Colombian Fruits

15 de agosto 2016
Floridablanca, Santander, Colombia

Colombia has a LOT of fruits that we don't get in the states. I have not tried them all yet, and I see many in the markets that I have not learned the names for yet.  However, we had a fruits and juices primer during our first week here (lulo, maracuya, guayaba, and guanabana), plus I've learned about a couple more since then (pitahaya and cherimoya), so I'll do my best.  I've tried all the ones I'm writing about except for the cherimoya, and I have enjoyed every one of them.  So tasty!

Juicing is HUGE here.  You can get fresh juice everywhere you go, and it's delicious.  It's usually thicker, but not quite as thick as a smoothie.  None of that "from concentrate" garbage here though.  All from fresh fruit from the market.  You can order your juice made con agua (with water) or con leche (with milk).

Disclaimer: I did not take most of these photos.  Thanks Google search!

Lulo has no English equivalent, but other countries call it Naranjilla (little orange)

Lulo looks like a tomato, tastes like a citrusy kiwi.  The skin is kind of rough and feels like it has stubble.  To make juice, you peel it and put it in the blender with sugar and either milk or water.  It's super tasty.

Maracuya, or yellow passionfruit

Maracuya is yellow, with gooey yellow delicious guts.  You can cut it open and eat it with a spoon or your fingers, pulling out pieces as you go.  You can eat it with ice cream, make a juice by mixing the pulp with cream and condensed milk or with water and lemon, or layer it between cookies.

Guayaba, or guava

Guayaba can be eaten whole and unpeeled.  If you want to make a juice, don't peel it, just mix it up with sugar and water or milk.  Warning, it will stop you up.  Guava paste is also pretty big here; you can eat it like a candy or find it in a lot of pastries.

Guanabana according to Google is called Soursop

Guanabana is HUGE!  Farmer for comparison.

Guanabana has lots of fiber, so it helps your digestion.  If you're going to eat or juice it, take off the skin and take out the seeds.  You can juice it with water or milk, but I think more people prefer this one with milk.

Pitahaya, or yellow dragon fruit.  I actually took this picture!

Pitahaya is delicious.  You cut it in half and scoop out the insides.  Don't eat the rind.  However, DO NOT eat a whole one at once.  Especially before you are going out to the salsa club.  This fruit will give you the runs, which is not a great experience in the land of don't-flush-your-toilet-paper and who-needs-toilet-seats-anyway.  I ate this whole thing and had a grand time doing it, then went with a group of teachers to the local dirty-dancing salsa club Calisón.  After about 4-5 trips to the bathroom, the pitahaya had made it out of my system and I was fine, but I was worried I got traveler's diarrhea since I had been drinking the water or something.  NOPE, turns out it was just this fruit.  I've made a juice since with my other pitahaya, mango, spinach, and currants, and had no problems.  Just don't more than a half at a time.

Chirimoya, or custard apple

I saw chirimoya at the market, but haven't tried it yet.  I need to go back and buy one, because Wikipedia makes it sound really cool.  Mark Twain called it "the most delicious fruit known to man."  It is creamy, which makes it good in ice creams and desserts.  According to Wikipedia, "Some characterize the fruit flabor as a blend of banana, pineapple, papaya, peach, and strawberry.  The fruit can be chilled and eaten with a spoon, which has earned it another nickname, the ice cream fruit."

Ciruelas are in the plum family

At the salad bar in the school cafeteria, they often have these weird fruits that look like huge cherries.  The ciruelas taste like a mix between cherries and nectarines.  They're interesting, but not my favorite.  Maybe I just haven't had one that is the perfect level of ripe.

Alojabana, a roll made with cheese in the dough

Almojabana is traditionally served with your juice.  It's a very tasty soft roll made with cheese.

I'm excited to see what other produce Colombia has to offer, since all the produce is SO FRESH and SO CHEAP and SO DELICIOUS.  I am gonna miss these fruits when I leave.