 
am discounting "artificial" Fruit such as I presume the Tamarillo is 
which have been "created" with modern fertilisation techniques & 
cross-breeding.

Again, enlightenment would be most welcome.

thespis