North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Kieran &/or Donna" <holycow@frontiernet.net>]

Black Currant juice is extremely popular for children, it's considered a 
healthful drink.  (For adults, there are alcoholic black currant products.) 
Ribena was the best known brand name when I lived in England 30 years ago, 
concentrated black currant juice.  The vitamin C content is higher than 
oranges, and of course currants are much more easily grown in the cool 
climate of so much of Europe.   People tend not to realize just how far 
north Europe is compared to here.  Paris is north of Quebec.  Our latitude 
in Tenn, 36N, is even with the southern tip of Spain, where they grow 
oranges.  Though most of Europe is warmer than most of the US in winter, 
they mostly don't get the blast of heat we do in summer, and certainly not 
the accumulated heat units needed to grow so many fruits that we grow here. 
Donna