This summer may have been hot, but it will be remembered as the summer with a bountiful harvest of tropical fruits from my aunts' garden. In July, three mango trees provided them and their extended families and friends sweet juicy mangoes for weeks. One tree is a Thai variety called Nam Doc Mai, apparently a "prolific fruiter." The pit is thin, the flesh is fiberless and the taste is awfully sweet. The texture is quite similar to the Ataulfo variety that you can find in local supermarkets.
The two bigger mangoes are Nam Doc Mai mangoes
Not sure about this variety, but there were sweet too!
The next month, we were blessed with a bounty of another fruit - longan, a cousin of the more popular fruit, lychee. The lychee trees had succumbed to some sort of disease, much to our disappointment. But the longans were simply fabulous! You peel the brownish skin to reveal translucent juicy flesh with a small black seed. They too were very sweet.
Mouth-watering longan, a cousin of lychee fruit
The longan tree in my garden is about seven years old. We counted 10 longans on it, and after Tropical Storm Debby came through, only two were left on the tree. We picked them even though it wasn't fully ripe; we were pleasantly surprised with the sweetness.
This 7-year-old tree produced but 10 longan fruits!
On the weekends our relatives like to shop at the Pinellas Farmers and Flea Market in Clearwater. Hawker-like stalls selling Som tum (Thai Green papaya salad) and sugar-cane drinks, transports you back to Asia, if only for a brief moment. Tropical fruits offered include coconuts, sugar cane drinks, jackfruit, dragon fruit, sugar apples, rambutans, mangosteens, durian, to name some. Most are locally grown, some are imported.
Durian and dragon fruit
sugar apples, Mangosteens, guava
Jackfruit vendor
Vendor selling coconut drinks
You can find lots of Asian vegetables, herbs (Thai basil, culantro, galangal, etc), plants and flowers at the market.
turmeric, ginger, red chili, cucumbers
Thai eggplant
Nam Doc Mai Mango plant
My aunts had given us the longan tree and a mango tree. We don't know the variety, but they both seem to be doing well. Hopefully these tropical fruit trees will have a good harvest next summer.
I always think of that song from Dr No. I saw that movie when I was way too young and for some reason that's the only bit that stuck with me...ha! 'Under the mango tree, my honey and me....' #Floralfridayfoto
Hello dear friend, Many of those fruits I saw like this I don't know but the mango and turmeric and coconut is what I eat sometimes. Fruit is always tasty and also healthy. We also have stores here in town (I live in a neighborhood away from it) with delicacies from abroad but no Thai ones here yet. The greengrocer sells a lot of strange fruits but we always say (Dutch proverb) what the farmer doesn't know he doesn't eat haha. But I did try some things. I mostly eat mangoes and kiwis.
Good for you for daring to try new exotic fruits! I was surprised to see mangosteen offered in a American neighborhood market recently. They were rather pricey. Mangoes are rather common here; usually from Mexico where most of our produce are from.
Durian is touted as the King of Tropical Fruits in SE Asia. It's a fruit you either love or hate. It is luscious and creamy but smells like garbage or gas. For this reason, it is forbidden in hotels and subways in SE Asia.
What a nice market! İ lived in Clearwater about 10 years, never heard of this market, shame! We don't have the condo any longer, otherwise i would definetly visit it. Thank you for the beautiful blog anf info!
It used to be called Wagon Wheel, located on Seminole Blvd. The owners sold the land several years ago and the market moved around until it found this location, bordering with Largo.
I've eaten lots of mango for years. I've also tried Dragon Fruit and something else (can't remember the name!). I do love having lots of fresh produce here in Florida.
As someone from Malaysia, I’ve had the pleasure of trying all of these tropical fruits, and they are some of the best nature has to offer. The Pinellas Farmers and Flea Market sounds like such a vibrant and lively place; I love how it brings a bit of Asia to Florida.
All the fruit and produce look so fresh. Love the farmers market video and post on Florida grown Asian tropical fruit. Interesting there are so many Mango varieties. Suet Ying
Your tropcal fruits look and sound amazing! How wonderful to have these around you! My Aryvedic Dr always tells me to eat loads of Thai Basil, how lucky to have it avaulable near you! In our UK neighbourhood the locals have been putting out buckets of apples to share and I have been blackberrying! Enjoy your fruits! Wren x
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I always think of that song from Dr No. I saw that movie when I was way too young and for some reason that's the only bit that stuck with me...ha! 'Under the mango tree, my honey and me....' #Floralfridayfoto
ReplyDeleteA lovely fruity post! Would love to try the Nam Doc Mai!
ReplyDeleteIndia is a major producer of mangoes. Wonder if there is a variety that is more popular?
DeleteHello dear friend, Many of those fruits I saw like this I don't know but the mango and turmeric and coconut is what I eat sometimes. Fruit is always tasty and also healthy. We also have stores here in town (I live in a neighborhood away from it) with delicacies from abroad but no Thai ones here yet. The greengrocer sells a lot of strange fruits but we always say (Dutch proverb) what the farmer doesn't know he doesn't eat haha. But I did try some things. I mostly eat mangoes and kiwis.
ReplyDeleteGood for you for daring to try new exotic fruits! I was surprised to see mangosteen offered in a American neighborhood market recently. They were rather pricey. Mangoes are rather common here; usually from Mexico where most of our produce are from.
DeleteI've never tasted many of these tropical fruits.
ReplyDeleteThere are huge Asian markets in San Francisco/Oakland and LA offering these kinds of fruits and more. Check it out if in the area.
DeleteI've tried almost all those fruits but have yet to taste the durian fruit.
ReplyDeleteDurian is touted as the King of Tropical Fruits in SE Asia. It's a fruit you either love or hate. It is luscious and creamy but smells like garbage or gas. For this reason, it is forbidden in hotels and subways in SE Asia.
DeleteWhat a nice market! İ lived in Clearwater about 10 years, never heard of this market, shame! We don't have the condo any longer, otherwise i would definetly visit it.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the beautiful blog anf info!
It used to be called Wagon Wheel, located on Seminole Blvd. The owners sold the land several years ago and the market moved around until it found this location, bordering with Largo.
DeleteI've eaten lots of mango for years. I've also tried Dragon Fruit and something else (can't remember the name!). I do love having lots of fresh produce here in Florida.
ReplyDeleteThis looks like a nice market. I've never ate durian fruit but I heard it is an "aquired taste."
ReplyDeleteAs someone from Malaysia, I’ve had the pleasure of trying all of these tropical fruits, and they are some of the best nature has to offer.
ReplyDeleteThe Pinellas Farmers and Flea Market sounds like such a vibrant and lively place; I love how it brings a bit of Asia to Florida.
I love seeing the variety of things at your farmers' market! So many things I am unfamilar with.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful blog
ReplyDeleteAll the fruit and produce look so fresh. Love the farmers market video and post on Florida grown Asian tropical fruit. Interesting there are so many Mango varieties.
ReplyDeleteSuet Ying
Your tropcal fruits look and sound amazing! How wonderful to have these around you! My Aryvedic Dr always tells me to eat loads of Thai Basil, how lucky to have it avaulable near you! In our UK neighbourhood the locals have been putting out buckets of apples to share and I have been blackberrying!
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your fruits!
Wren x
Beautiful blog.
ReplyDeleteI eat a lot of fruit.
Too bad I can't translate your blog.
Greetings Irma