Okay, thought I'd do a random post. All the fruit we've tried. Some are specific to the Philippines, some are from other countries but grown here. It's fun to realize fruit has seasons. In the states we get used to fruit always being there and we lose track sometimes that they are ripe in specific seasons. When we got here in July 2017 the pineapples were stacked along the road and I somehow thought that was normal, that they would always be there. Unfortunately, there are no more ripe pineapples. We have moved on to other fruit. We just missed mango season. There are a few around, but expensive. What is in season now is rambutan and lanzones. Also mangosteens just showed up. Dragon fruit is good now as well. We have tried quite a few. We have yet to try durian. It is a large fruit that's spikey. I guess it's really good......if you can get past the smell. I guess it smells like the south end of the north bound cow. The hotels won't allow you to take it in the rooms! Our house keeper won't buy it for us. We may have to get brave, buy one on the weekend, cut it up outside, try it and dispose of it before she comes back on Monday. Too bad garbage pick up is not regular, we may have to live with the smell around the house for a few weeks. Jack fruit is another I'm excited to try, but they are like 2 feel long and as large as footballs. I'm not sure Doug and I could possibly eat that much. I'll put pics out for you. The Kalamansi are like little limes that they squeeze on their rice and pancit. The bananas are the best ever! They are so sweet and firm! The dragon fruit looks really cool but doesn't have much flavor. Here's the ones we've tried:
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| Irene cutting up Pineapple and making it pretty! |
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| Irene's finished product! |
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| Red Dragon Fruit |
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| White Dragon Fruit |
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| Calamansi (Little limes) |
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| Mangosteens - very sweet! |
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| Lanzones - yummy. Tastes like a small orange - a bit of work - probably not worth the effort! |
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| Manggas (Mangoes) Many variaties - all yummy! |
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| Best Bananas ever! I don't know if I could eat bananas in the states again! |
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| There are piles of these everywhere. They make a yummy salad and pie out of the green ones, called buko. |
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| Rombutans (Very yummy - looks scary!) |
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| Suha (Pomelos - yummy) |
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| Papaya - still not my favorite, but they sure are pretty here. |
The ones we still would like to try:
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| Atis |
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| Jack Fruit |
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| Stinky Durian Fruit |
You have missed the VERY best fruit of all! Guanabana. It is most plentiful in season, which I think is maybe May or later. When there 40+ years ago we nicknamed it Lehi's Dream fruit. When there more recently we had a member who gave us a 30 pound bag of them. It doesn't keep well & we were afraid we couldn't eat it all fresh. I peeled it, took out all the seeds, ran it thru the blender and froze it in 1 cup plastic bags. We used it for slushies. It was wonderful.
ReplyDeleteAnother fruit to watch for starting in about a month are Ponkins. They are like a very sweet Cementine. There are several small citrus that looks like a small tangerine but they are not very flavorful, but ponkins are like candy. There is even a Ponkin flavor of Tang. (I brought home a suitcase full of Tang in unusual flavors.)
When I was a young missionary it was a rule to drink Kalamansi juice everyday at breakfast. (It is a great source of vit. C and back then the mission didn't furnish vitamin tablets) You squeeze 3 or 4 kalamansis thru a strainer, add brown sugar and cold water to make a 10 oz glass of juice. Irene will know how to make it. Delicious.
Enjoy the fruit! It is wonderful & so fresh.