A few years ago I was visiting Thailand, among other places, and I visited one of the outdoor marketplaces. My intention was to find fruits that I had never tried, purchase some, bring them back to my hotel to consume them. My expedition was fruitful. At one end of the continuum was the durian fruit, which is barely even edible if not prepared right. As a matter of fact, the smell is so bad that it is not unusual to see the following sign on hotel lobby walls:
I will spare you the details of how it looked, its consistency and flavor. Locals would surely laugh if they saw me eating it raw and unprepared. Don’t do it.
On the other end of the continuum was the almost too-good-to-be-true, dragon fruit. Here’s what it looks like on the stand:
You can clearly see the look of envy on the other fruits
Imagine, if you will, a kiwi on steroids. The dragon fruit is much larger than a kiwi, and it peels as easily as a banana. There is no pit to worry about, and the seeds are small and greatly enhance its consistency. The fresh ones I had in Thailand were mildly sweet and the flesh was somewhat firm and almost crunchy. Eating it, for the first time, was so heavenly that I felt like I was in food nirvana. Here’s what they look like on the inside (photo found online):
There is also a red-fleshed variety. A coworker recently brought a dragon fruit to work for me. I had previously told him about them and his local Winco grocery store had started carrying them. He fell in love with them right away and bought a bunch for his family. The ones he buys are inferior. They are not fresh. The flesh is not as firm as it should be, nor is it nearly as sweet as it should be. One can see wrinkles forming on the outside. Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Even an inferior dragon fruit is superior to the vast majority of other fruits. In fact, I’m thinking about starting a religion based on the dragon fruit. Of course, I would be the high priest. I haven’t worked out the details yet. Suggestions are welcome.
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Is dragonfruit available for sale at grocery stores in America? I haen’t noticed them before… they look beautiful though.
It depends on the state. I’ve only seen them in California.
I live on the east coast and I’ve never seen them here
You can purchase Dragon Fruits in several different states. I am not sure where you are, but I have seen them in New York, Pennsylvania and Georgia. :)
Yes, I have found them here in Oregon, but they are generally inferior quality ones and expensive.
As far as exotic fruits go I like persimmons
You’re a dragon fruit supremacist, aren’t you? I should have known.
I did get carried away a bit :)
Right. All fruits are equal. Fruits are socially constructed
The main problem with dragon fruit it is really hard to get in many locales. But i possess many a good memory of sharing a dragon fruit with both sets of grand parents and other family members.
If the Dragon Fruit is the “best” fruit in the world, it only got there by exploiting and oppressing the less privileged fruits. I see a case for reparations here.
Fruits can always “A-peal”.
For the first time, i saw, brought and tasted the Dragon Fruit. I don’t know why, but I had anticipated the taste to be sweet. Actually, it really tasted very bland. however, it was smooth as I swooped it out with a spoon. A nice clean feeling came over me while I was eating it. I brought it at China Town on Canal street. They sell them for $6.00 a pound, approximately 1 Dragon fruit. I have try to buy it around my neighborhood grocery store, but no one carries them, not even Fairway. Perhaps the price is the culprit. Would I buy them again, sure, when I’m in China town.
i like this fruite it is realy elicious
I live in Delaware and the Safeway/Genuardi’s near me says they will have them in a few weeks!!!
There must be big differences in quality. I’m here in Costa Rica and have a couple growing around the house. They are the red/pink skinned variety with the deep pink/purple flesh. I find the fruit bland. The first time I ate one, I just scooped out the flesh with a spoon and was disappointed. When I asked the locals how they eat them they said it was really only good for preparing a drink which is essentially dragonfruit limeade. When prepared like that, they lend subtle but good flavor to the limeade.
Well, a few years later I can give some additional info on this fruit. It seems time of harvest and freshness is critical. I used to wait till they were very ripe (completely red/pink in color)to pick them. That’s a mistake. For the best flavor they need to be pick the day they start getting some reddish color to them. The flavor is still subtle, but very tasty. they continue to ripen off the vine. Sadly after a 4 or 5 days time they start to lose most of their flavor and become quite bland.
I just start make a dargons fruit farm today
And hopefully will comeing good . I from Thailand it full of sun
Good luck with that!
Thank you
I am a coconuts farmer and I want to be a dragons fruit farmer now I learn how to grow
I live in the south of Thailand is more rain here even sun all day in Chumporn. This moring I looking at dragons tree from I planting yesterday it have the red ann eating my dragon tree.What can I do? I have 450 of dragons tree. I buy from the dragons fram nere to Hua Hin I think you might know because you was in Thailand before. I buy 1 dragons tree it 30 baht and I was up set that red ann eating it.
Dragon fruit The best fruit in the world yes is true and I love it
Sorry. I can’t help you there. I know nothing about growing them; only about eating them.
Ok anyway thak you for your answer . have a good day
bit late for a reply but here’s one way to deal with ants:
http://www.ehow.com/how_5059117_rid-fire-ants-around-trees.html
and here’s one specifically for red ants:
http://homeguides.sfgate.com/kill-large-red-ants-around-fruit-trees-55576.html
check the asian markets just bought some yesterday
Do you like it?
Ik heb dit fruit voor de eerste keer geproefd op de markt en vind het voor herhaling vatbaar. Groet aan iedereen vanuit Holland.
Translated by google translate:
I have this fruit for the first time tasted on the market and find it worth repeating. Greeting to everyone from Holland.
You can buy them at Foodlovers Market the old fruit and veg shop at hilfox
Where’s hilfox and how much do they cost there?
have you looked at the organic produce stores? I’ve seen them there where I live in chicago. Haven’t had the urge to eat them though. Prickly Pears are another good cactus fruit though.
Not specifically the organic produce stores. I’ve got to keep looking around I guess. Thanks.
Just purchase that fruit today and a insect was crawling along with it as i was cutting it on my kitchen counter ????? WTF
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That’s awful! I would buy another one and check it before bringing it home.
I’m interested on exporting dragonfruit from Central America, my contact info is kryvasdemonserrat@hotmail.com
My local neighborhood organic produce store in San Diego CA, has a sign on the wall that Dragon Fruit will be available soon. Grown in Valley Center, a small rural area north east of San Diego. I’ve never had one but now I’m looking forward to it. I’ll post again after I’ve tried one. Best fruit ever. . . well see!!
Good Food
We found ourselves at Winco,in Olympia, Washington. Beautiful fruit, clean w/beautiful leaves. I doubt that ours is inferior. The taste is wonderful.