Fruits From Around The World

CraigC

CraigC

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Location
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There are many fruits that I have never heard of and I'm interested in what might be available in your region of the world.
I have a few that are local.
Carambola (star fruit or star apple)
Cocoplum
Guava
Sea Grapes
Barbados Cherries
Cactus pear (prickly pear)
Papaya
Elderberries
Sapadillo
Custard Apple
Alligator Pear (avocado variety)
Everglades Tomato
 
@CraigC - a fascinating list: I've not heard of at least half of the items.

I am intrigued to hear that elders grow in Florida (isn't it too hot?). We use elderflowers here in Brittany (and I'm sure in the UK too) to make an elderflower cordial. But apart from making wine with elderberries, I've not come across a use for them in the kitchen. What culinary uses have you found for elderberries?

I can't think of any fruit of this region that isn't available globally - but I will continue to ponder the question.

It's definitely off-topic but we do use nettles in the springtime as an early green vegetable. I'm not sure anyone else does …?
 
Wine is all I'm aware of for elderberries, but the flowers pan fried taste like popcorn. The elderberries grow wild here. Everglades tomatoes are our only native tomato and are no larger than a US dime.
 
CraigC said:
the flowers pan fried taste like popcorn
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Oh what an interesting idea. I'll explore that one next spring

About elderberries ….having sent you the post earlier, I've now remembered something from years ago - a bottled sauce, possibly called Cumberland Sauce, used to flavour meat etc. If I can find the reference again, I'll let you know
 
Hmm... I can't think of any fruits that are specific to the UK either. In Kent we have cobnuts but they are nuts not fruit...
 
Gooseberries? They are native to Europe and North Africa although they have been cultivated in parts of the USA.
 
I make syrup with elderberries and use it to add to apple for a pie/cobbler/crumble. I also add it to a venison stew.
 
Herbie said:
I make syrup with elderberries and
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I'd never heard of elderberry syrup until I came across a recipe for it last night in an old and crumbling Reader's Digest book from the 1970s. It looks straightforward enough and I'm wondering if we might go for a 'village production' of this when the elderberries are ripe. We haven't had a decent crop of blackberries here since 2015 (lack of summer rain being the problem, I think) but I haven't paid too much attention to elderberry crops - perhaps they're much less vulnerable to dryness.

@Herbie - adding the syrup to an apple crumble sounds like a great idea. I'm struggling to think of ways in which this could be used in a vegetarian context though. I'm guessing this isn't like a French sirop - it wouldn't have any application as the basis for a soft drink? Probably too spicy anyway?

My earlier reference to Cumberland Sauce was wrong - it's called Pontack Sauce. I finally tracked it down in Richard Mabey's excellent Food For Free book. If anyone's interested then just Google 'Pontack Sauce'.
 
Wandering Bob said:
...adding the syrup to an apple crumble sounds like a great idea. I'm struggling to think of ways in which this could be used in a vegetarian context though. I'm guessing this isn't like a French sirop - it wouldn't have any application as the basis for a soft drink? Probably too spicy anyway?
Click to expand...

I think it would be nice with some soda water. It might work as a replacement for pomegranate molasses in a salad dressing.
 
CraigC said:
There are many fruits that I have never heard of and I'm interested in what might be available in your region of the world.

Custard Apple
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My wife bought some from the evening market. I was going to picture some for the Thai Fruits thread but left it until the morning for better light. She'd eaten all four already.
 
morning glory said:
Bell rings! I'm sure I posted something on the Forum about that (ages ago). Goes off to look...

Yes - https://www.cookingbites.com/threads/pontack.5690/

It looks jolly easy to make.
Click to expand...

Good morning @morning glory - re the earlier discussion on elderberries, and your comments on copyright, I have transcribed a recipe for elderberry syrup from an old Reader's Digest book. I thought it would be good to have it in the forum's recipe repository (gosh, I love that tongue-twisting phrase) - and also perhaps to compare with @Herbie 's version of the syrup (and your version of Pontack sauce) - apart from winemaking, we'd have covered all the culinary applications for elderberries (probably).

The recipe is sitting here as a Word draft ready to be uploaded into a new thread ….but I wondered whether you'd like to check the Reader's Digest acknowledgment/credit first before it's posted, or if it's posted - and you're not happy with it, then I could do a post-posting edit?

I got into a bit of a tangle (that's an understatement) for not checking with a mod before posting something slightly contentious on CC - and I'd prefer not to make the same mistake here. Please let me know when you have a spare moment...
 
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