Kiwifruit Celebrates 40th Anniversary in America
Kiwifruit Celebrates 40th Anniversary in America
LOS ALAMITOS, Calif. (Wireless Flash) You may not recognize Frieda Rapoport Caplans name, but, without her, you wouldnt be eating kiwifruit youd be eating Chinese Gooseberries. Caplan is the founder of the California-based Friedas specialty produce company and is credited with giving the kiwi its name when the fruit first came to America from New Zealand exactly 40 years ago. At the time, the fruit was called a Chinese Gooseberry, but Caplan convinced produce growers to call it kiwifruit because the fuzzy ovals resembled the native New Zealand bird. She also brought the first shipment of kiwifruit to America 2400 pounds that took a whopping four months to sell. Kiwifruit didnt really catch on until celebrity chefs like Wolfgang Puck started using it in the early 1980s, but Caplan is proud to call the fruit her 18-year overnight sensation.
Thu 05-02-02