Fruit Maven » tropical

Manzano Banana

Keri — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 04:39:57 +0000

If your new year’s resolution was to increase your ability to wait and wait and wait and wait and… wait, then this is the fruit for you!

APPEARANCE 4 out of 5 stars

Totally cute, small, yellow banana with pale, off-white flesh.

AROMA 4 out of 5 stars

Strong, flowery, banana fragrance with a little bit of something bright, maybe pineapple.

TEXTURE 3 out of 5 stars

Soft with a cool feel. Dry!

TASTE 4.5 out of 5 stars

Yummy combination of banana and pineapple and maybe a bit of strawberry.

OVERALL 3.88 out of 5 stars

This is a diva of a banana if ever I saw one. You have to wait to eat it until the skin is black (not just a little black: BLACK) otherwise it is just “blah” with a tannic aftertaste. But, if you wait (and I mean WAIT – like three weeks well past what you think is a reasonable wait for a banana) then you will be rewarded with a tropical disco in your mouth — smooth, creamy, pineapply, strawberry, banana love. Oh and then the taste will linger and linger until eventually you think, “What is that weird flavor in my mouth? Oh – Is it STILL that banana? Good lord!” (This banana made me wait so long to eat it that I am overwhelmed with the use of ALLCAPS).

FRUIT

Banana

VARIETY

Manzano

PEAK

All Year

GROWN

Colombia

PURCHASED

Grocery Store

NOTES

Some think the banana is good for fertility (hmm), while others are so convinced that the banana is bad luck that they won’t even let their comrades wear fruit of the loom undies. These seem like a tragic confluence of the two.

RECIPES

Manzano Banana Cake
Manzano Bananas wrapped in Croissants and Honey

Brazilian Guava

Fruit Maven — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 03:23:28 +0000

If you go to the cheese section and politely sample the cheddar while swooning over the stinky Taleggio and Epoisses, then this is the fruit for you!

APPEARANCE 3 out of 5 stars

Waxy looking sunny, yellow globe with tangerine orange flesh

AROMA 4 out of 5 stars

Sweet and tangy with a strong perfumy smell that seems slightly fermented

TEXTURE 3.5 out of 5 stars

Soft and creamy with seeds interspersed throughout

TASTE 4.5 out of 5 stars

Sweet tropical taste with a citrus side to it

OVERALL 3.75 out of 5 stars

This is a yummy little guava with a strong citrusy twang. The seeds are a little distracting but at least they were smooth and easy to spit out (though I am told you can eat them). I want more of these. Seriously. Right now.

FRUIT

Guava

VARIETY

Brazilian

PEAK

Unknown

ORIGIN

Central America

GROWN

Koral’s Tropical Fruit Farm
Vista, CA

PURCHASED

Farmer’s Market

NOTES

About the Brazilian Guava.

RECIPES

Brazilian Rose Caiparinha
Guava Smoothie

White Sapote

Fruit Maven — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 03:21:06 +0000

If you think the most important work Bill Cosby has ever done included Jello Pudding Pops, then this is the fruit for you!

APPEARANCE 2.5 out of 5 stars

Goofy roundish green shape, with various brown markings, white flesh

AROMA 4.5 out of 5 stars

Very bright, perfumy vanilla fragrance

TEXTURE 3.5 out of 5 stars

Soft and creamy, with lots of watery juice

TASTE 5 out of 5 stars

Spicy vanilla cream

OVERALL 3.88 out of 5 stars

This is a grown up pudding cup inside lovely fruit shaped packaging. Messy, spicy, vanilla goodness. Delicious! Please excuse me while I go eat three more of these.

FRUIT

White Sapote

VARIETY

Unknown

PEAK

Sept-Oct

ORIGIN

Mexico

GROWN

Koral’s Tropical Fruit Farm
Vista, California

PURCHASED

Farmer’s Market

NOTES

The seeds are said to be fatally toxic if eaten raw by humans or animals. To eat, cut in half and scoop with a spoon. Don’t eat the skin. They are also known as custard apples.
More about White Sapotes.

RECIPES

Sapote Smoothie
Sapote Shortbread