Delicious Fruits You Wish You'd Tried Sooner
By North Wind
Annona Squamosa
Mouth Watering Fruit
So you've heard of apples and pears, oranges and bananas, pineapples and watermelon but what you don't know is there is a world of fruit out there just waiting for you! Once you get to know about them, your ideas about fruit will change completely!
Today I will tell you a little bit about fruits that are native to the Caribbean. Do not hesitate to try them if you have the chance for you just might discover that a fruit which you had never tasted before, and existed all this time, was so good!
The Annona squamosa or Sugar Apple is a common fruit in the Caribbean. It is sweet and sugary and somewhat milky or custardy in taste. The skin is inedible and one has to break it open to get the pulp inside.
Carambola
Another fruit which is well known in the Caribbean is the Star Fruit/Star Apple/Carambola which is commonly known as Five-Finger because of the shape of the fruit. It looks like five fingers bunched together. It is sweet with a slight tang, crisp and juicy and can resemble a pineapple's taste slightly (I am measuring sweetness and juiciness here) but it is much more crunchy for want of a better word. Needless to say it is lovely! However, there is a danger in eating this fruit if you suffer with kidney problems.
Malay Apple
If you have never heard of Pomerac,or Malay Apple, you don't know what you are missing. Like the Star Fruit, it is juicy and sweet with a tangy side-note, however it's texture is softer and smoother.
Manilkara Zapota
There are many other fruits which are delightful in their own way. The Pommecythere, or the Golden Apple, is a sweet but sharp fruit with a big seed in the middle. It is also known as the Java Plum and is often used in chutneys. Sapodilla, is a soft sweet fruit. The sap from the Sapodilla Tree is used to make chewing gum.And last but not least, the Guava. The fruit is tasty when ripe or when just beginning to ripen. It is used to make delicious jams and jellies. Guava Jam is the most favored jam in the Caribbean.
All of the fruits named have their own unique flavor. Some are loved more than others. It is always good to try out new fruits. Why don't you give one a try?
Comments
Yum! Would love to try some of these now. Sometimes I see a new 'food' and don't know what to do with it. I especially like the Malay Apple!
There's no mistaking by their looks. I grow the trees that bear these fruits. In our dialect, the sugar apple is "atis", star fruit- "balimbing", pomerac- "macopa", sapodilla- "chico". I boil the leaves of the macopa to lower my blood glucose. The ripe fruit when eaten raw has the same effect on diabetics. I'll memorize their new names. Thank you!
@ Lita C. Malicdem you are welcome! I too will memorize those names. I never knew pomerac leaves could lower blood glucose. That is so great! Thanks for that!
Living in Wisconsin, our most exotic fruit is the kiwi, but once in a great while, you will see something strange in the grocery store. I am going to try something different next time I see it!
Weight Watchers allows you to eat all the fruit you want, so there is no longer an excuse not to be eating fruit.
@ Magnliazz Funny thing is I was always hesitant to try Kiwi and when I did, I loved it! I am sure you will love the new ones you seek out...some maybe not so much. I am the first to admit when I don't like a fruit but these get my approval.
Wow, I'm definitely going to try out some of these fruits sometime. I always love trying out new and exotic foods. Great blog btw the way! Thumps up!
Hey Miss Lil' Atlanta! These fruits really are very delicious. Thanks for reading and for the thumbs up!
I've had them all as I grew up in Panama but the one I miss the most is the Malay Apple (aka Rose Apple). I've been looking for these in the farmer's markets and foreign markets whenever i go. Maybe someday i'll find some!!! :)
Hi chrisduhfer! I do love the Malay Apple as well especially when it is a hot day and the fruit is chilled. I never eat it without adding some salt and black pepper. Yum! I hope you find some someday :)
Ms. Malicdem,
May I share with you my interest with "Yambo" as distinguished to Macopa. Yambo, which I believe is what they call "pomerac or malay apple, as we call it in our place in Mindoro, has a slightly different texture and taste as compared to Macopa. By the way, what province are you from?
They are all amazing and can ALL be found in my birth country of Trinidad & Tobago.
I am from south Trinidad and we have these fruits in abundance but I never knew the uses for some of them. This was really helpful. My neighbor always gives me a huge bag of star fruit and I sometimes don't know what to do with them. I also never knew that pomerac fruit and leaves can lower blood glucose. I have to pass this info on. Really great blog!
Hi Rae, I am glad you are familiar with all of these lovely fruits!
Hi Nancy,
Thank you for reading. I am glad you enjoyed it.
It surprised me as well to know that about Pomerac. I am glad that you found this to be of help. I wish my neighbor would give me a huge bag of star fruit. They are just so tasty!
Dardia 22 months ago
Mmmm! The only one of these that I have had is the star fruit. I haven't even heard of the others. Would love to try them.