Summer is officially here and it’s starting to feel like it. Despite the heat wave, there are a few things I do love about summer. One of them is the vast amount of fruits that are in season. And June and July is definitely cherry season for us in California.
So this weekend I had my fair share of ripe cherries. Two different type of cherries too, the Bing and Rainier. The Bing is deep red to almost purple in color. They are a bit more tart but still really good. But the Rainier cherries are the best, I think they are definitely the queen of cherries.
The Rainier cherries aren’t as abundant as the Bing varieties, but are still very popular. They are much bigger and more plump then other types of cherries.
The flesh is mostly yellow and have a pinkish blush on the skin. But don’t let the color fool you, since these are super sweet cherries. Any kid who’s eaten these would prefer them over candies.
Rainer cherries got their name from the monarch mountain of the Cascade Range. They are a cross between the Bing and the Van, two sweet varieties of cherries. Harold Fogle of Washington State Universiy first crossed the two varities in 1952.
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Avocados are found all year around in California. They are usually sold at $1 a piece, but this time of year is when they are on sale at 3 for $1. This is good news to me, since I find they are a great addition to any meal.
Avocado can make any salad or sandwich taste instantly better and richer. It’s also good drizzled with agave syrup or honey and eaten like a dessert. Best of all they are loaded with vitamin E and other good stuff.
There are these cute little avocado that I just found out about from Freida’s Produce. Freida is known for introducing America to the fuzzy yet tasty Kiwi.
These little guys are called “Cocktail Avocado”. They are really small and look more like cucumbers. Photo from Freida’s.
The Cocktail Avocado are rarely found in the market. They are of the Fuerte variety and come from the same tree. But since they are not pollinated, they do not develop a seed.
The Produce Hunter notes, “Once a COCKTAIL AVOCADO is fully ripe, you can avoid the whole peeling ordeal by slicing off one end and squeezing the little fruit like a tube of toothpaste (from the bottom, please!). The lovely, ripe flesh will plop right out, ready to be enjoyed!”
I can’t imagine squeezing out a tube of avocado, but at least it would give you instant guacamole.
Avocados are native to Central America, Mexico and the West Indies. When the Spanish conquistador came across these fruits, they first called them “abocado”. Which is probably derived from the Aztec name for the fruit, abuacatl, meaning “butter from the wood.” Avocados were known by the Aztecs as “the fertility fruit”.
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The Chilean Myrtle is originally from Chile and western Argentina. It is known by many other names including Quillaia, Killaya, Orange-Bark Myrtle, Soap-Bark Tree, and “Temu”. Scientific name, Luma apliculata.
But they are usually referred by as either the Chilean Myrtle or Soap Bark tree. The inner bark of this tree can be used as a soap substitute. The inner bark can be collected and crushed to turn into soap powder. When added to water, it will lather up just like soap. This is because the inner bark contains saponin.
These are interesting looking fruits. Remind me of blueberries, probably full of antioxidants due to the deep dark color.
Tradewind Fruits notes that the tree attracts many beneficial insects, including lady bugs. The plant is not directly edible, but was used historically as an anti-inflammatory, and for anti-microbial properties. The folks at SF Botanical Garden described the leaves as having a “sweet spicy aroma when crushed”. I wonder if I could add it to my soaps and give it natural sweet and spicy scent.
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Lately I’ve noticed lots of fruits, especially citrus just ripening on the tree. And was wondering how anyone could actually eat or pick them all.
Sometimes I think I wouldn’t mind asking for permission to pick some of the fruits. But I just can’t help feel like I’m intruding on someone’s life. Maybe even being seen as strange for not wanting to just buy the fruits instead. As it seem people believe only good fruits come from the supermarket.
Back in January, residents of Echo Park (in LA) were lucky enough to get free fruit trees. A great idea to have residents growing their own food and maybe sharing them too. Photo source.
California law states it’s OK to pick any fruits hanging over the fence. The people in LA even have a website dedicated to foraging for these urban fruits. Even then, I still think it would be nice to ask. It would seem too rude to just show up at someone’s front yard and start plucking their over hanging fruits.
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Chayote (pronouced cha-yoh-teh) have become more common in the vegetable stalls here in California.
The name Chayote or chocho derived from Mexico (Spanish). In the southern U.S. states, they are commonly eaten and known as mirliton or vegetable pear. Chayote are cultivated in California, Florida, and Louisiana.
The inside of a chayote looks like - the seed is the best part. It is very nutty and creamy. It’s always a treat to open up a chayote and find a huge seed in the middle.
I don’t know if it’s a fruit or vegetable. When seen hanging from the vine, it’s more like a fruit. It’s from the gourd family that also consist of melons, cucumbers and squash.
Some think chayote taste like a potato and can be bland. But I think it has an interesting flavor, like a mix of cucumber and zucchini squash. It is full of vitamin C and other nutrients.
Chayote can also be eaten raw. It’s slightly crunchy. Just shred and mix with a bit of salt, lemon juice, and chili peppers. Chayote can also be added to stir-fry, to retain it’s crisp taste, do not overcook. The list of cooking with chayote can include baking and pickling as well.
All parts of this plant can be eaten, from the leaves to the root. The leaves are also used to make tea. But I’ve never tried eating anything beside the fruit. I like chayote so much, I just steam them and eat as it.
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Since it is Thanksgiving, I thought I should mention the health benefits of these tangy red berries. They are usually available this time of year too.
The name cranberry derived from “craneberry” as the cranberry blossoms resemble the head of a crane. Wisconsin Rapids Area produces 30% of the world’s cranberries. Photo from Cranberry Blossom Festival.
I think the flowers look very much like fuchsias, except for what looks like beak here. And the little green berries are cute. I wonder how they taste.
Besides making sauce with them, cranberries can be a good addition to salads. That add a slight bitterness, tangy punch, and the little pop sound when biting into them. But I just like to mix it together with a bit of salt, chili peppers, and sugar - it is really good!
Cranberries are one of the most healthiest fruits available. Dried cranberries are a favorite with trail mixes. I also like them in granola bars. It keeps the granola bar from being too boring.
The main benefits of cranberries is that it can help curb bladder infections (urinary tract). Which I believe is much better than taking antibiotics.
Pretty bowl of cranberries. Too bad the season is so short for harvesting them. So get them while you can! Photo from Naturipe Farms.
In 2005, researchers found that cranberries are also good for your teeth and gum. This is from the University of Rochester press release on November 23, 2005:
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I am always on the look out for new fruits, and if there’s a health benefit to eating it then that is even better news. Lucuma or commonly called “eggfruit” is one such fruit. It is native to the cool Andean highland coast, especially in Peru. It is also a popular fruit in Chile.
When the lucuma is ripe, it has a nice orange color. Such a pretty looking fruit, if not tasty as well! Photo from Living in Peru.
“tastes like maple syrup. very mealy - no juice at all.” - The Black Azar. This would make a good and filling snack. Photo from Flickr.
It’s consider to be South American’s most precious fruit. Lucuma powder is usually exported to European and South American markets. The powders are used to flavor ice cream and other desserts. The powder is also available online at about $15 for 1 lb.
The fruit is low in sugar but has a sweet flavor. It’s been described to be sweet, fragrant and subtly maple-like in flavor. And some say taste similar to caramel too.
The fruit has been shown to grown successfully in Hawaii and Mexico. This species is not tropical, but grows at temperate elevations in Peru. It can also adapt to dry locations.
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Quince is an unusual fruit to many people. There are two distinctive type of quince tree. The one that bears large fruit and the ornamental one that is more of a shrub and has beautiful dark pink blossoms in spring. Quince is one of the first fruit trees to bloom in the year. The Chinese consider quince blossom as a symbol of good fortune. So you may see the blossoms used in celebration bouquet for Chinese New Year.
A healthy quince shrub in bloom, usually in the winter months. This bright pink color makes me feel happy just looking at it. Photo from flickr by neeloj.
Johnny Bowden included quince in his book, “150 Healthiest Foods on Earth“. It contains potassium and Vitamin C. The quince is a relative of the apple and pear and belongs to the pome fruit family. Bodwen adds that quinces grown in western Asia is much sweeter and softer. I would love to try that version! Read the rest of this entry »
