I struggled a bit to come up with something for Q. I like to have a personal connection to the topic and use my own pictures if possible. Q just wasn't working for me this way. After letting go of those criteria, I decided that I would educate myself on some of the new-to-me fruits that begin with Q. So here it goes.
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| Quaraibea cordoto |
Quaraibea Cordoto or Chupa Chupa - This is a soft, yellow fruit that grows mostly in the Amazon Rain Forest. The taste has been described as a cross between a pumpkin and mango, and nutritionally it is high in carotene. Outside of South American, I couldn't find anywhere to buy quaraibea codoto fruit. However, I did see several sources to buy seeds to grow the tree. The tree is very fast growing and can reach 140 high. However, if will only grow that high if it is in its native tropical rainforest. William Whitman brought it to Florida in 1964 and it has been successfully grown there, although it needs protection from the cold.
Quenepa or Spanish lime - This lime-looking fruit is about the size of an olive, has a hard shell, and a jelly inside. Despite it's name, this is not a citrus fruit. It has a sweet, tart taste and is a good source of Vitamin C. Quenepa is native to the tropics of Central and South America. In the US, it is grown in Florida, California, and Hawaii. I have never seen quenepa in the grocery store, but I did find it for sale on Amazon when it is in season.
Quandong or Desert Peach - Quandong grows in the deserts of Australia. It has been described to taste like a tart peach and has more Vitamin C than an orange. Indigenous people have used them for medicine and fuel (from seeds) as well as food. Some quandong are grown commercially, but much of the fruit is harvested in the wild. I could not find it mentioned that they are grown outside of Australia.
Those were very brief descriptions that I think I got mostly right. I would love to hear if anyone has had experience with any of these fruit. All of them grow in warmer or drier climates than I have ever lived, which may be why I was unfamiliar with them.
Quite a Q quandary. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you let go of your criteria and shared these with us. It's a good reminder that no matter how "global" our grocery markets seem, there are SO many fruits and veggies out there that we aren't aware of. I'd love to try all of them!
My inner nerd noticed that "qu" words may be more frequently used in South America.
My inner nerd noticed the same thing. :)
DeleteThey all might grow here in Florida but I've never heard of them. Q is always a hard letter for the challenge and of course X too - ugh!
ReplyDeleteIt's really hard to tell about distribution. While some fruits may be available locally, they don't ship well and others ship well and can be found everywhere. You'll have to see if you notice any of these fruits now that you know to look for them.
DeleteI have never heard of any of these, but now I know I will have to perpetually be on the lookout for them.
ReplyDeleteI haven't found any of them in my local grocery stores, but I haven't looked in any ethnic stores. When things open up more, I will have to go looking.
DeleteThank you for introducing these fruits to me. I've never seen or heard of them!
ReplyDeleteYou may actually be able to find some of them in California which has a warmer growing season - especially the Spanish lime since it is said that California grows it. Maybe when you get back into the grocery stores, you'll find one.
DeleteI had never heard of any of those three Q fruits.
ReplyDeleteNone of us have. I guess they aren't very common in the US, anyway.
DeleteFunnily enough I used quandong too though it’s rather more local for me. I feel sure I’ve seen the tree and certainly seen it advertised. Those others are new to me entirely.
ReplyDeletehttps://cassmobfamilyhistory.com/2021/04/20/queensland-nuts-quince-and-quondong/
Being in Australia, you see quandong around. Have you ever tried it?
DeleteAgain you have added to my vocabulary, as I had never heard of this food before.
ReplyDeleteI'm adding new words to my vocabulary, too.
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