WTF?! What's That Fruit...

Recently, a Brooklyn chain grocery store called Golden Mango opened in my neighborhood.  In a hesitant state, I strayed from my favorite grocery store and produce stand to check out the merch, and I was beyond pleasantly surprised!  They had my attention as soon as I walked in and stumbled upon black truffles...oh, this was gonna be good!  As I strolled aisle upon aisle of produce, I was amazed at the varieties of apples, pears, plums, and melons, not to mention the onions, whole spice roots, potatoes, turnips, and beets.  I quickly gravitated towards two things I had heard of but had never actually tried - Quince and Cactus Fruit!

Quince

My first encounter with quince was actually it being one of three flavors in a candle scent.  Not knowing what quince was, or what it smelled like, I didn't know what to look for in the scent!  When I bought the quince fruit, I was surprised by the overwhelming odor of apple, and it kinda resembled a golden delicious apple...hmmm!

After a little research, I learned that Turkey is the number one producer of quince, and that it grows from a tree similar to apple and pear trees.  Most varieties of quince are considered too hard and sour to eat unless they go through a process of bletting, which means to soften something by frost and decay.  It is also believed by many historians, and supported by some ancient texts, that quince was actually the Forbidden Fruit that Eve ate...not an apple!  Some countries use it as a cough suppressant, add it to their tea, use it as a jelly base (such as marmalade), a fruit to add to stew base, and cooking paste!  Whoda thunk!  Many people suggest adding quince to apple sauce and apple pies in moderation to add a little tartness to the flavor.  When quince is cooked the skin of it will turn from yellow to red.

When I cut into the quince, the color surprised me!  It looked like the brown color that an apple turns when it sits out.  I tried some and didn't think it was nearly as sour as I was expecting.  I do not know if this quince was bletted or not, but I thought the flavor was VERY similar to an apple!  I am definitely looking forward to trying it in some cooking once the cool weather comes!

Cactus Fruit

Ah the prickly pear!  I was first introduced to the prickly pear in the Disney movie adaptation of The Jungle Book.  The skin is a deep purple color with brown pock marks on it.  There was no distinct odor to it when I bought it.  In the Saudi Arabian region, prickly pears come in a yellow and orange variety. 

Prickly pear has to be skinned in order to eat it.  When you cut through you will find a fuschia flesh inside.  The color is intense, and like nothing I have seen before!  It is most commonly used to make candies, jellies, and drinks.  Some research has shown that there may be uses for prickly pears as a treatment for Type II Diabetes, as well as hangovers!  So, the next time you have one too many, hit your local grocery store for some prickly pears!  It also is made into liquor in Mexico, and was used as a dye by the Aztec and Myan people.

When I ate the cactus fruit, I found that the taste was similar to an EXTREMELY mild banana, but had the texture of a very juicy watermelon.  The seeds of the fruit are edible, but very hard!  Prickly pear is great when mixed with yogurt, and is a pleasant and unexpected change to the "normal" and "expected" flavors!  Many suggest adding prickly pears to tequila, vodka, or lemonade, as it compliments them very well!  Who knows, maybe adding prickly pear to your tequila will make for a hangover free morning!