Wow!!  It was unbelievably hot today with a temperature of 32oC (90oF) and a realfeel of 47oC (117oF).  How can one get any farm work done??

Anyway, I would like to introduce you to a new fruit in season which goes by a few names including Eggfruit and Canistel (Pouteria campechiana).

This fruit is indigenous to Central America but despite this, it is not found readily in the backyards or jungles of Belize.  Many people, including locals, have never seen or heard of it  and the few people who actually have this tree actively made efforts to procure this particular fruit tree.

It is one of those fruits of Tropics which can never be viably exported because once it is harvested, it needs to be eaten immediately, probably within 48 hours before it starts fermenting.  This fruit comes in different shapes and sizes; some are long and pointed like the picture above and some are more ovoid in shape.  They can be eaten out of hand and in common literature it is described as having the texture of boiled egg yolk (hence the name).  I think it tastes like cooked (mashed) sweet potato and to my palate, because of this carbohydrate taste and texture, it fits more appropriately into savoury dishes.  But that’s just me!!  I read that other people make ice cream and milk shakes out of this fruit.

We always look forward to canistel season which usually falls into September and October.  We have four baring trees and they can be very generous hence the reason why we are eating eggfruit everyday.  This of course, calls for a lot of imagination because if you eat them the same way everyday, you will naturally get bored of them. So here are a few pictures of my canistel creations.  By the way, some pictures include pumpkin…

…so, to be more accurate, we are eating eggfruit and pumpkin everyday!!

Mashed Canistel (like mashed potato):

Canistel seared on a skillet:

Avocado stuffed with young pumpkin and canistel.

Seared Canistel with Pumpkin and Spicy Sausage with Steamed Callaloo.

There are more pictures which I will post them as recipes over the next week or so.

Go forth and find some Eggfruit to eat…they are yummy!!

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