As we are heading out tomorrow from this Mayan world of Chiapas for San Miguel de Allende, I wanted to make sure to tell you about the various colorful and delicious treats we discovered during the last few months here in San Cristobal de las Casas. These tostadas are so colorful and tasty - different flavors such as beet, cilantro, black bean, other herbs, etc. Why eat them plan when there is such a choice?
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| Rambutan |
And now, for some amazing fruits. First is a Rambutan - messy haired fruit with juicy white flesh. It is thought to be native to Malaysia and Indonesia but is also populat throughout Southeast Asia. The Vietnamese name is
chôm chôm meaning "messy hair", a fitting description of the fuzzy outer layer. Inside the fruit is like a larger juicier version of a lychee, with soft white flesh and an inedible seed. It is only available in Mexico for a short period of time, but we were lucky enough to enjoy it.
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| Caimito Fruit |
The following week at the farmers market we encountered a caimito which has numerous common names, including cainito, caimito, star apple, golden leaf tree, abiaba, pomme de lait, estrella, milk fruit and aguay. It is beautiful inside with a purple star and sweet taste.
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| Annona (Custard apple) |
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| Annona inside |
Another fruit is the Annona is also called the Custard apple and the fruit is sweet and pleasant. One can eat the whole inside but it is necessary to remove all the small pits. It is similar to the cherimoya which I have written about in the past.
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| Granada china |
And lastly, the granada china. Sometimes incorrectly translated as "passion fruit" because it is related, the granada china does not taste much like a true passion fruit, although its unique flavor and consistency are much prized by aficionados, who call it the "caviar of fruits." An egg-shaped fruit with a hard yellow-orange shell is cut open to reveal a soft grayish pulp, which is eaten right out of the shell with a spoon. Granada china can be tested for ripeness by shaking it for the sound of the ripe flesh moving inside. (Information taken from this website: http://www.mexconnect.com/articles/2133-exotic-summer-refreshment-a-guide-to-mexico-s-tropical-fruit)
