Video of exotic fruits and the obsessives who hunt them

Fun video about the fruit and people featured in Adam Gollner's wonderful book, The Fruit Hunters.

[#1 posted by Gutierrez , November 26, 2008 3:50 PM]

Ten seconds in there's strands of purple berries on a green vine. Our neighbors here grow them and they hanging over our fence, but sadly the neighbors aren't sociable enough to share what they are with us. Does anyone here know?

[#2 posted by brocksamsung , November 26, 2008 4:10 PM]

codex alimentarius

[#3 posted by arkizzle , November 26, 2008 4:14 PM]

Gut, steal 'em in the dead of night.. tee hee hee!

[#4 posted by randomcat , November 26, 2008 4:16 PM]

Dragonfruit is wonderful when fresh. It's awful when dried, though it's much less expensive that way.

[#5 posted by thylacine , November 26, 2008 4:46 PM]

The video and the subject of the book are enthralling and merit much exploration. The book is interesting, but I think "wonderful" is a stretch. The book is as focused on Gollner's globetrotting and exploits as it is on those who have been exploring, identifying and nurturing strange fruits for years. This might be fine but layered on top are endless typographical errors and several errors of fact that even a novice fruity like me caught. It somehow missed out on a good strong edit before being released.

[#6 posted by BastardNamban , November 26, 2008 5:09 PM]

Miracle Fruit is supposed to be pretty, well, miraculous- they have a small one growing in the Phipps Conservatory in my hometown in Pittsburgh. It doesn't look like much, in fact, I'd mistake it for a Japanese mikan if I didn't see the sign. Too bad it's a conservatory- they won't let you try any!

This looks really interesting. I always wonder what rare items people ingest in the most remote locales, things we've never even dreamed of. Have to get this book now!

[#7 posted by BastardNamban , November 26, 2008 5:16 PM]

Oops- my mistake- that thing I saw was mislabeled! I just found out.

Still, I'd love to try some. FDA....

[#8 posted by porkchop , November 26, 2008 5:36 PM]

I haven't tried them, but Think Geek sells Miracle Berry/Fruit tablets, for those interested--
http://www.thinkgeek.com/caffeine/candy/ab3f/

[#9 posted by saragorn , November 26, 2008 5:45 PM]

I was an exchange student in Ecuador for a year, so I completely understand the world of exotic fruits. My two favorite Ecuadorian fruits cannot be found in North America, which is a shame, to say the least. First, naranjilla, which is made into a tangy tart citrus juice. Then there's babaco, which is like a big papaya shaped thing with soft, juicy, pear like flesh that is cooked with sugar syrup and cinnamon and is soooo goood. I really wish I could find these here. I would so smuggle them into the country if I ever get my hands on them again!

Links to fruit websites:

Babaco:

http://south-american-food.suite101.com/article.cfm/babaco_fruit_recipes_and_facts

Naranjilla:

http://south-american-food.suite101.com/article.cfm/babaco_fruit_recipes_and_facts

[#10 posted by Pipenta , November 26, 2008 6:24 PM]

Horseradish, persimmon, quince and now this? You guys are making me hungry!

[#11 posted by Anonymous , November 26, 2008 6:51 PM]

Haha, part of the (mis)fortune of living in Miami has been the easy access to weird tropical fruits.

In particular, you should try:

- Jackfruit. A South Indian relative of the Durian, but not so stinky. Big and spiky, like a cross between banana and pineapple. Amazing in a milkshake, or jelly (it's high in pectin) or ferment it with honey in a mead.

- Mamey Sapote. Sortof pumpkiny-fruity. Make it into a milkshake.

- Lychees and Longans. Delicious.

- Canastel (Egg Fruit). Like fruity custard, in a fruit. Make into ice cream!

- Monstera Deliciosa. This one really took me by surprise, as it was growing in my backyard. Looks like a green scaly corn cob growing out of a broad leafed plant with lots of holes in the leaves. Pick it, then set point down in a pint glass. The scales will fall off one by one from the back, exposing a banana like flesh inside. ONLY EAT THE FLESH THAT'S EXPOSED EACH DAY. If you get greedy and peel, the unripe fruit has enough oxalic acid in it to give your mouth a chemical burn. Nom Nom Nom. That said, it tastes like a badass pineapple-banana. I run around and liberate them from the campus that I attend in this swamp each season. People don't even know they're edible. And deliciosa.

[#12 posted by lisabethannm , November 26, 2008 7:15 PM]

this is a terrific subject to focus on as was the one about persimmons. i'll buy that book thanks to BB. and maybe, someday, we can enjoy these wacky fruits in the us. after all, we didn't have the ubiquitous kiwi when i was a kid!

[#13 posted by PoisonedV , November 26, 2008 11:50 PM]

They wouldn't have to look hard to find fruits
badabing

I've never hunted rare fruits, but I do hunt rare mushrooms. fun to go morel hunting, and only a 30 percent change of liver failure

[#14 posted by Anonymous , November 27, 2008 5:06 AM]

Durian FTW!!!

[#15 posted by Saisumimen , November 27, 2008 10:50 AM]

Oh, persimmons. My mom has two trees in our house in California... but I always hated them as a kid (they kind of make your mouth dry). Now I can't get enough of them.

[#16 posted by miraculin , November 27, 2008 12:56 PM]

"The Fruit Hunters" is a totally amazing read!!! The New York Times book review is right: jawdropping! http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/01/books/review/Roach-t.html All these fruit people who go around the world looking for rare ultraexotic fruits! Crazy!!!