Fruit

[Anna N]

14 minutes ago, liuzhou said:

These are dried longan, which they picked from the trees planted in their home village by their grandfathe .

How do you use these dried fruit?

[liuzhou]

12 minutes ago, Anna N said:

How do you use these dried fruit?

 

They can be eaten as is, after the brittle skin is removed. The seed is inedible. The fruit flesh turns from white to brown or black and the taste intensifies. They are chewy. However, there isn't much flesh once it's dried so you need to eat quite a few.

 

They are also made into a "tea", desserts and used in soups. One can buy them shelled and pitted, but that is an expensive option. And they wouldn't be as fresh as these ones.

[TicTac]

Great looking mangoes.  It almost looks like the Hayden mangoes we had in Kauai - which were the most unreal (superior to the very fragrant Indian varieties) I have ever had - huge, 2-3lbs, not fibrous at all - but oddly enough, pricey as hell, especially since they were local!  (bought at both road side stands and a local farmers market) - ranging between $4-6 each!  The flip side, local passion fruit were but $0.25 each (though I know these grow in abundance, but still, that is 1/4 of what we pay here - whereas the mangoes are double - if not triple!)

 

Interesting....!  Dried logan fruit.  New to me.

 

Food for thought....why is it Grapes are the only fruits lucky enough to have their own designated term for their dried counterpart - raisins!?

 

 

[Anna N]

2 minutes ago, TicTac said:

Food for thought....why is it Grapes are the only fruits lucky enough to have their own designated term for their dried counterpart - raisins!?

 

Plums?

[TicTac]

Just now, Anna N said:

Plums?

 

What about 'em?

 

 

[Anna N]

Just now, TicTac said:

 

What about 'em?

 

 

 When dried they become prunes.

[TicTac]

3 minutes ago, Anna N said:

 When dried they become prunes.

 

 

Interesting.  I have eaten fresh prunes many times.

 

Upon initial research however; apparently plums can be dried into prunes...but prunes dried remain....prunes!

 

Logic!?

 

 

Edited October 4, 2018 by TicTac (log)

[Anna N]

3 minutes ago, TicTac said:

 

 

Interesting.  I have eaten fresh prunes many times.

 

Upon initial research however; apparently plums can be dried into prunes...but prunes dried remain....prunes!

 

Logic!?

 

 

 

Uh?  What is the botanical name of fresh prunes? They are certainly nothing I’ve ever heard of.  But there are stranger things in this universe than I have imagined. 

[TicTac]

3 minutes ago, Anna N said:

Uh?  What is the botanical name of fresh prunes? They are certainly nothing I’ve ever heard of.  But there are stranger things in this universe than I have imagined. 

 

Again - limited research, however, a notable quote:

 

 

When dried, plums are called prunes, but the prune fruit comes from a different type of plant than plums.  Although of the same genus (Prunus) as plums, which makes it a type or variety of plum, prunes have pits that are easier to remove from the flesh unlike all other types of plum.

They are oval-shaped and are blue or purple in color when ripe.  They are used in cooking. While most plums are consumed fresh, prunes are mostly dried or made into prune juice.  Dried prunes and prune juice are known for their laxative effects.

Read more: Difference Between Prune and Plum | Difference Between http://www.differencebetween.net/object/comparisons-of-food-items/vegetables-fruits/difference-between-prune-and-plum/#ixzz5SyzHDFat"

 

I suppose, ultimately the same Genus, however, I have not seen dried prunes which are actually from PLUMS - I have however seen 'dried plums' - but typically prunes (the dried form) are sourced from actual Prunes (not plums) - based on my experience.

[Anna N]

49 minutes ago, TicTac said:

but typically prunes (the dried form) are sourced from actual Prunes (not plums) - based on my experience.

If you have experienced fresh prunes then your experience is quite obviously much, much wider than mine. Hard to argue with that.

 

There is a move afoot by marketeers to remove prunes from the market and replace them with dried plums. Of course that is a change in name only.  

 

Should I ever run across a fresh prune I shall be delighted to taste it. 

[TicTac]

My parents neighbors (lovely Italian couple) have a prune tree/bush beside their house.  Every year they share the bounty.  A plum is far more round and often red fleshed - whereas a prune is blue'ish/purple in the skin, and very light interior color.  The pit also easily comes away from the flesh, contrary to a plum.

 

I have also seen them (recently in fact) at local markets.

 

 

Edited October 4, 2018 by TicTac (log)

[heidih]

Ha my first fresh prune was in Yugoslavia (yup old enough to be cold war/pre freedom). In what is now Croatia. Picked off tree - worm filled - I was horrified. No sprays  Funny how their seeds almst fall out on their own when opened.

[Anna N]

 I shall feel perfectly comfortable from now on referring to grapes as fresh raisins. It will not be true of course because not all grapes make raisins. But all raisins are grapes.

 

Similarly all prunes are plums but not all plums make prunes.  

 

 That’s my last word.  

 

[MelissaH]

Where do the so-called "Italian prune plums" come in all this, then? They're smaller plums, quite freestone, with dark purple skins and yellow insides. Delicious when fresh, or baked into cakes.

[Katie Meadow]

Around here the local farmers' markets usually label them as "prune plums."  There are plenty of recipes that use them fresh in cakes or custards. They are easy to pit and are less juicy than other plum varieties, so for some desserts they work really well. I think of them as "prunes" when they are dried. The variety of moistness in a prune varies a bit, sort of like the gradations of dried dates, no? Of coarse that's true of some other dried fruits. I've had dried apricots that are like leather and others that are more like half-dried. All good.

 

[liuzhou]

7 hours ago, TicTac said:

I have however seen 'dried plums'

 

The name 'dried plums' was a marketing ploy introduced to get round the common association of prunes with their laxative properties.

[liuzhou]

Quote

Prune

1     †a The fruit of the plum-tree; a plum; also, the tree, Prunus domestica. Obs[olete]. (exc[ept]. as in c. and 2).

       †b damask prune = damson: see damask 2.

         c U.S. A variety of plum suitable for drying.

2      The dried fruit of several varieties of the common plum-tree, produced in France, Germany, Southern Europe, California, etc., and largely used for eating, raw or stewed; a dried plum. Formerly distinguished as dry prune.

 

   (The finest kind imported from France are also called French plums.)

                                                                                                                                                                              OED

† = Obsolete

 

Quote

 

 

Edited October 5, 2018 by liuzhou
formatting (log)

[shain]

I've been eating some mango every day for the last month or so, my fridge is still full of them.

To keep things fresh I'm often adding a sprinkle of chili, lime zest or mint. I've also had them with coconut rice a few times, and the overripe fruits have been placed in the freezer to become lassi and shakes.

[liuzhou]

It's persimmon season.

 

 

 

 

 

[heidih]

I like the persimmons  that are hard like apples. Not fond of those custardy ones. Unfortunately the night creatures steal all of ours and we have to  have to purchase. I love the almost spicy tone of them. Could be my imagination wiith the season. The US is a bit mad with "pumpkin spice" season!  https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/nation-now/2018/08/27/pumpkin-spice-2018-starbucks-dunkin-donuts-and-more-kick-off-fall/1096601002/

Edited October 14, 2018 by heidih (log)

[heidih]

Adding that this pumpkin savory yeast bread which would work with the squishy persimmons actually appeals  https://www.seriouseats.com/2018/10/how-to-make-a-pumpkin-loaf.html

[liuzhou]

Actually, I don't really like fresh persimmons, but put aside my prejudice to document that they are in season.  I do however like them dried. Call me strange.

[ElsieD]

10 hours ago, heidih said:

I like the persimmons  that are hard like apples. Not fond of those custardy ones. Unfortunately the night creatures steal all of ours and we have to  have to purchase. I love the almost spicy tone of them. Could be my imagination wiith the season. The US is a bit mad with "pumpkin spice" season!  https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/nation-now/2018/08/27/pumpkin-spice-2018-starbucks-dunkin-donuts-and-more-kick-off-fall/1096601002/

 

 

So is Canada.  I've never seen so much pumpkin stuff.

[Smithy]

13 hours ago, heidih said:

Adding that this pumpkin savory yeast bread which would work with the squishy persimmons actually appeals  https://www.seriouseats.com/2018/10/how-to-make-a-pumpkin-loaf.html

 

Thanks for this link.  I've bookmarked it to try with some of my persimmon puree, either the current crop (when I have access in a couple of months) or last year's frozen remainders. I made both sourdough persimmon, which didn't taste sourdoughish but also wasn't sweet, and a persimmon nut loaf that was a big hit. A yeast dough bread that isn't sweet sounds promising.

[chromedome]

22 hours ago, ElsieD said:

 

So is Canada.  I've never seen so much pumpkin stuff.

 

A local dealership put up a tongue-in-cheek sign for "Pumpkin spice" ATVs. Underneath, it said "Too soon?"