The Peach of Immortality

蟠桃

Peach trees receive great importance in Chinese symbolism and mythology. Each part of the peach tree has a different meaning. Because the peach tree wood was thought to ward off evil, ancient Chinese warriors made weapons from it. The petals of peach blossoms were thought to put men into an intense trance of love. The fruit of the peach is considered the divine fruit of Gods, and is associated with long life and immortality. The peach tree in general symbolizes longevity.

According to a famous Chinese legend, the Peach Plant of Immortality lives in the Kun Lun Mountains and produces fruit every 3,000 years. When the magic fruit appears, the Eight Immortals eat it and their immortality is assured. The Eight Immortals were part of Chinese Oral History before the stories were written.

The Eight Immortals are:

Lü Dongbin 

(呂洞賓; pinyin: Lǚ Dòngbīn) The Chief leader (right)

Lü Dongbin was an 8th-century scholar, who learned the secrets of Taoism. He traveled the earth slaying dragons and fighting evil. 

He is associated with

• a sword that can subdue the evil,
• a fly brush in his hand, and 
• patronage of barbers.

Li Tie Guai 

(李鐵拐; pinyin: Lĭ Tiĕ Guăi) The Iron-Crutch Li (second from right)

Because of his great skill at magic, Li Tie Guai, could free his soul from his body and aid others in the celestial realm. Once, while his spirit was gone from his body, a disciple decided that Li Tie Guai was dead so he burned Li's body as was traditional. When Li’s soul returned, it was forced to enter the body of a lame beggar.

He is associated with 

• a double gourd that symbolizes longevity and the ability to ward off evil,
• a cloud coming out of the gourd that represents the soul, 
• helping the needy and relieving the distressed,
• a mythical hoofed creature, and
• patronage of the sick.

He Xian Gu 
(何仙姑; pinyin: Hé Xiān Gū) The Immortal Woman (3rd from right)
There are different legends of He Xian Gu, daughter of a 7th-century shopkeeper, however one version says that she ate a magic peach, became immortal and now flies around the earth and heavens. 
She is associated with a

• lotus or lotus pond and meditation
• peach, the divine fruit of Gods and immortality or
• a musical instrument or ladle that she uses to dispense wisdom, meditation, and purity.

Zhongli Quan 

(鐘离權; Pinyin: Zhōnglí Quán) fourth from right

Zhongli Quan, a fat man with his bare belly visible,  had the power of transmutation and knowledge of the elixir of life. 

He is associated with 

• a fan which can bring the dead back to life,
• patronage of military men.

Zhang Guo Lao 

(張果老; pinyin: Zhāng Guǒ Lǎo) The Elder Zhang Guo (fifth from right)

Zhang Guo Lao, an old man, travelled with a white mule. The mule could go long distances then be folded up and placed in a wallet. Water reconstituted the mule for further use.

He is associated with

• a bamboo drum that can cure life, and
• patronage of old men.

Cao Gou Jiu
(曹國舅; pinyin: Cáo Guó Jiù) The Royal Uncle Cao (6th from right)
There are also different legends of Cao Gou Jiu. In one part of the royal family and the son of a military commander. In another, his brother killed a person and Royal Uncle Cao was so sad that he resigned his office and left home.
He is associated with 

• castanets, which represent his free access to the palace, a benefit of his rank,
• a jade tablet, which can purify the air, 
• formal court dress,and 
• patronage of actors.

Lan Cai 
(蓝采和; pinyin: Lán Cǎihé) The Immortal Hermaphrodite (seventh from right)
Lan Cai is said to have wandered the streets as a beggar while singing about the brevity of mortal life. 
He/she is associated with

• a basket of flowers symbolizing longevity, 
• reminding people of the transience of life,
•  using the basket to communicate with gods,
• a tattered blue gown and only one shoe,
• patronage of florists.

Han Xiang Zi
(韓湘子; pinyin: Hán Xiāng Zi) The Philosopher Han Xiang (eighth from right)
Han Xiang Zi, the nephew a famous scholar, was able to make flowers bloom instantaneously and tame wild animals.
He is associated with

• the flute, which can cause growth,
• happiness,
• patronage of musicians.

Health attributes of peaches
1 peach has (RDA is recommended daily allowance for adults)

• 66 calories
• 323 mg potassium (9% RDA)
• 2.6 g dietary fiber (10% RDA)
• Vitamin A (11% RDA)
• Vitamin C (19% RDA)
• Niacin (7% RDA)
• Vitamin K (6% RDA)

Read more at: http://www.livestrong.com/thedailyplate/nutrition-calories/food/peaches/peach-1cup-sliced-170-g/#ixzz13cJgwWnI

Peaches Galore!

I wanted something simple and elegant to do with the peaches I bought last weekend. I found a wonderful recipe called "Peaches in Lemon, Rosemary, and Vanilla Sauce" at http://www.lucullian.delights.com.

The recipe can be made quickly, and the flavors of lemon, rosemary, and vanilla combine well with the peach flavor. The sauce is poured over the peaches warm, so it slightly scalds the peach slices.

I love peaches, and I found these peaches addictive. I also found the photographs at Lucullian.Delights addictive.  I hope you will go to the site and journey through the photographs with as much pleasure as I did!

An interesting source of information, legends, and history of peaches can be found at http://www.justfoodnow.com/2010/06/01/just-peachy-all-about-peaches/. This site and many other information sources mention that peach seeds have cyanogenic glycosides in them. These molecules decompose into sugar molecules and hydrogen cyanide gas. Although this sounds ominous, peaches are in the rose family and many members of the rose family contain these chemicals. We don't really eat peach seeds, and the quantity of the molecules is not large enough to harm you unless you eat many seeds. Almonds, which are related to peaches, also contain chemicals that form hydrogen cyanide. On a lighter note...peaches are quite healthy to eat. This site also has many delectable-sounding recipes. 

Autumn Bounty: Apples, Squash, and Peaches

When I visited my grocery store today, a lady greeted me in the produce department with samples of two different varieties of apples. What a delight!!

One variety was Honey Crisp, like the ones shown to the left. They are sweet and crisp, leaving an incredibly fresh feeling in my mouth.

The other variety, Tentation, was a relatively new variety from France. They were first developed in the 1990s. The Tentation Apples in my grocery store were grown in New Zealand. Tentations have a slightly more subtle, but equally enchanting sweet taste without the intense crispiness of the Honey Crisp. Tentation apples are shown below on the right.

I also bought Granny Smith and Gala apples. Granny Smith apples originated in Sydney Australia in 1868 when Maria "Granny" Smith propagated a seedling thought to have been a hybrid of the European Wild Apple, Malus sylvestris, and the domestic apple, Malus domestica. They are among the most popular apples for both cooking and eating. They have a crisp texture and somewhat tart taste. They do not brown as quickly as most other apples.

For more information about foods that complement Granny Smith Apples go to http://www.theworldwidegourmet.com/products/fruits/granny-smith-apple/ and for information about how Granny Smith originated the variety go to http://www.ryde.nsw.gov.au/ryde/msherwood.htm. The picture on the left below shows Granny Smith Apples.

Gala apples originated in New Zealand, in the 1920s when J.H. Kidd crossed one of his own apple varieties with a golden delicious apple. They are fairly small apples with a sweet taste, and are excellent apples for eating raw as a snack. However, they do not survive cooking very well, so they are not considered the best cooking apples. Almonds and cheeses complement Gala Apples.

The picture on the left contains most of the apple varieties mentioned in this post. The apple in the front, left position of the basket is a Gala Apple. The basket also contains Granny Smiths, Honey Crisp, and Tentation Apples.

Epidemiological studies link eating apples with decreased risk of some cancers, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and asthma. Apples and particularly apple peels have potent antioxidant activity and cholesterol-lowering effects.


Storing apples does not seem to decrease their content of chemicals that are favorable to human health. However, juice made from fresh apples was shown to have 10% of the antioxidant activity of the fresh apple. For more information about this, go to http://www.nutritionj.com/content/3/1/5.

Additional information about apples, including their history, nutrition, legends, and varieties can be found at The University of Illinois website http://urbanext.illinois.edu/apples.

Peaches were also wonderful buys at the grocery store this week, so I bought some. A picture of them is shown to the right. Don't you just love the taste of peaches? I just wish they weren't so messy. I am looking for recipes so that I can use them, and a future post will feature them.

Peaches originated in China and found their way to Persia and the Mediterranean region by about 2000 BCE. Chinese legends describe peaches as the food of the immortals because eating them was thought to confer longevity on people. For more information about this go to http://chinesefoodlover.wordpress.com/category/chinese-cuisine-history/.

Squash is another delight of this early Autumn season. I also bought some unusual squash at the grocery store, and will be blogging about them in the future. The picture on the left shows "Eight-Ball Squash." The produce grocer said that they are like a summer squash. I have never tasted them, but their uncanny resemblance to an eight-ball made me want to try them. I will let you know about their flavor.

The picture below the eight-balls shows acorn squash. Acorn squash are pretty common, but usually they don't look like these. I will try them also, and let

you know if they taste different from regular acorn squash.

Let me know if you have any interesting squash varieties that you have tried.