Well Preserved

Although I consider myself to be very open minded, I find that it’s the oddest things that I can struggle eating.  Tripe?  Gizzard?  Heart?  Brain?  Tongue?  No problem.  A new fruit?  What you talking about Willis?  It’s like I become all Sam-I-Am and all sense of culinary adventure is instantly thwarted.

My Father recently reminded of Michael Smith’s tirade that if you see food that you’ve never hear of, buy it.  I had seen and heard of Dragon Fruit before but never tried one:

I have learned that the one we tried is officially a red pitaya (pitahaya) and are native to Australasia, Central and South America.  They are a sweet fruit that grow on cacti in fairly dry and warm climates.  Although sweet , their flavour can border on bland and they will taste better chilled than warm (our specimen was served warm).

Cutting it open revealed it’s inner mysteries:

The fruit was moist (though not juicy) and black seeds that I could have easily mistaken for black sesame seeds filled the fruit (they are edible).  The flesh and characteristic of eating this low-calorie fruit is very similar to that of a kiwi (minus the green colour and “furry” skin).  The texture was virtually indistinguishable from a semi-firm kiwi.  Eating is simple – use a spoon and treat the outer flesh like a bowl.

They come in a variety of colours (on the inside and the outside).  They make a pleasant desert or could be used to refresh your palette between courses.  Many Asian fruit and produce stores carry them as do T&T in the Toronto area.

When was the last time you tasted something for the first time?  Be bold and explore and discover the world around us today through all of your senses – including your sense of gastronomic adventure!