Farmers' market showing vegetables for sale in Lhasa, Tibet.

Vegetables in a supermarket in the United States.

The noun vegetable means an edible plant or part of a plant, but usually excludes seeds and most sweet fruit. This typically means the leaf, stem, or root of a plant.

In a non-biological sense, the meaning of this word is largely based on culinary and cultural tradition. Therefore, the application of the word is somewhat arbitrary and subjective. For example, some people consider mushrooms to be vegetables even though they are not biologically plants,^[1][2] while others consider them a separate food category.^[3]

Some vegetables can be consumed raw, some may be eaten cooked, and some must be cooked in order to be edible. Vegetables are most often cooked in savory or salty dishes. However, a few vegetables are often used in desserts and other sweet dishes, such as rhubarb pie and carrot cake. A number of processed food items available on the market contain vegetable ingredients and can be referred to as "vegetable derived" products. These products may or may not maintain the nutritional integrity of the vegetable used to produce them. Examples of vegetable-derived products are ketchup, tomato sauce, and vegetable oils.

Etymology[link]

Vegetables in market

Melon Yard at Heligan Cornwall England

"Vegetable" comes from the Latin vegetabilis (animated) and from vegetare (enliven), which is derived from vegetus (active), in reference to the process of a plant growing.

The word "vegetable" was first recorded in English in the 15th century,^[4] and originally applied to any plant. This is still the sense of the adjective "vegetable" in biological context.^[5] In 1967, the meaning of the term "vegetable" was specified to mean "plant cultivated for food, edible herb or root." The year 1955 noted the first use of the shortened, slang term "veggie".^[6]

As an adjective, the word vegetable is used in scientific and technical contexts with a different and much broader meaning, namely of "related to plants" in general, edible or not — as in vegetable matter, vegetable kingdom, vegetable origin, etc.^[5] The meaning of "vegetable" as "plant grown for food" was not established until the 18th century.^[7]

Terminology[link]

A Venn diagram shows the overlap in the terminology of "vegetables" in a culinary sense and "fruits" in the botanical sense

There are at least four definitions relating to fruits and vegetables:

• Fruit (botany): the ovary of a flowering plant (sometimes including accessory structures),
• Fruit (culinary): any edible part of a plant with a sweet flavor,
• Vegetable (culinary): any edible part of a plant with a savory flavor.
• Vegetable (legal): commodities that are taxed as vegetables in a particular jurisdiction

In everyday, grocery-store, culinary language, the words "fruit" and "vegetable" are mutually exclusive; plant products that are called fruit are hardly ever classified as vegetables, and vice-versa. The word "fruit" has a precise botanical meaning (a part that developed from the ovary of a flowering plant), which is considerably different from its culinary meaning, and includes many poisonous fruits. While peaches, plums, and oranges are "fruit" in both senses, many items commonly called "vegetables" — such as eggplants, bell peppers, and tomatoes — are botanically fruits, while the cereals (grains) are both a fruit and a vegetable, as well as some spices like black pepper and chili peppers. Some plant products, such as corn or peas, may be considered to be vegetables only while still unripe.

The question of whether the tomato is a fruit or a vegetable found its way into the United States Supreme Court in 1893. The court ruled unanimously in Nix v. Hedden that a tomato is correctly identified as, and thus taxed as, a vegetable, for the purposes of the Tariff of 1883 on imported produce. The court did acknowledge, however, that, botanically speaking, a tomato is a fruit.^[8]

Languages other than English often have categories that can be identified with the common English meanings of "fruit" and "vegetable", but their precise meaning often depends on local culinary traditions. For example, in Brazil the avocado is traditionally consumed with sugar as a dessert or in milkshakes, and hence it is regarded as a culinary fruit; whereas in other countries (including Mexico and the United States) it is used in salads and dips, and hence considered to be a vegetable.^{[citation needed]}

Examples of different parts of plants used as vegetables[link]

The list of food items called "vegetable" is quite long, and includes many different parts of plants:

A cilantro leaf

• Flower bud

broccoli, cauliflower, globe artichokes, capers

• Seeds

Sweet corn (maize), peas, beans

• Leaves

kale, collard greens, spinach, arugula, beet greens, bok choy, chard, choi sum, turnip greens, endive, lettuce, mustard greens, watercress, garlic chives, gai lan

• Leaf sheaths

leeks

• Buds

Brussels sprouts

• Stem

Kohlrabi, galangal, and ginger

• Stems of leaves

celery, rhubarb, cardoon, Chinese celery

• Stem shoots

asparagus, bamboo shoots

• Tubers

potatoes, Jerusalem artichokes, sweet potatoes, taro, and yams

• Whole-plant sprouts

soybean (moyashi), mung beans, urad, and alfalfa.

• Roots

carrots, parsnips, beets, radishes, rutabagas, turnips, and burdocks.

• Bulbs

onions, shallots, garlic

• Fruits in the botanical sense, but used as vegetables

tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, zucchinis, pumpkins, peppers, eggplant, tomatillos, christophene, okra, breadfruit and avocado, and also the following:

• Legumes

green beans, lentils, snow peas, soybean

Nutrition[link]

South Asian style stir fry ipomoea aquatica in chili and sambal

Vegetables (and some fruit) for sale on a street in Guntur, India

Vegetables are eaten in a variety of ways, as part of main meals and as snacks. The nutritional content of vegetables varies considerably, though generally they contain little protein or fat,^[9][10] and varying proportions of vitamins such as Vitamin A, Vitamin K and Vitamin B6, provitamins, dietary minerals and carbohydrates. Vegetables contain a great variety of other phytochemicals, some of which have been claimed to have antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral and anticarcinogenic properties.^[11][12] Some vegetables also contain fiber, important for gastrointestinal function. Vegetables contain important nutrients necessary for healthy hair and skin as well. A person who refrains from dairy and meat products, and eats only plants (including vegetables) is known as a vegan.

However, vegetables often also contain toxins and antinutrients such as α-solanine, α-chaconine,^[13] enzyme inhibitors (of cholinesterase, protease, amylase, etc.), cyanide and cyanide precursors, oxalic acid, and more.^[14] Depending on the concentration, such compounds may reduce the edibility, nutritional value, and health benefits of dietary vegetables. Cooking and/or other processing may be necessary to eliminate or reduce them.

Diets containing recommended amounts of fruits and vegetables may help lower the risk of heart diseases and type 2 diabetes. These diets may also protect against some cancers and decrease bone loss. The potassium provided by both fruits and vegetables may help prevent the formation of kidney stones.

Dietary Recommendations[link]

The USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends consuming 3 to 5 servings of vegetables daily.^[15] This recommendation can vary based on age and gender, and is determined based upon standard portion sizes typically consumed, as well as general nutritional content.^[16] For most vegetables, one serving is equal to 1/2 cup and can be eaten raw or cooked. For leafy greens, such as lettuce and spinach, a single serving is typically 1 cup. Serving sizes for vegetable-derived products have not been definitively determined, but usually follow the 1/2 cup standard. Examples of vegetable-derived products subject to this standard are ketchup, pizza sauce, and tomato paste. Currently, there is no specific standard for measuring a vegetable serving in regards to its nutrient content, since different vegetables contain a wide variety of nutrients.

International dietary guidelines follow closely to the ones established by the USDA. Japan, for example, recommends the consumption of 5 to 6 servings of vegetables daily.^[17] French dietary guidelines follow similar suit and set the daily goal at 5 servings.^[18]

Color pigments[link]

The green color of leaf vegetables is due to the presence of the green pigment chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is affected by the pH, and it changes to olive green in acid conditions, and to bright green in alkaline conditions. Some of the acids are released in steam during cooking, particularly if cooked without a cover.

The yellow/orange colors of fruits and vegetables are due to the presence of carotenoids, which are also affected by normal cooking processes or changes in pH.

The red/blue coloring of some fruits and vegetables (e.g. blackberries and red cabbage) are due to anthocyanins, which are sensitive to changes in pH. When the pH is neutral, the pigments are purple, when acidic, red, and when alkaline, blue. These pigments are quite water-soluble.

Cultivation and export[link]

This section requires expansion.

Of all the world's nations, China is the leading cultivator of vegetables, with top productions in potato, onions, cabbage, lettuce, tomatoes and broccoli.

Safety[link]

Pulse seeds.

For food safety, the CDC recommends proper fruit handling and preparation to reduce the risk of food contamination and foodborne illness. Fresh fruits and vegetables should be carefully selected. At the store, they should not be damaged or bruised and pre-cut pieces should be refrigerated or surrounded by ice. All fruits and vegetables should be rinsed before eating. This recommendation also applies to produce with rinds or skins that are not eaten. It should be done just before preparing or eating to avoid premature spoilage. Fruits and vegetables should be kept separate from raw foods like meat, poultry, and seafood, as well as any cooking utensils or surfaces that may have come into contact with them (e.g. cutting boards). Fruits and vegetables, if they are not going to be cooked, should be thrown away if they have touched raw meat, poultry, seafood or eggs. All cut, peeled, or cooked fruits and vegetables should be refrigerated within 2 hours. After a certain time, harmful bacteria may grow on them and increase the risk of foodborne illness.^[19]

Storage[link]

Vegetables

Proper post-harvest storage aimed at extending and ensuring shelf life is best effected by efficient cold chain application. All vegetables benefit from proper post harvest care.^[20]

Many root and non-root vegetables that grow underground can be stored through winter in a root cellar or other similarly cool, dark, and dry place to prevent the growth of mold, greening and sprouting. Care should be taken in understanding the properties and vulnerabilities of the particular roots to be stored. These vegetables can last through to early spring and be nearly as nutritious as when fresh.

During storage, leafy vegetables lose moisture, and the vitamin C in them degrades rapidly. They should be stored for as short a time as possible in a cool place, in a sealed container or a plastic bag.

Standards[link]

This section requires expansion.

There is a series of ISO standards regarding fruits and vegetables.^[21]

See also[link]

• Food quality
• Food safety
• Fruit
• List of vegetables
• Perennial vegetable
• Vegetarianism
• Veganism
• Vegetable disease
• Herbivore
• Market gardening
• Vegetable carving
• Post-harvest losses (Fruit and vegetables)

Notes[link]

Further reading[link]

• Munro, Derek B., Small, E. 1997 Vegetables of Canada. NRC Research Press, Ottawa ISBN 978-0-660-19503-2

External links[link]

Wikibooks Cookbook has a recipe/module on Vegetable

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Vegetable

• Photo ID of Vegetables by Capt. Pawanexh Kohli
• UC Vegetable & Research Information Center
• Michigan Vegetable Information Network
• Fruits and Vegetables - Your Reference to Fruits and Vegetables, Veg Recipes, Healthy Diet, Healthy Life and Food Tips, Storage Information, Suppliers Directory.

The television show Seinfeld was known for featuring many characters, each with their own special quirks.

Secondary characters[link]

Character frequency[link]

Other characters appearing in 5 or more episodes[link]

• Dr. Tim Whatley, played by Bryan Cranston (Malcolm in the Middle, Breaking Bad), a dentist, once dubbed "Dentist to the Stars" by George. In "The Yada Yada," he converts to Judaism, according to Jerry, just for the jokes. Jerry's anger at Whatley causes Kramer to call him an "anti-dentite". His giving Jerry a label maker he received from Elaine in the episode "The Label Maker," leads to the term "regifting." In "The Jimmy," Whatley irks Jerry by having Penthouse magazines in his waiting room and by possibly "violating" him while he was unconscious during a tooth filling. Also appears in the episodes "The Mom & Pop Store" and "The Strike" for a total of 5 episodes.

• Mr. and Mrs. Ross (played by Warren Frost and Grace Zabriskie): Parents of Susan, George's fiancee. After Kramer burned down the family's cabin, it was revealed that Mr. Ross had had a homosexual affair with author John Cheever. "Yes, he was the most wonderful person I've ever known. And I love him deeply! In a way you could never understand." ("The Cheever Letters") Mrs. Ross is a memorable alcoholic who disdains yet tolerates her husband. In the episode "The Wizard," the couple confirms George's longstanding suspicion that they never liked him, and blamed him for Susan's death. In the finale, Mr. Ross is seen buying a gun after learning George was happy after Susan's death.

• Carol (played by Lisa Mende): Mutual friend of the main characters. Carol and her husband, Michael, lived in the Hamptons, and she kept insisting that the group come out to see her baby. She had two babies, a cute one that was dropped by Kramer in "The Boyfriend," and an ugly baby that was introduced in "The Hamptons". Kramer once likened the cute baby to Lyndon Johnson while Elaine compared the ugly one to a Pekingese. Carol is notable for her nasally voice and her memorable quote: "You gotta have a baby!" or "You gotta see the baby!" in "The Soul Mate". Her final appearance was in "The English Patient," when she and her friends shunned Elaine after she showed her dislike for the film of the same name.

Characters appearing in 2 to 4 episodes[link]

• Vanessa (played by Lynn Clark)^[2]: An attractive woman that Jerry meets at a birthday party in "The Stake Out" (Season 1, Episode 2). They date once in "The Stock Tip" (Season 1, Episode 5).

• The Doctor (Siegel/Wexler) (played by Victor Raider-Wexler): The doctor who performed the surgery in "The Junior Mint,Rebecca DeMornay" he was also the doctor who broke the news of Susan's death in "The Invitations" and who diagnosed George's atrophied condition in "The Summer of George". Also testified in "The Finale" about George's reaction to the news of Susan's death.

• Peggy (played by Megan Cole) : appeared in season 8 "The Susie" as Elaine's coworker who mistakes Elaine for someone named Susie. She also appears in a season 9 episode "The Apology" and revealed to be a germophobe.

• The Soup Nazi (played by Larry Thomas): Based on a real person (Al Yeganeh); a chef who often denied customers his delicious soup for the slightest misbehavior with the admonition, "NO soup for you!" The character's name, revealed in "The Finale," is Yev Kassem.

• Nana (played by Billye Ree Wallace) is Jerry's grandmother and the mother of Helen Seinfeld and Uncle Leo. When her mind starts to mix up the present and the past, she reveals that Uncle Leo owes his sister, Jerry's mom, $50 from a racetrack bet their father won when they were kids.

• Dolores (played by Susan Walters): Jerry's girlfriend; he doesn't know her name, only that it rhymes with a female body part (his best guess: "Mulva"). (The Junior Mint). Jerry reunites with her in "The Foundation".

• Donald Sanger, aka The Bubble Boy (played by Jon Hayman): Jerry agrees to visit a bubble boy, who lives in a hermetically sealed bubble due to a compromised immune system. Jerry gets lost on the way, and George ends up meeting the bubble boy but finds he is a bratty spoiled kid; George and Donald get in a fight over a typographical error on a Trivial Pursuit card, when it says the Moops (rather than the Moors) invaded Spain. The fight results in the boy's bubble being popped.

• Noreen (played by Kelly Coffield, In Living Color): A friend of Elaine's who dated Dan, the high talker. Elaine continuously destroyed Noreen's life until Kramer intervened and urged her to return to the military. She attempted to commit suicide, but Frank Costanza's cape-wearing lawyer (played by Larry David) stopped her.

• Lloyd Braun (played first by Peter Keleghan, then by Matt McCoy): A childhood friend of George's. Estelle Costanza would badger George with "Why can't you be more like Lloyd Braun?" In "The Non-Fat Yogurt," Lloyd worked for David Dinkins until he passed along Elaine's suggestion that everyone in New York City wear name tags. Dinkins lost the race and Braun had a nervous breakdown. (The episode, which aired two days after the real mayoral election, was shot in two forms; had Dinkins been re-elected, Braun would've instead served in, and by taking Elaine's advice ruined, Rudy Giuliani's campaign.) After spending time in a mental institution, Lloyd helped Kramer gain historical status for a movie theater, in "The Gum". In "The Serenity Now," Braun worked for a short time for George's father, Frank Costanza, allegedly selling computers (although the phone line he was "using" wasn't connected). Larry David named the Lloyd Braun character after the real-life Lloyd Braun, who was David's lawyer and manager.

• Babu Bhatt (played by Brian George): From Pakistan. Jerry seems to mess up his life at every turn, by giving bad business advice on his restaurant and by not passing on his immigration notice that is accidentally delivered to Jerry's mailbox. Babu thinks that Jerry is a "very, very bad man" (wagging his finger).

• Barbara "Babs" Kramer (played by Sheree North): Cosmo Kramer's mother. She used to be a matron in the women's restroom at a restaurant, but was persuaded by Kramer to resign from that job and pursue an undefined venture with him. Although first mentioned in "The Nose Job," her first on-screen appearance is in "The Switch," where she also unintentionally reveals Kramer's first name to be Cosmo and has a sexual encounter with Newman. Babs was once addicted to alcohol and/or drugs claiming to have been "clean" for two years.

• Bob Cobb (played by Mark Metcalf): A conductor who prefers to be called "Maestro" and has a villa in Tuscany. Cobb introduced Kramer and Frank Costanza to the trick of taking their pants off before sitting so the pants will "keep the crease". The character is named after the inventor of the Cobb Salad.^{[citation needed]}

• Poppie (played by Reni Santoni): Owner of an Italian restaurant who disapproves of abortion, tells traumatizing stories of his mother's death, is very strict on his idea of what pizza is, and developed stress-activated incontinence because of Elaine, which further causes him to stain Jerry's couch. The "Poppie couch" turns up in "The Doorman".

• Marla Penny aka "The Virgin," played by Jane Leeves (Frasier): Professional closet organizer whom Jerry dates. She eventually loses her virginity to John F. Kennedy, Jr. Appears in "The Virgin," "The Contest," "The Pilot, Part 1" and "Part 2," "The Finale"

• Izzy Mandelbaum (played by Lloyd Bridges): Fellow resident of Jerry's parents in Del Boca Vista in Florida; head of family-owned Magic Pan crepe restaurants. His favorite saying is "It's go time!" He is obsessed with his physical fitness. In "The English Patient" he throws his back out twice after being challenged by Jerry. Appears in "The Blood" and "The English Patient" (Season 9).

• Scott Drake (played by Rick Overton): A mutual friend of the main characters, often referred to with the phrases "Love the Drake" or "Hate the Drake". Jerry, George, Elaine and Kramer give him and his fiancée a big screen TV as a wedding gift, only to find out soon after that they have broken up and his ex-fiance, the "Drakette," gave it away to charity. In "The Pilot, Part 2," the Drake and Drakette (who have gotten back together) are seen watching Jerry's pilot program on a small, handheld black and white television. In The Label Maker, he is engaged to marry The Drakette again, but they break up after he learns that the wedding is on the same day as the Super Bowl and tries to postpone it.

• Leslie (played by Wendel Meldrum): Kramer's "low-talking" girlfriend, a clothing designer who designed the new puffy shirt featured in "The Puffy Shirt" episode. She also appeared in "The Finale" as a witness in the trial, but her testimony was not accepted because no one in the courtroom could hear her.

• Joe Mayo (played by Pat Finn): Another mutual friend of the main characters, except Kramer. Hosts parties and assigns chores to the guests. Kramer later confesses he's never heard of him, and that to him, the name 'Joe Mayo' sounds made up. Joe Mayo is also a reference to a crew member of the series.

• Alec Berg (played by Mark DeCarlo): Friend who gives ice hockey tickets to Jerry in "The Face Painter". Named after Alec Berg, one of the series' writers. Jerry thinks the name would sound particularly appealing when spoken by John Houseman. Jerry is apparently snubbed by Berg because Berg felt that he was due another "thank you" or two for the tickets.

• Sue Ellen Mischke (played by Brenda Strong): Known as the "bra-less wonder," heiress to the Oh Henry! candy bar fortune, and nemesis of Elaine, whom she knew since they attended high school together in Maryland. She bids up the price of a set of golf clubs once owned by John F. Kennedy, which Elaine's boss J. Peterman had asked Elaine to buy at an auction, exceeding his limit. In "The Caddy," Elaine is so incensed that Sue Ellen doesn't wear a bra that she gives her a bra as a gift, which Sue Ellen then promptly wears as a top. This causes Kramer to crash George's car when he and Jerry see her walking in her bra down the street. The courtroom scene that follows is an allusion to the O. J. Simpson trial, ending with Jackie Chiles exclaiming that a bra has to be worn up against the skin, "like a glove." In "The Betrayal," Sue Ellen invites Elaine (accompanied by Jerry and George) to India for her wedding. Elaine and Sue Ellen briefly reconcile their animosity before it is revealed that Elaine once had a relationship with Sue Ellen's groom. She also appears in "The Bottle Deposit, Part 1" and "The Abstinence". Interestingly, there was a character named Sue Ellen Mischke, mentioned in the pilot episode of the sitcom Happy Days.

• Ping (played by Ping Wu): Chinese food delivery boy, who sues Elaine after hitting a car while trying to avoid colliding with her as she is jaywalking. When asked how he felt after the accident Ping replied, "Head huwt, head weally huwt!" In "The Tape," when George calls a Chinese company to order hair growth cream, Ping acts as the interpreter.

• Joe Temple: A family man who George watches Breakfast at Tiffany's with in the episode "The Couch". Joe dislikes George after he spills grape juice on his couch. Joe also appears in "The Diplomat's Club," where George tries to watch another film with him.

• Remy Temple: Joe Temple's daughter. She is a great fan of Audrey Hepburn, and watched Breakfast at Tiffany's with her father and George in "The Couch". She appears again in "The Diplomat's Club" when George brings another Audrey Hepburn film, but her father tells her to get up to the apartment instantly before George came up.

• Lindsay Enright: (played by Jessica Hecht) An ex-girlfriend of George's, was in a book club in "The Couch". They were supposed to read Breakfast at Tiffany's but George watched the film instead, and stated incorrect facts about the book. She then appears in "The Gymnast".

• Jake Jarmel: (played by Marty Rackham) Author Elaine dated for a period. Dislikes using exclamation marks in "The Sniffing Accountant". Broke up with Elaine after she bought Jujyfruits immediately after hearing he was in a car accident ("The Opposite"). Bought his glasses in Malaysia so no one else would have a pair like them ("The Scofflaw"). He started a fight with Mr. Lippman when he noticed that Lippman had the same "unique" frames as himself. The actor who plays Jake Jarmel also appears as an LAPD officer in the episode "The Trip".

• Mr. Kruger (played by Daniel von Bargen): President of Kruger Industrial Smoothing, for which George Costanza works during most of the ninth and final season. Kruger is noted for his total apathy towards his job and the success of his company. George's description of the company is "Kruger Industrial Smoothing: 'We don't care, and it shows'" ("The Strike"). George is often forced to push Kruger to do his work, to which Kruger usually responds, "I'm not too worried about it." He also attends the Festivus dinner. Kruger's company "botched the Statue of Liberty" job as they "couldn't get the green stuff off" and is infamous for losing money (when viewing the company financial reports Kruger nonchalantly exclaimed, "wow, we really took it on the chin last year"). Kruger appears in four episodes: "The Slicer," "The Strike," "The Burning," and "The Maid".

• Sally Weaver, played by Kathy Griffin (Suddenly Susan, Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List): Susan Ross's roommate in college, originally from Memphis, Tennessee, she appears in "The Cartoon" and "The Doll" as an aspiring actress and comedienne. In "The Doll," she was indirectly responsible for ruining Jerry's bit for The Charles Grodin Show, not once but twice. In "The Cartoon" she becomes famous and even gets a cable special for her one-woman show, titled "Jerry Seinfeld is the Devil," which naturally becomes a favorite of Newman's. In "The Doll," it was revealed that Sally was an executive at Federal Express.

• Mr. Morgan (played by Tom Wright) A coworker of George's at Yankee Stadium. He appears in four episodes, "The Pledge Drive," where George convinces Mr. Morgan that the Yankees should send a player to a PBS fundraiser after he sees George eating a candy bar with a knife and fork; "The Diplomat's Club," where he hints that George had a racial bias after George said that he looked like Sugar Ray Leonard; "the Mom and Pop Store," where George calls a meeting to convince the Yankees to have a "Jon Voight Day," and Mr. Morgan proposes they have no more meetings called by George; and "The Wink," where George causes a dispute with Mr. Morgan, his wife, and Mr. Steinbrenner by winking involuntarily, ultimately leading to Mr. Morgan's termination, and George being promoted to his position.

• Wyck Thayer (played by Bruce Davison): Chairman of the Susan Ross Foundation, who assumes that George actually killed Susan. Appeared in the first two episodes of the eighth season, as well as "The Van Buren Boys" later in the same season. George consistently calls Wyck "Wink".

• Franklin Delano Romanowski, aka "FDR," (played by Michael McShane): Another of Kramer's eccentric friends. In "The Betrayal," he uses his birthday wish against Kramer as the result of a grudge held after Kramer struck him in the back of the head with a snowball. The same actor also appears briefly in "The Wizard" as the hot dog vendor talking with George. Although his character's name is not revealed, he is presumably the same character because he was seen selling hot dogs in "The Betrayal" also. He is mentioned by Kramer in several episodes, usually in some outrageous anecdote.

• Sal Bass (played by Tony Amendola): Kramer meets him at the health club and thinks he is Salman Rushdie. In a later episode, Sal Bass is shown watching Jerry's pilot program with Sidra. Out of the blue, Bass remarks, "You know, that Kim Novak had some really large breasts."

• Bob and Ray/Cedric (played by Yul Vazquez and John Paragon): Hostile effeminate Latino duo that accost Cosmo Kramer in "The Soup Nazi," "The Sponge," and "The Puerto Rican Day". They are widely known as "street toughs". They steal Elaine's armoire that Kramer is guarding in "The Soup Nazi," verbally and physically attack him for not wearing an AIDS walk ribbon in "The Sponge," and attack him when he accidentally sets fire to a Puerto Rican flag. John Paragon's character is credited as "Ray" in "The Soup Nazi," but is addressed and credited as "Cedric" in "The Sponge".

• Mabel Choate (played by Frances Bay): The woman at Schnitzer's deli who bought the infamous last marble rye, which Jerry went on to steal from her on the street in order to give to George to carry out one of his numerous idiotic schemes. She reappeared in a later episode at Del Boca Vista to cast the deciding vote in Morty's impeachment, when she recognized Jerry as the thief of her rye. She also appears in the final episode of the series as a witness testifying against Jerry, again bringing up the marble rye.

• Ricky (played by Sam Lloyd): The man that takes Frank Constanza's TV Guide from Elaine in the subway and later turns it into a bouquet to declare his affection for her during "The Cigar Store Indian". He reappears in a later episode "The Pie" where it is revealed the reason mannequins looking like Elaine are appearing all over New York and Chicago is because he still thinks of her.

• Allison (played by Kari Coleman): George's ex-girlfriend whom he claims is obsessed with him, proven by the fact that she threatened to kill herself if George broke up with her. Furthermore, in the end of the episode, "The Smelly Car," Allison, in an apparently lesbian-like manner, compliments the vest of George's other ex-girlfriend, Susan, with whom she is seen watching the pilot program in a later episode, "The Pilot".

• Tia Van Camp (played by Jennifer Campbell): Blonde supermodel whom Jerry is seated next to on an airplane flight back to New York ("The Airport"). Jerry ends up getting a future date with Tia, who also appears in a subsequent episode ("The Pick"). Tia eventually dumps Jerry when she notices him in his car, appearing to pick his nose.

• Sid: Professional car parker. George fills in for him briefly in "The Alternate Side" and fails miserably, directly causing Sid's nephew to lose his foot to amputation because George's incompetence caused several of Sid's regular customers to quit. This created a significant loss of income to Sid, thereby rendering him unable to finance his nephew's operation. Sid appears again in "The Parking Space".

• Earl Haffler: Appeared in "The Diplomat's Club". He made bets with Kramer on which planes coming to the airport would arrive later than scheduled. Earl appears again in "The English Patient," where his deal with Kramer to buy "Cubans" falls through and he orders Cosmo out of his office.

• Ramon: (played by Carlos Jacott): Annoying pool boy at Jerry's former health club who tried to become friends with Jerry, but Jerry did not want to be friends with Ramon because he did not need a fourth friend. Of course, Ramon thought it was because he cleaned pools for a living. He later becomes friends with Newman. He was originally fired from the health club for using too much chlorine but has his job back there again for unknown reasons. Some time later at the health club he is nearly killed when Jerry pulls him into the pool and Newman suddenly jumps on him whilst yelling "Ollie ollie oxen free!". During this incident, Jerry and Newman don't give him CPR and have their gym memberships terminated for failing to try to save Ramon's life ("The Pool Guy"). He also appears in the courtroom in "The Finale".

• Mike Moffit: (played by Lee Arenberg): Calls Jerry a "phony" behind his back and gets into an argument with George over a parking space in front of Jerry's apartment ("The Parking Space)." He also appears as Kramer's bookie in "The Susie," where Jerry accidentally breaks his thumbs and traps him in the trunk of Jerry's car.

• Rebecca DeMornay (not to be confused with the actress): (played by Sonya Eddy): A thrift store clerk who is in a constant state of agitation and is prone to violence. In another episode she works with the homeless. She once threatened to jump over the counter and punch George "in the brain". Appears in "The Bookstore" and "The Muffin Tops".

• Lt. Bookman, played by Philip Baker Hall (Secret Honor): A library cop that Jerry has eluded since his 1971 checkout of Tropic of Cancer. His dedication to his job and coincidental surname are cause for Jerry's dismissive attitude towards him. He accuses Jerry of preventing other youngsters from experiencing the book's sought after adult-themed content or as Bookman refers, "pee-pees and wee-wees". His character is defined by his deadpan delivery (a parody of Sgt. Joe Friday in Dragnet) and tendency to dramatically flip his trench coat during interrogations. Appears in "The Library" and "The Finale, Part 2"

• Matthew: (played by John Christian Graas): Son of the purveyor of the "fat-free" yogurt, Matthew is a 10-year-old boy who idolizes Jerry. He overhears Jerry swearing, and, following his idol's lead, refers to Jerry as a "funny fuck"("fuck" is censored). He ruins an audiocassette of Jerry's comedy, at which Jerry lets loose a torrent of obscenity. When the yogurt is revealed to have fat, Matthew cusses out Jerry again. Matthew first appears in "The Parking Space" in Season 3 and puts in his two cents over whether George has a parking space. Appears in The Non-Fat Yogurt and The Parking Space.

• Joey (played by Todd Bosley): A 9 year old boy who lives in the same apartment building as Jerry, Kramer and Newman. Joey's mother asks Kramer to babysit him but due to his tight jeans, this results in Joey mistaking him for Frankenstein and running away. By his second appearance, they are friends and go to the same karate class, despite Kramer being many years older. Joey and his friends later beat up Kramer because he was able to beat them so easily in Karate. He appears in both Season 7's The Wait Out and Season 8's The Foundation.

• Rachel Goldstein: (played by Melanie Smith): Jerry's most dated girlfriend in the series, having appeared in four episodes (including a two-part episode). In "The Raincoats," she and Jerry make out while watching Schindler's List and are seen by Newman, who informs Jerry's and Rachel's parents of the incident. As a result, her father tells Jerry she won't be seeing him again but they are still together later in the series. In "The Hamptons," Rachel accidentally walks in on George naked while he is a victim of "shrinkage," having just gotten out of the pool. She tells George's girlfriend, who immediately returns home as a result. In "The Opposite," she breaks up with Jerry, who quickly says he'll find somebody else as things always even out for him.

• Tina Robbins: (played by Siobhan Fallon Hogan)): A "waitress/actress" (although she considers herself an "actress/waitress") who is Elaine's roommate in her original apartment, later moving out and sub-letting it to her. She is introduced in "The Deal" and dates Kramer in "The Truth," much to the dismay of Elaine, who complains about the loud tribal music and sexual noises in her apartment. She makes a brief appearance in "The Opposite," kicking Elaine out of her apartment for, among other things, buzzing up a jewel thief and using Canadian quarters in the washing machine.

• Deena: (played by Mary Jo Keenan of Nurses): A childhood friend of George who thinks that he is mentally unstable after she repeatedly catches him in bizarre situations. First, in "The Gum," she notices striking similarities between George's behavior and that of her mentally unstable father (affectionately known by all as 'Pop'), that being "nervousness, irritability, and paranoia". Her suspicions are heightened when she sees him walking down the street in a King Henry VIII costume telling people he just left the "institution." Then, in "The Doll" she catches him in the coffee shop, alone and screaming at a doll that looks like his mother. Finally, in "The Bottle Deposit" she is visiting her father at the mental asylum when she runs into a hysterical George, who was mistakenly sent there by Mr. Steinbrenner. She ignores his pleas to help him escape, believing that he is finally getting the help he needs.

• Rabbi Glickman: (played by Bruce Mahler): A rabbi who befriends Elaine (and actually makes a clumsy play for her at one point) and is a terrible secret keeper. He appears in "The Postponement," "The Serenity Now," and "The Finale".

• Rusty: (played by Jon Gries): Homeless man who falsely identifies Kramer in a police lineup and is hired by Kramer and Newman as labor for their short-lived rickshaw venture. During his trial run, Rusty stole the rickshaw. He appears in "The Beard" and "The Bookstore".

• Jiffy Park Guy/Jiffy Dump Guy: (played by Chaim Girafi): An attendant at Jiffy Park who may or may not be utilizing George's car, along with other cars parked on the lot, as a den of iniquity for prostitutes to conduct their business in the episode "The Wig Master". His second appearance was in "The Muffin Tops," where he portrayed the late-night operator of sister-company Jiffy Dump, who steadfastly refuses to accept trash bags of discarded muffin stumps. (Jiffy Dump Guy: "Where are the muffin tops?" Kramer: "This is a garbage dump. Just let me dump it." Jiffy Dump Guy: "Can't do it." Kramer: "Is this a joke?" Jiffy Dump Guy: "That's what I'd like to know about it.") In both episodes, he suggests that George and Kramer resolve their issues with "Consumer Affairs".

Unseen characters[link]

• Doug, Kramer's cop buddy featured in The Frogger. Kramer finds caution tape in the evidence room while the cops are worried about "The Lopper".
• Cousin Jeffrey, Jerry's horse-faced cousin, about whom Uncle Leo always raves. He worked for the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. Jeffrey once got Jerry tickets to a Paul Simon concert, and a glasses-less George once claimed to see Jeffrey kissing Jerry's girlfriend in the street (it turned out to be a policewoman patting a horse). According to Uncle Leo, Jeffrey's favorite animal is the leopard because he likes the spots, and he keeps in close contact with his college botany professor, a friendship which Leo thinks is rare. Jeffrey received a citation from the city for his edible foliage tour through Central Park. The back of Cousin Jeffrey's head can be seen in the deleted scenes for the policewoman/horse episode on the season DVD.
• Bob Sacamano, one of Kramer's best friends, who is often referred to as the source of nutty ideas or inaccurate information. He is from New Jersey. Bob's father lives in Florida and is the source of faulty electronic organizers known as "Willards" (instead of the more expensive "Wizards") that foil Kramer's run for condo board president. In "The Heart Attack," Kramer explains how Bob had a botched hernia operation, so that now he has a high-pitched voice and spends his days in a wheelchair. He also had rabies at some point. Bob provided a bag of defective condoms to Kramer in "The Fix-Up," which George used with Elaine's friend, whom he briefly believed he had impregnated. Bob once stayed at Kramer's apartment as a guest for a year and a half. Larry Charles created Sacamano, naming him after a real-life friend. Bob also befriended Jerry when Jerry and Kramer trade apartments. Jerry adds that Bob sells Russian hats in Battery Park for $40.
• Lomez, an unseen friend of Kramer's. He is an Orthodox Jew, "old school," according to Kramer in The Fatigues. In The Betrayal, Kramer bangs on the door of a portable toilet yelling "Come on Lomez, we're going to miss the movie!" When Kramer starts the Peterman Reality Bus Tour in "The Muffin Tops," he notes Lomez' place of worship on the tour. Kramer purchases a hot tub from Lomez and speaks on the phone to him while taking a shower in "The Apology". In "The Package," Kramer tells Jerry that he traded his stereo to Lomez for some steaks. In "The Voice," Kramer's intern Darren tells Jerry and George that "Mr. Kramer's in a meeting with Mr. Lomez." And in "The Van Buren Boys," one of the Susan Ross Scholarship interviewees is credited, although not mentioned, as Lomez Junior. His relation, if any, to Lomez remains unknown as his only line is "You like that, don't you?" when George mentions that he has a 4.0 GPA. In "The Slicer," Kramer tells Elaine that Lomez blew his neighbor's circuit to stop an incessant alarm, prompting her to do the same. Later in the same episode, Kramer tells Elaine that, in blowing his neighbor's circuit, Lomez caused the automatic cat feeder to stop functioning, resulting in incessant meowing from the neighbor's cat. When Elaine asks Kramer what Lomez did about it, he replies that "He moved to a hotel and the cat eventually died".
• Jay Riemenschneider, a friend of Kramer's. Kramer once mentioned that Jay "eats horse (meat) all the time" ("The Seven").
• Corky Ramirez, a friend of Kramer's "up on 94th street" ("The Little Kicks"). A friend of Kramer's called "Ramirez" appears at a bar in "The Van Buren Boys".
• Len Nicademo, a friend of Kramer. Kramer moved in with Len when Len "had the gout" ("The Stand In").
• Specter, a friend of Kramer's. Was said to have a fat fetish and that he never dated a woman under 250 lbs. Specter was also said to become a minimalist in "The Tape".
• Jerry's Sister, referenced in "The Chinese Restaurant".
• George's Brother, referenced in "The Suicide" and "The Parking Space".
• Elaine's sister, Gail, referenced in "The Airport," "The Stake Out" and "The Pick".
• Simons, one of George's friends who gave him stock exchange advice in the episode "The Stock Tip".
• Aunt Sylvia, Jerry refers to his Aunt Sylvia during a conversation with Elaine on her front stoop in the episode "The Soup".
• Sharon Besser, a woman from Jerry's past who in 1973 played a part in either the "greatest moment" or "worst moment" of his life. Mentioned in "The Pony Remark".
• Jerry "Pachyderm" Persheck, also known as "The Derm" is referenced by all four major characters in the episode The Stand-In. One evening Pachyderm exclaimed that he was going to approach a woman; however, before approaching her he grabbed two pieces of pizza that were much too hot with his bare hands. Pachyderm, determined to approach the woman, held the two burning pieces of pizza in his hands until he resorted to juggling them which ultimately resulted in him throwing the pizza in the air. According to Elaine, the whole place "went crazy" when one piece landed on Pachyderm's face and the other landed on the woman's face. At the end of the episode George's girlfriend leaves him for Pachyderm who has apparently resorted to repeating the pizza event as a way to pick up women.
• Ed Roidlick, a Seinfeld family connection in the advertising industry that Morty and Helen Seinfeld want Jerry to contact (and give up comedy) when they learn he has bounced a check ("The Little Jerry").
• Dr. Bison, Jackie Chiles' doctor, who is mentioned by Jackie Chiles in numerous episodes.
• Suzy, Jackie Chiles' receptionist/secretary who usually sets up appointments with Dr. Bison, but seems to appear in the series finale with Jackie Chiles.
• Harry Fleming, Morty Seinfeld's employer as mentioned while in a meeting with J Peterman as he refers to 5:15 as "all hours of the night."
• Mr. Wilkinson, Simons' friend who invested millions into Sendrax ("The Stock Tip").
• Paco, A cook at Monk's Café, known for leaving rubber bands in the soup ("The Strike").
• Aunt Baby, George's aunt who died at age seven ("The Money").
• Uncle Mo, George's paternal uncle who died a young man of internal problems ("The Money").
• Hennie, George's maternal cousin, once removed ("The Money").
• Patty Lawrence, Jerry's ex-girlfriend who assures him by phone that she had orgasms while they were dating ("The Mango").

Imaginary characters and aliases[link]

• Eduardo Corrochio, Elaine Benes's imaginary matador boyfriend in "The Good Samaritan". Not to be confused with the Spanish-born tap-dancing champion.
• Whitey Fisk, George's imaginary friend. George tells Jerry and Elaine that he saw Last Tango in Paris with him. Jerry claims Whitey is the "Summer Jerry," due to the fact that they were supposedly best friends when Jerry was away at camp.
• Art Vandelay, George's imaginary alter-ego, which is referenced in many episodes. In "The Finale," the name of the judge is, coincidentally, Arthur Vandelay.
• Kel Varnsen is an alias used by Jerry in "The Boyfriend," in order to help George with his Vandelay Industries. He also uses this alias in "The Puerto Rican Day".
• H.E. Pennypacker. Kramer appears as H. E. Pennypacker, "a wealthy industrialist". In order to help Elaine get revenge on Putumayo in "The Millennium," Kramer (as "Pennypacker") attempts to use his pricing gun to greatly reduce the prices of the store's clothing. When Kramer inadvertently crushes the pricing gun, he removes the desiccants from some of the clothes, and tells Gladys Mayo, "I think I'm going to build a roller coaster instead." He also uses the alias in "The Puerto Rican Day" where he poses as a buyer interested in an apartment in order to use its bathroom.
• Martin van Nostrand or Peter von Nostrand. As Dr. Martin von Nostrand, Kramer tried to get Elaine's medical chart in "The Package". He also used the von Nostrand alias in "The Slicer," posing as a dermatologist, and is recognized as Dr. von Nostrand in "The Strike". Kramer used the name Martin von Nostrand (without the "doctor" prefix) while auditioning for the role of himself on the show Jerry in "The Pilot, Part 1". Kramer posed as Professor Peter von Nostrand in "The Nose Job" in order to retrieve a jacket from another man's apartment.
• Wanda Pepper is an alias used by Elaine in "The Nose Job" in order to pick up Kramer's jacket.
• Dylan Murphy is a name Jerry makes up for himself in "The Limo". George poses as Colin O'Brien in the same episode.
• Susie, an alter ego created by Elaine in "The Susie," who Peggy believes is real and with whom J. Peterman claims to have had an affair while he is speaking at her funeral. Susie hates when people refer to her as "Suze".
• Paloma. Elaine's alias as Uncle Leo's nurse in "The Package" in order to get cream for her rash and eyebrows for Uncle Leo.
• Steven Snell. Kramer's character on Murphy Brown during a short stint as an actor in Los Angeles.
• Slappy White. Jerry's alias he claims to have used in Atlantic City during "The Money," to cover up for the fact that he bought his parents back the Cadillac that they sold. The real Slappy White was a comedian who passed away a year before the episode.
• Snoopy and Prickly Pete. George's imaginary horses, conjured up in "The Wizard" as part of his attempt to convince Susan's parents that he had a lavish home in The Hamptons that included a stable.

References[link]