dragonfruit - Articles and Posts from Slashfood

Posts with tag dragonfruit

Pitahaya - Feast Your Eyes

Posted Oct 16th 2009 10:00AM by Alexa Weibel
Filed under: Fruit, Feast Your Eyes

Photo: Ana Carmen, Flickr.

Though at first glance one might assume these vibrant cups to be brimming with chopped melons and strawberries, upon further inspection they are actually pieces of pitahaya, or, as it's more commonly known stateside, dragon fruit.

Described as tart-sweet crosses between everything from kiwis to melons to pears, varieties of dragon fruit can range in color from pale to hot pink. Most frequently eaten chilled and chopped -- or scooped directly out of the skin, the fruit is also often used as flavoring for drinks and pastries. Native to Central and South America, the cacti-grown fruit provides fiber and copious amounts of vitamin C, and lowers blood glucose levels. Red-fleshed fruits even contain lycopene, a natural antioxidant known to fight cancer and other diseases.

According to popular legend in Asia, the fruit was purported to have been created by fire-breathing dragons, who would produce the fruit instantly at the end of their fire-breathing bouts. The fruit -- fit for a king -- was gifted to the emperor as a treasured item and sign of victory.

Though by no means a household name yet, the fruit is becoming increasingly available in the United States, from fresh bulbs at farmers' markets in Los Angeles and elsewhere, to dried varieties at Trader Joe's and other specialty-food stores.

Have you tried dragon fruit? Tell us in the comments where -- and in what forms -- you've encountered it.

Become a member of the Slashfood Flickr pool to get a shot at having your photos featured in Feast Your Eyes.

A Taste of Dragonfruit - Feast Your Eyes

Posted Dec 4th 2008 8:00AM by Marisa McClellan
Filed under: Feast Your Eyes

Kitt of the Kittalog recently got a chance to taste a Dragonfruit for the first time (thanks to the White on Rice Couple) and pronounces it very tasty and smooth, sort of like perfectly ripe honeydew melon. It's also an incredibly interesting and lovely fruit (to see an image of the outside, click here).

Thanks Kitt!

The Toronto Star in 60 seconds: Wild eating to summer whites

Posted Jul 25th 2008 6:01PM by Monika Bartyzel
Filed under: In Sixty Seconds

Kim Honey learns about all the edible food out there to eat in the wild, and the particulars of slaughtering bunnies.
More reasons to love summer: urban farming and rare beets.
Delight in the inner flesh of a dragon fruit.
Forget that typical round stuff. Here's a recipe for square sushi!
Mouth-watering chef delicacies in Quebec City.
Cheap and tasty reds: Mezzomondo 2007 Sangiovese Merlot, Pascual Toso 2005 Merlot, and Concha y Toro Trio 2006 Merlot-Carmenère-Cabernet Sauvignon.
The ins and outs of ceviche, and where to taste it in Toronto.
Summertime white wines: Cantina di Gambellara Prime Brume 2006 Soave Classico, Flat Rock Cellars 2007 Riesling, Omaka Springs 2007 Sauvignon Blanc, Novas Winemaker's Selection 2006 Chardonnay/Marsanne/ Viognier, and Tawes Sketches of Niagara 2006 Chardonnay.

D is for Dragonfruit

Posted Jan 18th 2006 8:12AM by Nick Vagnoni
Filed under: Snacks, East Coast, Vegetarian, Vegan, Fruit, Raves & Reviews, Brought to you by the letter D

This summer, during a drive home to Key West, I made my regular pit-stop at Robert Is Here, a fruit stand in Florida City. After a killer papaya milkshake, I had a look around and one of the first things to catch my eye were the dragonfruit. They're also known as thang loy, pitaya and cactus fruit, the last name probably being the most accurate, because what you see here is just that--the fruit of a climbing variety of cactus called the night-blooming cereus. While this one happens to be pink with black seeds, a white and black variety is also common.

The texture was slightly mealy, like a pear, and the flavor was sugary and a bit floral. With a look like that, I guess I was expecting a more intense flavor. I ate it plain first, and then with a squeeze of lime, as I'm told is done in Mexico.

For more background, there's The DragonFruit Site. They have plenty of dragonfruit links, including instructions for making wine. The Pine Island Nursery in Miami also has a large gallery of different varieties of dragonfruit, many of which seem to be named after Phish songs. Go figure.

[Photo: Nick Vagnoni]

#	Blogger	Posts	Cmts
1	Slashfood Editor	81	0
2	Alexa Weibel	48	2
3	Sarah LeTrent	34	0
4	Hanna Raskin	28	0
5	Emily Farris	17	0
6	Jennifer Lawinski	16	0
7	Sara Bonisteel	15	0
8	Michael Thomas Hastings	10	0
9	Jennifer Iserloh	8	0
10	David Koeppel	7	0
11	Joshua M. Bernstein	6	2
12	Jose Ralat Maldonado	6	1
13	Mike Pomranz	5	1
14	Max Shrem	4	0
15	John Devore	4	0
16	LeNell Smothers	4	0
17	Kristine Hansen	4	0
18	Erin Meister	4	0
19	Monika Bartyzel	3	0
20	Lisa Schweitzer	3	0

Blogger

Posts

Cmts

Michael Thomas Hastings

Opinion: Are Helicopter Parents Coming in for a Landing? Gay Parents Do Not Warp Their Kids, Research Shows Celeb Clan Close-Up: Families Rock the American Music Awards	Fad Diets Make Obesity Crisis Worse Traditional Thanksgiving Recipes: Stuffing, Green Bean Casserole and More Man Loses 260 Pounds: Now He's an Ironman!
Black Friday Wake-Up Calls: Cindy Crawford Will Get You Out of Bed Patrick Dempsey Dishes on New Fragrance - Exclusive Interview Saks Teams With Microsoft Windows 7 for Holiday Displays	What Would 'Seinfeld' Be Like If It Came Back Today? Body of 'Housewives' Ex Will Be Exhumed Fiery and Fabulous: Hollywood's Most Riveting Redheads
Target to Give Away Marcel Wanders Bags On Black Friday Exclusive: The Jonas Brothers Leave Bel Air, Shack Up in a New House What To Ask Before Moving In	Weiner Race in San Francisco How to Prepare Your Pet for Holiday Travel The National Dog Show: How to Watch, What to Watch Out For

Pitahaya - Feast Your Eyes

A Taste of Dragonfruit - Feast Your Eyes

The Toronto Star in 60 seconds: Wild eating to summer whites

D is for Dragonfruit

Tip of the Day

Slashfood Features

RESOURCES

Featured Stories

Slashfood bloggers (30 days)

Most Commented On (60 days)

Updates From

Sites We Love