Nibbles

Scent of a strawberry

Wild strawberries smell good. Ingmar Bergman unavailable for comment.

African students breeding Striga-resistant cowpeaÂ at US uni.

Quick roundup of the diversity of Italian summer drinks.

1. On the occasion of Thanksgiving, The Botanist in the Kitchen explains the difference between potato, sweet potato and yam — inimitably. And thanks for the shout-outs!
2. A tour of the wild fruits of Goa. Their sourness has been culturally and economically marginalised in much the same way that extractive systems marginalise the people, landscapes and food traditions associated with it. Well, maybe.
3. How Charity Mueni Ndivo built her own seed bank in Kenya, and then wrote about it for FAO. No sourness in sight.
4. Dr P K Mishra, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister of India, celebrates genebanks, plant breeding, and farmers like Charity.
Published on November 13, 2026