This was yet another find from the India Bazaar supermarket in Stratford, NJ. It was a can of amla murabba, or gooseberry preserves. In this case, it essentially meant fruit in a syrup solution. Not ever having partaken of such a thing, I of course snapped this right up.
Gooseberries are a further example of a food with somewhat mysterious origins. They are known to be native to much of Europe, the Caucasus region, and North Africa. However, some sources claim that a subspecies is native to North America. Whichever is true, gooseberries are now grown in the U.S. and Canada, and in other parts of Asia, including India. Although unlike most fruits, they don't thrive in areas with too hot a climate. Gooseberries are also related to black currants, and can even be crossbred with them.
The origin of the berry's name in English is controversial as well. Many folks think that this name is a corruption of various other languages' words, such as the Dutch word "kruisbes," or the German word "krausbeere," or the French word "groseille." However, the Oxford English Dictionary opines that the answer is much more simple; that the berry was named after the large honking bird. Furthermore, reportedly in the 19th century "gooseberry bush" was slang for pubic hair, as in, "babies are born under the gooseberry bush." Alas, this amusing term hasn't appeared to have survived up into the present day. (At least as far as I know. Admittedly I haven't been up on current slang expressions since about 1990.)
Gooseberries tend to be greenish or yellowish when unripe, and reddish-purple when ripe. Their size can vary, ranging from about the size of a pea up to about the size of a small chicken's egg. This is also an unusual fruit in that it's eaten more commonly when unripe. Consumers seem to prefer the tarter flavor that the younger berries have. As to how they're eaten, many people eat them raw, as is, but others cook them into desserts, such as pies and crumbles. Or they are used to flavor waters, sodas, and milks. Or made into teas, wines or jams.
As is also fairly frequent with my post topics, some people think that gooseberries have potent health benefits. A little online research turned up claims that these berries can help treat diabetes, inflammation, cardiovascular disorders, neurodegenerative diseases, colds, fever, liver and hair problems, high cholesterol, pain, and even cancer. But, I have to be a broken record once again, and state that actual scientific evidence for these claims is lacking at this time. Nutritionists agree that gooseberries are good for you--they have relatively low levels of cholesterol, fat and calories, and they have a decent amount of Vitamin C and fiber, for example--but don't without your chemo or your doctor proscribed medications in favor of them just yet.
As for the manufacturer, the Pachranga Foods company, there wasn't much on their official website. Pachranga started in 1925, and operates out of Panipat, India. According to the photos on the can I got, evidently they are owned and/or run by two gentlemen, named Late Shri Murli Dhar Ji and Shri Manohar Lal Dhingra. (The writing for these names was very small, and I wasn't positive where some words ended and the next began. So apologies if I've rendered their names incorrectly.) The company specializes in my different kinds of pickles, of various fruits and vegetables, along with a few sweets, such as carrot, rose petal, harar, and apple preserves.
Pachranga Foods, amla murabba (gooseberry preserves): The can they came in was 1 kilogram, or about 35 ounces. The berries themselves were large, being about 4 cm. (about 1.5 inches) in diameter, and greenish in color. They had a firm, chewy texture, with a large brown pit in the center. They were okay. A bit bland, but the syrup obviously helped make them sweeter. I happened to give these to my parents to try, and they really loved them. But I thought they were just mediocre.
Finally, from 1912 to 1966 there was a federal ban against cultivating gooseberries in the U.S. This was because they were susceptible to a fungus that would spread to, and kill, white pine trees. However, since 1966 states were allowed to repeal this ban if they wanted, and some have. But even those that do usually mandate that the gooseberries be grown well away from white pine trees, just for safety's sake.
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