I grew up when there were two choices for vegetables. For example, one could either buy a tomato or grow one's own. The homegrown ones were definitely always better. Now when I visit a farm market, I'm struck by a plethora of eatable plant parts, many of which I cannot identify without the helpful store signs.
The picture above shows nothing that I ever called a summer squash as a kid. Don't get me wrong: I think variety is great and choices preferable. It is good that mono-agriculture has moved towards diversification. My tomatoes might now be heirloom or range in size from a grape to a near pumpkin. On the same vein, or should I say vine, I'm sure I didn't know nearly as many types of apples when in school. Why? It's probably because there weren't as many.
Sometimes, labels really do help me identify a fruit or vegetable. For example, the following image is a Red Anjou. By the way, that means it's a Washington state pear.
