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.
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We all try to do our part for the environment, but before you toss those fruit skins in the green bin, there's one last thing they can be used for: dessert bowls!
Last month, a judge in California dismissed a claim brought by a woman who believed PepsiCo, the parent company of Cap'N Crunch manufacturer Quaker Oaks, had misled "reasonable consumers" with its colorful Crunch Berries.
"Plaintiff contends that the colorful Crunchberries, combined with use of the word 'berry' in the Product name, convey the message that Cap'n Crunch is not all sugar and starch, but contains redeeming fruit," the opinion says.
Find out what Judge Morrison C. England Jr. thought after the jump.
About a month ago, I had the opportunity to take a trip to Ojai, CA to check out the Southern California lemon groves. The trip was sponsored by Sunkist, and so I got a true insider's glimpse of how citrus goes from those beautiful California groves to the shelf in my local market. I also got a chance to pick a lemon (quite a thrill for the girl who hasn't lived in LA since she was eight), see the Pacific Ocean and get a break from the frigid January weather.
I also learned a whole lot about Sunkist. Did you know that Sunkist is actually a cooperative organization, founded 115 years ago by a collection of growers, in order to better market their produce to a broader audience? There are current members of the co-op who are the fifth or sixth generation of their family to be involved with Sunkist. Knowing that certainly helped put a human feel on what had, in my mind, been a faceless corporate entity.
The trip also broadened my thinking towards using lemons in cooking. I tasted the most delicious fried lemon slices, that were amazing with fresh goat cheese (also made with the help of lemon juice) and am currently infusing a bottle of oil with lemons for some special salad dressings come spring. All the lemon tricks and recipes came from celebrity chef Jill Davie, who is Sunkist's official Lemon Lady and was a real treat to get to know.
For more facts about Sunkist lemons and some of Jill's recipes, check after the jump.
Flowers are pretty and candles are chic, but foodies know that the most fun centerpieces are made of more food! Check out these ideas for making beautiful food centerpieces for your Thanksgiving table.
Over the weekend, I ate the best pancakes of my life. I headed to CT with friends, and we had pancakes BOTH mornings. Sunday morning, I tasted the most delicious blueberry pancakes that you can imagine -- the taste and fluffiness were beyond what I thought a pancake could achieve. So I was already on a pancake high when I returned to the internet Sunday night to find TWO WHOLE blog posts on fruit pancakes. It made me even more excited to start experimenting with these types of recipes at home. Here are some from around the web that look particularly tasty:
Muscadines are a type of thick-skinned grape native to the Southeastern U.S., where they grow rampant on suburban arbors in early fall. They're as taut and round as vending machine gumballs, ranging in hue from a deep, wine-y purple to a flecked coppery green (these ones are called scuppernongs). Their skins are thick, almost leathery, and when you bite down on them the gummy interior pops out into your mouth. The skins are nicely acidic (some people spit them out, but what a waste!) and the insides are cool and sweet and very fruity, though pitted with two to four bitter seeds. All in all, muscadines bear about as much resemblance to standard seedless grapes as kiwis to cabbages.
Muscadines are commonly fermented into a sweet wine, or boiled down to jelly. In North Carolina, muscadine pie - grape innards cooked with sugar and lemon juice to make a soft, jammy filling - is an old-fashioned treat.
Not, I'm not talking about the retro movie theater candy that'll take your molars out. I'm talking about the fruit, also known as the Chinese date, which has recently been popping up as an ingredient in upscale American restaurants. Jujubes were first cultivated in China about 4,000 years ago; they now grow across Asia, the Middle East, and in the southern and southwestern United States. The immature fruit is green and tastes like an apple, but turns red as it reaches maturity. Older jujubes are wrinkled and purple, resembling dried plums. Jujubes are said to have medicinal properties, doing everything from curing sore throats to making people fall in love. Jujubes can be used like apples in pies or cakes; older fruits work well in Moroccan-style chicken or lamb dishes as a substitute for prunes or apricots.
Parfaits are truly the anytime dish -- breakfast, lunch, snack, dessert. Dinner? Maybe even that. Here are some ideas for both usual and unusual (and hopefully, unusually delicious) takes on this yummy yogurt-based delight.
1. Apple and Walnut parfait with maple syrup 2. Greek yogurt parfait with mangoes and honey 3. Classic fresh raspberry parfait with granola 4. Parfait with yogurt, granola, and cooked cherries 5. Trail mix parfait with yogurt, mixed nuts, and dried fruit 6. Cereal parfait with yogurt, dried cereal, and fresh strawberries 7. Frozen yogurt parfait with frozen or fresh berries 8. Pina Colada parfait with dried pineapple, dried coconut, and vanilla yogurt
Anyone have favorite combos for beautiful layered parfaits? Share!
It's been 16 days since I suggested we declare August "Fruit Beer Month" and it finally looks like the print press is catching up with me. I recently saw on the wire that "Light, refreshing fruit-based beers are way hot for summer." Duh! That's what I've been trying to tell you.
But in her article, Lauren Chapin points out some interesting facts:
1) "In 2007, fruit beer sales grew a stunning 37 percent, making it the fastest-growing segment of the beer industry, according to Paul Gatza, director of the Brewers Association." This figure is in comparison to a 16% growth in craft beers sales overall for '07 (as also determined by the Brewers Association). Thus, it comes as no surprise why '08 has felt like the summer of fruit beers. If you don't like 'em, don't blame me, blame capitalism!
Find two more interesting aspects after the jump...
A cucumber. A pickle. They're the same thing, but are they fruits or vegetables?
Over the weekend, I ate the best pancakes of my life. I headed to CT with friends, and we had pancakes BOTH mornings. Sunday morning, I tasted the most delicious blueberry pancakes that you can imagine -- the taste and fluffiness were beyond what I thought a pancake could achieve. So I was already on a pancake high when I returned to the internet Sunday night to find TWO WHOLE blog posts on fruit pancakes. It made me even more excited to start experimenting with these types of recipes at home. Here are some from around the web that look particularly tasty:
Parfaits
It's Monday. Have a glass. Or a pitcher.
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