Produce Briefs...
Maui Onions
Two characteristics set the Maui onion apart from other yellow onions: the high sugar and high moisture content of its flesh.
Rainbow Swiss Chard
Rainbow chard, also known a 5-color silverbeet, is a tender chard variety with multi-colored stalks of yellow, white, orange pink and red.
Seasons/Availability
Monstera is available in the fall.
Description/Taste
Twelve to fourteen months after flowers appear on the exotic monstera plant, pronounced mon-STAIR-uh, this unusual and very tasty cylindrical reptile-like fruit begins to ripen and usually measures six to twelve inches long. The delicious soft and creamy banana-like pulp is ready to eat and not any time before when the hexagon-shaped pieces on its exterior split away from each other. Grayish-white kernels matching the shape of its pineapple type scales offer a delicately flavored fine-textured custard-like fruit. Offering a distinctive sweet-tart flavor, it tastes something like pineapple with hints of banana and mango. Normal gray and black streaks appear on the central core when the edible bits have detached from the stalk. This fruit has to be fully ripe before eating as sharp calcium oxalate crystals of unripened fruit can irritate the membranes of the mouth, tongue and throat.
Nutritional Value
Low in calories, monstera is high in potassium and vitamin C. Eating five daily servings of fruits and vegetables lowers the chances of cancer.
Applications
Ripe or softly overripe, monstera fruit is absolutely delicious but it must be fully ripe to be safely edible. As the scales come off or loosen, a fork works best to pick out the scrumptious fruit. To ripen more quickly, wrap in plastic. Generally ripening unevenly and progressively toward the tip in five to six days, enjoy the flavorful morsels as each one completely ripens. Enjoy this full-flavored fruit all by itself or add to sweet blender drinks and cocktails. Pair with a variety of sub-tropical or specialty fruits. Make yummy jellies and desserts. Keep at room temperature; do not refrigerate.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
With the unusual and attractive appearance characteristic of the monstera plant, this aesthetic plant is valued as an ornamental in gardens, homes and greenhouses.
Geography/History
This scarce fruit is available only in big cities, the East Coast, California and Florida. A member of the gigantic Arum family and of the species Monstera deliciosa, monstera is a native of tropical American forests. Familiar to some as the split-leaf philodendron, monstera now flourishes in California and Florida. The name this fruit is best known by is monstera in Florida and California but horticultural literature and the rest of the English-speaking world know it as ceriman. It is also known as Mexican breadfruit.
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Monstera. One
is easiest, three is harder.
Monstera is available in the fall.
Description/Taste
Twelve to fourteen months after flowers appear on the exotic monstera plant, pronounced mon-STAIR-uh, this unusual and very tasty cylindrical reptile-like fruit begins to ripen and usually measures six to twelve inches long. The delicious soft and creamy banana-like pulp is ready to eat and not any time before when the hexagon-shaped pieces on its exterior split away from each other. Grayish-white kernels matching the shape of its pineapple type scales offer a delicately flavored fine-textured custard-like fruit. Offering a distinctive sweet-tart flavor, it tastes something like pineapple with hints of banana and mango. Normal gray and black streaks appear on the central core when the edible bits have detached from the stalk. This fruit has to be fully ripe before eating as sharp calcium oxalate crystals of unripened fruit can irritate the membranes of the mouth, tongue and throat.
Nutritional Value
Low in calories, monstera is high in potassium and vitamin C. Eating five daily servings of fruits and vegetables lowers the chances of cancer.
Applications
Ripe or softly overripe, monstera fruit is absolutely delicious but it must be fully ripe to be safely edible. As the scales come off or loosen, a fork works best to pick out the scrumptious fruit. To ripen more quickly, wrap in plastic. Generally ripening unevenly and progressively toward the tip in five to six days, enjoy the flavorful morsels as each one completely ripens. Enjoy this full-flavored fruit all by itself or add to sweet blender drinks and cocktails. Pair with a variety of sub-tropical or specialty fruits. Make yummy jellies and desserts. Keep at room temperature; do not refrigerate.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
With the unusual and attractive appearance characteristic of the monstera plant, this aesthetic plant is valued as an ornamental in gardens, homes and greenhouses.
Geography/History
This scarce fruit is available only in big cities, the East Coast, California and Florida. A member of the gigantic Arum family and of the species Monstera deliciosa, monstera is a native of tropical American forests. Familiar to some as the split-leaf philodendron, monstera now flourishes in California and Florida. The name this fruit is best known by is monstera in Florida and California but horticultural literature and the rest of the English-speaking world know it as ceriman. It is also known as Mexican breadfruit.
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Monstera. One
is easiest, three is harder.| Endless Simmer |
|
Delicious Monstera Salad |
| Tinkering with Dinner |
|
Tropical Fruit Salad Ice Cream |
