Frightfully freaky fruit

[spaghetttti]

In Jamaica, as I child, I used to eat a fruit called a "Guinep" - I just knew how to say it, not spell it. I ate them straight off the tree - the method being to crack the skin with your teeth, and then eat the flesh, spitting out the pit.

The fruit I just got tonight looks similar to what you have described and gingerly's link. The bunch is sitting at my kitchen table patiently waiting for me to come and crack them apart, but I'm busy typing right now, so they'll just have to wait a wee bit longer.

Are those vegetable pears? aka Chayote or Merliton?

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Yes, I know they really have no business on this thread, but you are correct. We call them labu siam here, and they're one of my favorite vegetables. Hey, maybe we should start a vreaky vegetables thread. gingerly, this is right up your alley!

Behold! The fruit (already a piece of art from nature) turned into a masterpiece under skilled hands. Pics taken during a carving demo I attended on a cruise.

Absolutely gorgeous fruit and photos, thanks TP. Encountered presentations like those while in Bangkok. TP, after watching that demo, can you sculpt fruit like that?

Oh, by the way, we had dragon fruit after the Moon Cake festival dinner at my MILs. She told me that the insides of the skin (which peels off, oh, so easily) can be used for a natural 'facial', which I just did. Good stuff! My skin feels sooooooo good and tight.

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Ooooh, must go get some more dragonfruit!

[Tepee]

Absolutely gorgeous fruit and photos, thanks TP.  Encountered presentations like those while in Bangkok.  TP, after watching that demo, can you sculpt fruit like that?

OK, I've picked myself off the floor after ROFL. Thank you, Yetty, for your confidence in my learning assimilation. Although, I've got a booklet on carving fruit/veg and a passable carving knife, I've yet to really try. Hah, perhaps I was just waiting for this vote of confidence. Thank you!

[spaghetttti]

OK, I've picked myself off the floor after ROFL. Thank you, Yetty, for your confidence in my learning assimilation. Although, I've got a booklet on carving fruit/veg and a passable carving knife, I've yet to really try. Hah, perhaps I was just waiting for this vote of confidence. Thank you!

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Heheh, chuckle as you may, TP! With those beautiful and exquisite cakes & desserts of yours, I'm willing to bet that you're wielding that knife and carving up a storm!

Edited October 1, 2004 by spaghetttti (log)

[spaghetttti]

My neighbor has a beautiful breadfruit tree in front of her house, and she gave me two sukuns.

I fried one right away, sprinkled with salt it was nice and crunchy outside and pleasantly tender within.

[Dejah]

Yetti,

Thanks to your thread, I've now eaten dragon fruit and prickly pear.

The prickly pear is such an ugly fruit! I suppose it's nature's way to avoid being eaten.

Both fruit had gorgeous coloured flesh. The dragon fruit was easy to eat. I wish I had known about the "facial" factor of the peel!

The prickly pear, it was ok, but having to deal with the seeds would not encourage me to buy it again, even at $.88 each. I may just cut the last one, take a picture and leave it at that!

My mom said the flavour reminded her of "fa nium", not sure what it is called in English.

[spaghetttti]

^ wow.. never seen those before.

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Hi Kapuliperson! I've never seen the cactus pears before either! Now, that Laksa & Dejah have both found them, I wonder if they're to be found anywhere in these parts.

I do like the color and am just a little curious about how they taste, don't know about those ornery seeds, though!

[spaghetttti]

We are observing the holy month of Ramadhan here; dates and cups of hot tea are widely chosen to break the fast.

The atap seed or kolang kaling is a popular alternative. The seeds are long boiled until soft and tender and then colored in lovely jewel tones before being steeped in heavy syrup for manisan kolang kaling.

These were still raw & in a bin at the market.

Edited October 17, 2004 by spaghetttti (log)

[Carrot Top]

Astonishingly beautiful photo....again!

I am simply stunned.

[Pan]

Yetty, I don't remember whether I had these. How do they taste, or are they mostly texture?

[spaghetttti]

Astonishingly beautiful photo....again!

I am simply stunned.

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Yetty, I don't remember whether I had these. How do they taste, or are they mostly texture?

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Thanks, Karen - I wish the seeds taste as good as they look!

Right on, Michael, they are totally textural with no distinct flavor of their own. The properly cooked ones are silky and are best paired with bananas or yams/taro/sweet potatoes ( ?) that have been stewed in brown sugar and coconut milk -- kolak.

I believe that the seeds are popular in Malaysia and Philippines, and I have seen jars of them in heavy syrup in Asian grocery stores in the States.

[Tepee]

Yetty, I don't remember whether I had these. How do they taste, or are they mostly texture?

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Pan, if you're lucky, you'll find them lurking in Air Batu Campur. I always feel I've hit treasure when I meet one of them in my ABC.

Love that pic, Yetty!

[Dian]

Great pictures Yetty! I would describe the attap seeds as having a gelatinous texture though. I usually can stomach only one, them being extremely sweet.

The kalamansi is just beautiful.. I've always wondered, how is it different from limes? Or are they the same?

[spaghetttti]

Oh yeah, TP - we have them in es campur, too! Sometimes they're a bit chewy in the ABC's, yes?

Not a bad thing, though.

[spaghetttti]

Great pictures Yetty! I would describe the attap seeds as having a gelatinous texture though. I usually can stomach only one, them being extremely sweet.

The kalamansi is just beautiful.. I've always wondered, how is it different from limes? Or are they the same?

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Hi Dian, thanks and yes gelatinous -- that's a great description for some of the good ones. And I agree with how definitely cloying they can be as well.

Those are regular jeruk limau (I think). I'm at work right now, but I have some really lovely kalamansi in my fridge at home, I'll post later tonight.

[bleudauvergne]

Oh please do, Yetty. I love your photos.

[spaghetttti]

Thank you, dear Lucy.

Not that this is a pop quiz or anything , but does anyone know what type of melon this is?

[bleudauvergne]

Is that a winter melon? I can't tell.

[spaghetttti]

We call that melon "timun suri" Queen Mother Cucumber Melon. Blended with ice for a fresh fruit smoothie or shredded over crushed ice, it makes a wonderfully refreshing opener for breaking the fast during the holy month of Ramadhan.

Now this is totally puzzling to me: Grapple?!@#$%?!

Why would they make an apple to taste like a grape? How? Has anyone tried this?

Edited November 5, 2004 by spaghetttti (log)

[Carrot Top]

Just all-American marketing techniques. Someone figured apples are boring, too 'usual' for the foodie customer in search of new tastes, so they developed this thing, packaged it up pretty, and charge three or four times the cost of a regular apple.

My twelve year old daughter wanted to try it last time we were at the grocery store. I told her sure, if she wanted to spend her own allowance on it....

We brought Gala apples home, on my tab.

[Ari]

what a fabulous thread! I love these photographs.

the buddha's hand?  don't worry, you don't eat it.  it's like a lemon with no pulp--all rind.  if you ever saw one in person you wouldn't worry about it.

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The really great thing about Buddha's Hands is their smell. For anyone who's smelled an etrog, the aroma is similar. (I'm not sure what the English name for an etrog is, but they're incredibly fragrant citrus fruits that Jews use for Sukkot celebrations in the fall. I've heard that one can make jam out of them, though I've never tried.)

I've seen Buddha's Hands at a Whole Foods in DC and at a Nature's in Portland, Oregon.

[Mooshmouse]

The kalamansi is just beautiful.. I've always wondered, how is it different from limes? Or are they the same?

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Kalamansi is, to me, more delicately flavoured than a lime. Almost a cross between a lime and a lemon IMHO.

Reading this thread makes my mouth water for fruits from my childhood in the Philippines, especially santol.

Santol photo

Nothing compares to it's taste: first sour, then sweet. Even after scouring our numerous Asian supermarkets and green grocers, I haven't come across it yet here in Vancouver. Sigh... there's no taste like home!

[Laksa]

I'm in Bintulu, Malaysia for the spring festival so I've been busy taking photos of some local fruits.

There's rambutan tree currently bearing fruit at my in-law's. We picked the fruit by the bucketload:

At my house, the durian belanda or soursop isn't quite ripe yet, but has attracted a colony of ants:

Not really a fruit, but we'll be having the petai nut for dinner:

[Shiewie]

Those are very nice looking rambutans, Laksa! Is it petai with prawns for dinner? Yumm!

[spaghetttti]

Laksa!!!!! There you are!!! So happy to see you & your magnificent photos. Thanks for posting. Rambutan is in full swing here, too.

More, more, more --- please!

Were your ears burning, 'cuz you were dearly missed

[AzRaeL]

I think we call passionfruit here markissa, is that right Laksa?

I think you are right about Indonesia (also konyal) but according to this website, it's called buah sus in Malaysia.

I like to call it buah asmara, but nobody else knows what I'm talking about. (asmara = passion)

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I thought it's Buah Susu. It's like a passion fruit except it's yellow instead of purple. it's one of my fav fruits. It's not scary looking though.