I know it’s hot here, but that’s ok with me because it means we have a smorgasbord of tropical fruits and vegetables available. At the top of the post is my haul from the mercado today. One big pitaya (dragonfruit), two large guavas, a dozen small Mexican grown apples, two red grapefruit, and a new jicama. All of this produce cost me the equivalent of $8 USD, with the pitaya being the most expensive item, at 75 pesos or $4.50.
My fetish is buying things that are at the peak of their season, and you can always tell when that is by the stands being flooded by the same item. Right now the guavas are beautiful – their perfume is almost overpowering but I love them. I don’t see dragonfruit here too often so that was an impulse buy, but it was delicious – a very similar taste to a kiwi but an absolute feast for the eyes! See it cut open in the photo below?
Jicama season must have just started, too. I love jicama and we eat it daily whenever they are young and juicy. Jicamas can store for a long time so you often see them much darker brown and with thicker skin. If they don’t have brown spots in the flesh they’re ok with lime and Tajin but the young ones are like a different thing entirely. Our daughter’s partner laments that when they moved from California to New York she can seldom find nice jicama. I guess I can never move there, ha ha!
In the picture just above you can see a liter plastic cup with guanabana pulp. I was looking for guanabanas last week and asked at my favorite fruteria. He didn’t have any but he had the pulp in the freezer and sold me this for just 60 pesos or $3.62 USD. That’s a bargain because guanabana is relatively expensive and they are a pain in the neck to prepare.
I bought a delicious organic papaya from La Rosa Organicos earlier this week, it’s in the freezer for our breakfast smoothie and also to use if I burn myself. Did you know that you can make a tea from papaya leaves that is helpful with symptoms of dengue? I think La Rosa is going to make some to sell at the Organic Market starting on November 14.
I have plenty of great fruit to keep me occupied until mango season, don’t you think?
>By the way, have you heard of the Kickstarter campaign to raise money for Frutas y Verduras? I’ve contributed to it and think it’s a great idea – a field guide to fruits and vegetables in Mexico. The project is fully funded but they are looking for additional cash to expand the project. Check it out here!
Renee
October 24, 2015Okay Nancy, I am requesting you teach a quick class on what to buy, and when. Then on to how to use them. I will be in the front row taking notes. Anyone else?
Nancy
October 24, 2015Renee you are a perfect candidate for the Frutas y Verdura guide. Watch the video on the Kickstarter page, it is awesome. https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/fyv/frutas-y-verduras-guide-to-the-fresh-taste-of-mexi But of course I will be happy to share anything I know, too!
Kathi McCaw
October 24, 2015The pitaya is the fruit I got so excited about when I discovered it in Israel this summer. Never had seen it before – guess you can tell I don’t usually do the shopping! Very happy to know that it is here – will be looking for it! Thanks, Nancy!!
Kim G
October 25, 2015I love all those nice, ripe, tropical fruits. Here in the USA (Boston at least) they seem to be picking things greener and greener with the result that much tastes like cardboard these days. I grew my own tomatoes this summer, and now that it has gotten cool, I’m back to store-bought, reddish cardboard globes for my salads.
Color me envious.
Saludos,
Kim G
Boston, MA
Where you can get wonderful seafood, though.
Contessa
October 26, 2015I’ll be in the same class as Renee 🙂 Thanks for sharing Nancy especially about the kickstart program.
Susan Jessup
November 11, 2015Hi Nancy, I wanted to ask you about Moringa – are the seed pods here kind of flat with a slight curl to them? On the internet, they show the seed pods as long and round like a runner bean, but I think there are Moringa trees around here with seed pods that are flatter like a young pea pod. What do yours look like? I am planting a garden now and want to grow a bush.
Also, you kindly linked your blog to my old one, Cliffjumpers, in the past, and I have discontinued that blog and have a new one http://www.vagabondgene.com. Could I put a link to it on your blog and vice versa?
Nancy
November 11, 2015Susan, I think you are noticing Tabachin pods right now, it doesn’t seem the time for moringa to produce pods. http://jaltembabaylife.com/blog/2011/05/in-bloom-tabachin/ I tried to sprout my Moringa seeds and they were not viable, but I saw them at Naturalia the other day on the shelf behind the counter, I don’t know what price for them. Here’s a link that shows the moringa pod on a tree and opened showing the seeds. http://www.themoringa.com/articles/moringa-fruits-pods
I’ll add you to my blogroll, too!
Nancy
November 11, 2015I went to update my blogroll and yours was already there, Susan.
susan jessup
November 11, 2015No that isn’t the tree I’m seeing. The see pods are different. I was wondering there are different species of moringa here.
Nancy
November 11, 2015I’m not an authority on podded trees in Mexico but I believe there is only the one moringa growing here. You might be seeing tamarind pods or maybe this one (don’t know the spanish name) seen on this page. http://www.itslife.in/gardening/trees/rain-tree-albizia-saman GOod luck.
By the way were you going to link to my page on yours?