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Paradasia

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  1. Paradasia

    Star fruit

    I am a producer and exporter of Starfruit from Malaysia. I always though that the real wonder of this fruit is the unique shape, so It seems to me that any dish that uses this fruit it should preserve the appearance. I’ve seen sliced starfruit baked into cakes. By placing them in the bottom and sides of the pan they turn out nicely on the cake surface after baking. They work well in gelatin deserts; but tend to float so it needs some planning to keep them in the correct place. Starfruit with caramel does sound interesting, but for me the taste of starfruit is complemented with something slightly acidic. The best preparations I have tasted are drinks where starfruit is added to citrus juice (orange and/or lemon), wedding punch, or even better with champagne, sugar and strawberries. I rather like the Brazillian drink where they blend starfuit into a juice and mix with "pinga". I am sure rhubarb and starfruit would work well. Maybe a key-lime pie with starfruit embedded in the crust might be interesting to try. In western countries most starfruit is used mily as a garnish, typically in salads, on the sides of cocktails, or on top of deserts.
  2. Among the wonders of Dragon fruit are the unique appearance (wonderful for garnish) and incredibly compelling health benefits. This fruit has the highest level of soluble fiber of any fruit I know, and the red-fleshed varieties are incredibly rich in anti-oxidants. To top it off it even has vitamins! The pigment from the red-fleshed varieties is really a unique fuchsia coloration. It’s quite stable (except to heat), and keeps for weeks in the fridge. Makes a great natural food coloring for any dish that doesn’t require cooking. See more info at http://paradasia.com/1a01_Pitaya_product_info.htm
  3. Anyone ever tried PULASAN ? It’s a close relative to the Rambutan, but it’s a far superior fruit since it is larger, more flavorful, and keeps a longer in the fridge. The most interesting think about the Pulasan is that the edible-seed tastes almost exactly like an almond. This makes eating the fruit a 2-part experience; first the sweet jelly-like flesh, and then the crunchy- nutty interior seed. I have more pics and info on pulasan at our website CLICK HERE This is an indigenous tree fruit of Malaysia and Indonesia, but so far is not much exported.
  4. It is both interesting and instructional to see that Durian is listed by several people in this topic as the “worst food” that they have ever tasted. At the same in other threads it is proclaimed as a wonderful culinary experience. If you do a search for “Durian” in e-gullet and you will come up with more than 200 hits. The thread “Frightfully freaky fruit, scary looking but delicious” in the forum “Adventures in Eating” is has good examples of what I am talking about. It seems enjoyment of many (all ?) great foods requires some experience, and perhaps a “dulling” of some part of ones taste senses to allow other sensations to come to the surface. I remember that while working on farms in SE Asia many years ago, I was often asked to sample Durians, typically presented to me by the proud growers as an example of their horticultural skills. Not wanting to offend any, I usually ate the fruit and then quietly snuck away to a corner to regurgitate for a while. At that time, one Durian Fruit kept in the trunk of my car for only a hour, would leave an odor which I (and other foreign friends) could detect with disgust for at least two weeks. Now, many years latter, I eat durians regularly, and find it difficult to detect any smell at all. I can see now that the attraction of the fruit comes from its rich creamy texture, combined with a bitter-sweet taste, a bit like a rich chocolate custard, but with underlying tastes of fresh vegetables (maybe onions ?). I wonder now what other great experiences I am missing, simply because I haven’t “acquired the taste” yet. I guess sometimes to really enjoy food we need to hold our noses and shut our eyes tight!.
  5. My understanding is that Lychees are actually a sub-tropical fruit, and it seems they do not grow well in countries close to the Equator. It’s therefore not surprising that they would be well suited to areas like Florida and Hawaii. In addition to China, there is also a lot lychee production in Thailand. The fruit from the Northern Chang Mei area of Thailand is much larger and sweeter than the Chinese product, and the Thais have developed better post-harvest handling techniques, which allow the fruit to arrive fresher. Australia grows a pretty good lychee as well. I heard that there is also some production in South Africa and in somewhere is Latin America, but I am not sure how much. I think Lychees are now available in Canada year-round from one country or another, however for the USA there are limited countries permited to ship there. If you like Lychees, you should also try not only Rambutans, and Longans, which are widely available in Vancouver, Toronto, and Maontreal. In Malaysia we also export some Pulasan; which is like a plum size Rambutan only better.
  6. Me ? I have bread and coffee. Who has time for breakfast anymore? When traveling I always enjoy the breakfasts in Germany, particularly the delicious sliced meats, cheese, and rye bread. I find they go great with the strong black European coffee served. Among the most unusual breakfasts I have had are the Japanese Nato (fermented soybean); usually served on rice with a raw egg, soy sauce, and seaweed. The smell takes a little getting use to, but my friends always tell me its very healthy. Another very interesting Breakfast Dish is Soodae in South Korea. It resembles pudding, and is made from congealed blood (from pigs I think). There must be a Scottish connection here, because I also recall that in the Northern UK they also eat blood sausage for breakfast.
  7. In North Asia it seems pretty common to be served live-seafood. I know it looks a bit cruel to outsiders, but locals always pronouce the many virtues of these REALLY FRESH delights. The live fish and prawns in Japan were sort of interesting, but what I remember the most was eating LIVE OCTOPUS in Sosan South-Korea. I tried it twice. The first time they were quite small and easy to swallow, but after consuming the first two or three specimens, I realized from the sensation in my stomach that these critters were actually trying to climb back up my throat to escape. It was sort of scary really. For a time I was really worried that they might decide to take a side trip into my lungs. Latter my Korean friends taught me two rather important rules for taking this cuisine. First, you have to chew them until they are really dead. Second; after swallowing you need to follow with a cup or two of liquor (Sochu) in order to make sure they stop moving in your stomach. I reckon it’s the closest a man may ever come to feeling pregnant.
  8. I left Canada in 1987, and ever since I have difficulty to get authentic Canadian Versions of: Cinnamon buns Cinnamon/sugar toast Bran Muffins There are several Canadian Chains developing Cinnamon Buns in Foreign lands, but I find them to be not the same as I was used to (like the ones at the UBC Coffee Shop in the 70’s). Also, I observe that in most countries Atlantic Lobster is generally recognized as a Canadian product; even though I think in some cases it may actually be coming from the US.
  9. In Asian cultures there is a common idea that many foods have either a “heating” or “cooling” effect on the body. In Malaysia one of the most “heaty” foods is the spiny and smelly tree fruit DURIAN. The mention of mood-changing foods made me think of this, because in SE Asia they expound on the aphrodisiac qualities of Durian. I heard that the Malays even have a rational expression that goes something like: “ When the Durian comes down from the tree, the sarongs (ie: dresses) come off” From my experience, it seems true that this fruit has some type of stimulant effect, which I find a bit like having six-shots of espresso coffee. As for being an aphrodisiac, its doesn’t seem to do much for me; and frankly speaking since it creates a great deal of foul smelling intestinal gas I find myself always wanting to be alone after eating it. I reckon it must have something addictive in it, because despite the negative effects, most people (including me) can’t seem to stop craving it. Once you get past the smell, the taste is quite interesting. But don’t take my word on it. Why not you give it a try. Thai Durian is available frozen in specialty supermarkets throughout the USA, and the lucky Canucks can get it fresh (ie: double the smell) in Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto.
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