Being in a Central American country, I have an almost
endless amount of avocados, mangos, bananas, pineapple, plantains, pineapple,
and papaya.
But there are of course a plethora of fruits that I’m sure
most readers have never heard of.
Guanabana (soursop)- probably one of my favorites. This big
squishy green fruit can be eaten as is or makes a kick ass juice/popsicle. The
taste is like a combination of strawberries and pineapple with an underlying
creamy flavor of coconut and banana…with this mixture how could you not love
it!
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Mamochino (rambutan)- this small fruit is related to lychee. It is native to Southeast
Asia but has made its way to Central America. It has a leathery pink-red skin
that has spine like formations (don’t worry they don’t prick). The fruit inside
is white-pale pink and has a taste similar to grapes.
Guava- different from the guava we know as Americans. Guava
here comes in long pods (almost look like beans or peas in their pods). The
trees are large and grow along rivers and streams. The fruit is also similar to
lychee but has a hairy layer. The seeds are large and are often used by
indigenous people for artisan crafts.
Nance- a small yellow fruit that is fairly bitter but when
mixed with sugar makes a lightly sweet juice. There is also pesa de nance, which
has the consistency of pudding. It is made with the nance fruit, flour, and
sugar and mixed and cooked down until you have a thick creamy beverage.
Guandu (pigeon peas)- small purple beans that are usually
added with rice. Rice with guandu and coconut is one of my favorite Panamanian
dishes
Tamarindo (tamarind)- a small red fruit that makes a yummy
cold drink on those unbearably hot days
Fruta china- (carambola or star fruit)- I’ve only eaten once
in Panama but absolutely loved it. The
fruit has distinctive ridges running down its sides (usually five but can
sometimes vary); in cross-section, it resembles a star, hence its name. The
entire fruit is edible and is usually eaten out of hand. They may also be used
in cooking and can be made into relishes, preserves, and juice drinks.
Naranjilla- this fruit looks very similar to an orange but
don’t be fooled-the outside skin is actually a very hard shell that takes a
machete to open. Inside is a yummy green translucent pulp that has a taste of
pineapple and lemon.
With all these yummy fruits its no wonder that dental
problems are so common!
