Share With Us All Something Unique About.... August 17, 2006 11:28 AM
HELLO AGAIN. This thread is where ALL Members will post something unique about their country.Whether it be a fruit, a scenic place, its culture,the unique language ( for those countries that speak other than English as its national language ) its food and of course its people. LIKE the Durian fruit , unique to Malaysia we all would like to read about special things that are unique to your country.
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anonymous
"It has the texture of a cold cow pat".. August 17, 2006 1:36 PM
AÇAI - A BRAZILIAN COMPLETE FOOD FRUIT! August 17, 2006 3:30 PM
ROSS, I KINDLY ASK YOU TO DELETE THIS POSTING IN CASE PICTURE DOES NOT SHOW UP AT YOUR END! THANKS.
Açai (ah-sigh-ee) -
This delicious dark berry know as "The Wine of the Amazon" is making quite a buzz because it is packed with natural antioxidants, including vitamin C, vitamin E and special phytonutrients called anthocyanins. In fact, studies show that Açai provides significantly more antioxidants than such well-respected foods as blueberries, oranges and even red wine!
The fruits are in the "leaves" of the palm, some 25 meters high. From this delicious fruit are made juice and a kind of icecream. Some other fruits are, eventually, mixed to the pulp of the fruit when the cream or icecream is prepared. During summertime it is highly consummed in both forms because it replaces energy and is very refreshing too.
Perhaps more impressive is the fact that the antioxidant concentration in the Açaí fruit is five times higher than that of Gingko biloba, the popular “brain boosting” herbal supplement that is renowned for its antioxidant properties.
Açaí also contains important Omega-3 and Omega-6 essential fatty acids to help you reduce cholesterol and increase your energy.
Açaí has been known to help create a youthful, healthier-looking skin tone, improve circulation, healthier eyes, increase energy and vitality, and naturally resistance to colds, flu, and disease!
hi ross.... am glad you have this group going. will start of my contribution with a web link.. a link covering the state of kerala in india where i live. it wil give you an overview of the sights and sounds of the state.
Its so nice to see you all here! Yeah...Amin..I think thats the fruit...!! Pity you didnt have a go at it b4hand! You probably missed the chance to eat one of the smelliest fruits in the world..and what a feast you would have had..lol! Who knows...you mite come across it again..somewhere!
Welcome Agnes! That sounds interesting! Welcome all other members here...I just got up..so please forgive me if I forget you names offhand right now as I quickly switched to my editor post page!
Brunei clones durian fruit August 18, 2006 1:09 PM
Brunei has successfully cloned the durian fruit, thanks to the initiatives of the Agricultural Department in the Temburong District as part of its efforts to conserve plant species and collect plant plasma in the district, RTB reported.
The Kampong Semabat agriculture project has been entrusted with the task of conserving plant seeds. This is to ensure the survival of fruit bearing trees aside from producing selected seeds.
Among the seeds produced was a species that was quite unique and unknown until now. The new seed "Durio Spp" is known locally as "Si Unggong" or "Suluk". The durian fruit was the result of cloning between a white and yellow species.
The size of the fruit is much larger than the normal yellow durian and it has a combination of taste of white and yellow durian.
An 18-hectare site has been allocated at the Kg Semabat agricultural project for the development of durian. And the project has the potential to make Brunei as a future centre for research and producer of cloned durians.
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Something unique and similar... August 18, 2006 4:38 PM
Hi,Ross !! I request you to have a look at my Page where the wonderful Durian is mentioned as my fav As our friend has elaborately mentioned Kerala specials Durion has some similarities of the Jack fruit. Dont you agree. But durian is sweeter and much easier to open and eat the pulp. The rough green yellow thorny outer pericarp is rough in Jackfruit. If a jackfruit falls on our head-- no chance of falling as you would have seen the Jack tree and how the fruits are stuck to the trunk of the tree, Jack fruit is heavy and more rough outside.Yes I am a keralite Tamilian migrated to the east having the roots in Kerala for generations. Well, has anyone mentioned the Mango the King of fruits. Durian has got the first place in sweet taste. Yes, i'd love to share the nutritious plants veg the fruit the leaves that were and can be made available to all people by cuting short of concrete jungles.Instead every house can be small but should have place for gardening food for the family. This is possible not only in Kerala but also in the most arid dry lands of the table land. Now I will just mention some of the greens, hedge plants trees that can grow even in the arid lands and protect Mother Nature's children from starving and shortage of nutritious food at low cost.Land is Mother Earth."Bhoomi Mathaa' She never disappoints or deserts her children. Among Greens (celery) the most dry land also can be used to cultivate Drum stick trees. The leaves = rich in vitamins- ideal for breast feeding mothers to increase the out put of breast milk. Rich in minerals normally should be consumed atleast once or twice a week as side dish. The flowers = equal effects. the drumstick raw and fresh = rich in protien. the seeds when ripe and dried and powdered at home = the best aphrodisiac ever so cheap. For semen irregularities ( being the cause of infertlity et.al = consume 2 teaspoonful of the powder either in honey or milk or fruit juice daily will create wonders silently !!leaves veg drumsticks flowers and the dried seeds-- no need for running behind costly medicos medicines or quacks. Fenugreek = leaves -ideal for the diabetics.fenugreek seed powder = daily consumption in all food items= face pack as fenugreek powder = beauty treatment for soft skin soft hair. Rich in vitamins Leaves = daily consumption as part of food = rich vit source, cooling the body. prevents constipation& diabeties. can be used as shampoo without any harmful effects of the synthetic shampoo. Papaya fruit = rich in vit A- helps digestion - ideal and cheap fruit as daily use along with breakfast. The tree grows without much/any care. yields a basketful of fruits. The raw papaya can be cooked as side dish oonce in a fortnight.Even the poorest person with a smal patch of land in front of the house can have these =[ drum stick tree and Papaya tree. There are many superstitions about Papaya fruit that it harms the foetus and causes abortion . A healthy woman in her proper age will not be affected by Papaya. A weakling will get abortion even without papayas. In India in star hotels people coming from the West ask for papaya fruit cut in aesthetic designs is supplied as morning dessert or compulsory item in breakfast.Women with sense of nutrious food use all these.Only the fashionable sissies lazy -- give junk food to their family. There are other hedge plants and trees that provide both food and medicine 2 in one. I will continue after getting the the feedback from Ross. lotsa luv I will also thank my best friend Agnes from Mexico separately and specially. Savitri h
Thanks for inviting me to this group. I am on a quest to sample a "Cherimoya". I have never heard about "The Durian", but this will be an education opportunity for me.
You Should Try Eating A Durian! August 18, 2006 10:56 PM
Durian, king of fruit
Durian is a fruit unique to Southeast Asia. This is sort-of strange, as almost any fruit or vegetable with a somewhat appealing taste has long become a universally cultivated crop. And not that the durian would be lacking in taste appeal. Those who like durian typically regard it as the king of fruit. And even in countries where, during the harvest season, there is a real flood of durians, prices never drop to dirt-cheap levels, as they do for pineapples and bananas.
Well, durians have a strong smell and a unique taste. Could be that those who haven't seen others indulging in durians have doubts as to the fruit's fitness for human consumption. Judging by the fruit's smell, its flesh moves straight from unripe to rotten.
When good durians are available at reasonable prices I can, for weeks on end, make durian the staple of my diet. And I enjoy a good health doing so. I can eat durian for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and be thrilled by the fruit's great taste every time I take a bite.
Only slowly, durians are catching on in other parts of the world. They aren't grown yet commercially on other continents, though the climate would be ideal in the Northern parts of South America, as well as sub-Saharan Africa. (I have been informed by a reader that there are a few durian trees on Zanzibar.)
Durians are catching on in other parts of the world primarily because Thailand now produces, on a large scale, exportable durian fruit of the Mon Thong variety. Mon Thong is the only durian variety that is suitable to be shipped (usually by plane) to far-away destinations because Mon Thong durian can be harvested weeks before they have fully ripened, can be stored for weeks, and have no tendency to rot prematurely. Classical durian varieties as they are common in Indonesia (mainly Sumatra and Borneo) have to ripen on the tree and are harvested only once they have fallen off on their own. They are then best eaten within some 6 hours, or, at least, within a day. They will lose flavour and texture beginning on the second day after having fallen off the tree.
Thai agriculturists have also succeeded in minimizing the typical offensive durian smell. And by transplanting branches of grown trees onto newly growing trees of less than 70 cm in height, they keep the trees of their plantations low… a precondition for making the harvesting of unripe fruit an easy task. Naturally growing durian trees can reach an impressive height.
As a result of the efforts of Thai agriculturists, durian fruit now is exported to North America, with Western Canada a major destination (as Western Canada, particularly Vancouver, has a substantial population of Asian, especially Southern Chinese, origin).
Commercial Mon Thong durians are the most digestion-friendly sub-species. By this, I don't mean that in general, durians would be hard to digest. No stomach cramps and no excessive winds as with cabbage, and no discharge pain as with chillies. But with non-Mon Thong durians, there will be burping, and burps do smell like the durian fruit... socially not acceptable even in counties where durians are grown. Mon Thong is clearly the mildest kind of durian fruit.
However, Mon Thong durians are like Del Monte bananas. They are a neat agricultural product: they look good on supermarket shelves, can be stored with ease for quite some time, produce little odour, are of predictable, standardized quality. But they no longer have quite the original taste. OK, I don't mind what they do with bananas. But for the durian, it's a loss.
Durians are like grapes and wine, or like cheese. They are a food for gourmets, for connoisseurs. For genuine durian lovers, differentiating tastes in accordance to variety and region can be a true science.
Classic durians, as they are found on Sumatra and Borneo, come in as wide a variety and shades of taste as does wine, or cheese. Though there isn't a durian culture yet as there is a wine culture, there would be a good foundation for it. It's probably only a matter of Southeast Asia becoming sufficiently developed in economic terms to support food culture on a Western level.
Gourmet durian culture will have to be centered on Sumatra and Borneo, just as wine and cheese culture is centered on France.
Thailand may currently be the world's main durian exporter, and has the lowest prices (during the season in May), but Indonesia is the cradle of the fruit, and has hundreds of yet unclassified varieties.
Those who know only the standard Thai Mon Thong variety will be surprised in how many different flavors and textures durian can come.
Standard Thai Mon Thong durians have sweet fruity-tasting meat with a firm texture and of yellow color. It's the variety that is the least likely to be outright disliked. It's also a bit boring for the taste buds.
Indonesian durians come in a wide range of flavors.
My own preferred variety has white, wrinkled meat with a texture like whipped cream and a bitter-sweet, nutty taste.
When the meat is not wrinkled upon opening of the fruit, the taste will be less creamy, and rather fruity.
You are less likely to find bitter-sweet durians with yellow meat, but occasionally you will come across that combination, too.
Yellow-meat durians are usually just sweet, not bitter-sweet. They also are less likely to have a nutty flavor.
"Durian", by the way, is an Indonesian word. "Duri" translates as thorn, and "durian" means thorny. Therefore durian, by name, is the thorny fruit. Which indeed, it is. You can kill a person by throwing a durian at his head. It's just like a ball of spikes.
Read On
Jackfruit is probably native to India. As it is usually grown from seed there is considerable variation between trees, particularly in the shape, size and quality of the fruits. The tree grows up to 20 meters tall. It is quick-growing and may bear fruit when about 3 years old. The fruit is a gigantic syncarp a compound fruit measuring 30-90 cm by 25-50 cm, and is the largest of all cultivated fruits. It is barrel or pear-shaped. The rind is pale to dark yellow and is completely covered with short sharp hexagonal fleshy spines. The flesh is golden yellow and waxy while the seeds are large (3x2 cm) with thick gelatinous brown covering. In between the seeds are soft fleshy fibers which are the unfertilized flowers. Ripe Jackfruit has a strong, rather Durian-like smell. It forms an important source of food-the edible flesh contains 23.4% carbohydrates while the seed has 38.4%. There is also a fair amount of protein in the seed (6.6%). The seed is eaten when cooked. There are very few varieties of Jackfruit in Malaysia. These may be grouped into two kinds-those with soft flesh around the seeds and those with firm flesh.
Agnes and others,know this fruit? August 18, 2006 11:24 PM
DUKA AND LANGSAT
Both Langsat and Duku are native to this part of the world, but have been in cultivation for a very long time. Although their fruits can be readily distinguished, they are regarded as belonging to the same species, namely Lansium domesticum. Ripe Langsat fruits have thin skin with milky juice and are oval in shape. Ripe Duku fruits have tick skin without milky juice and are round in shape. The flesh in both Langsat and Duku is usually white in colour, pink-fleshed forms also occur in Duku . Both juicy But the flavour, always refreshing, varies from sweet to sour.
Mangosteen..and its not a Mango! August 18, 2006 11:29 PM
MANGOSTEEN
Mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana L.) is known as the “Queen of Fruits”. Its origin is in Southeast Asia, probably the Malay Archipelago. It can now be found in Northern Australia, Brazil, Burma, Central America, Hawaii, Southern India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Siri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, and other tropical countries. Mangosteen is one of the most widely recognized tropical fruits and has universal appeal because of its quality in color, shape and flavor. Demand often exceeds supply. The fruit is 2-3 in (cm) in diameter. A thick reddish-purple rind covers the aril or pulp, which is segmented like that of an orange. The white, moist, soft and juicy flesh is sweet and aromatic, has a high sugar content, but is low in vitamins and minerals. It is usually eaten fresh, but can be stored successfully for short periods of time. It is also canned, frozen, or made into juice, preserves, and syrup. Mangosteen is also used as a pharmaceutical (Kanchanapoom and Kanchanapoom, 1998; Martin, 1980; Nakasone and Paull, 1998).
Good morning to ya all !!! Best wishes for a great weekend and hugs.
Ross and friends = No, I don´t know that we have here Duke and Langsat. Will have to find out in which part of Brazil these can be found and if available, try them : they seem, by your great description, to be delicious !!!hum, hum !
We do have plenty jackfruit, which I particularly don´t like at all perhaps because while in boarding school I had to eat that in each meal of the day, every day, for over 2 years!!! (it was a pain in the neck I can tell you...).
Mango...that we also have, in various types, all much juicy, we eating them as fruit and juice. Also make home-made bottled (preserved) in sweet juice.
Mangosteen was spreaded some time ago, have never tried this but smell is great.
Also not native but people here eating and loving much is the Kiwi. Not one of my favourites but quite lovely as well.
Also Surinam Cherry, we call it "Pitanga" that grows in some not that hot areas - it is a small fruit, lovely red color when ripe, a singular taste, its juice (difficult to make because the fruit is quite small indeed) is just great!
Acerola is a great fruit that was discovered in the Amazon area, rich in many vitamins, fantastic taste, and that is being now planted all over the Country.
Will post a pic of Acerola and will try to get good ones on the Manga (Mango) to show you all.
Am looking forward for the fruits from other Countries. I´ve read that in Sao Paulo there is a place that is helping Durian. If this is to be true, there is a great chance that I can try taste it!
The climate of Northern Minnesota is cold with a short growing season. Apples barely survive here, but as a region we do produce a lot of fruit. Most of our fruit does not grow on trees; it grows on small shrubs and canes. Berries are our claim to fame; they grow in various colors and shapes. We have sweet, sour, and even minty. The best known berry we grow is the Blueberry.
Many thanks to the Host and group members for sharing information. I am learning a lot and enjoying doing it.
AND to this group !!. Thanks for that interesting info Fred. I really didnt know that! Thanks for this great photo Theodore!! Whoaaa....looks nice !!
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Here's one of my favorite things that is native to my country:
The Turkey!
Natural History of Wild Turkeys
Wild turkeys are native to the southeastern United States. They have been introduced in many parts of the west, including California. They prefer oak woodlands, but are found in grasslands and pine forests as well.
The turkey is one of the most famous birds in North America. In fact, Benjamin Franklin wanted to make the wild turkey, not the Bald Eagle, the national bird of the United States!
Wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) live in woods in parts of North America....
They spend their days foraging for food like acorns, seeds, small insects and wild berries. They spend their nights in low branches of trees (yes, wild turkeys can fly!).
HI TED, GREAT PIC, THESE RED BERRIES WE HAVE PLENTY HERE TOO, THEY GROW WILD, NEVER ENOUGH TO PICK UP AND EAT, MY CHILDREN ALSO LIKE TO COME HOME AND MAKE ICECREAM WITH THESE.
AND BILLYE, LOVED THE TURKEYS...THEY ARE SO CUTE AND "KISSING" YOU IS THE MOST! A PITY SO MANY PEOPLE DO HAVE THEM AS FOOD...
JUST TO LET YOU WISHING FOR SOME, WE ALL HERE (THE CHILDREN, SOME PARENTS AND MYSELF) HAVE JUST EATEN SOME MANGAS (MANGOES?)...DELICIOUS!
Hi guys: I never knew there were so many exotic fruits but then I live in the southern US,just 3 miles from Augusta,Ga. and we are known as the peach capital of the world. I will try to get some pictures online to you. We use peaches for peach cobbler and homemade peach ice cream-good enough to make a rabbit hug a hound(your 1st lesson in Southern-speak).
The most popular food here in the South is grits(that is singular since you would never eat one grit-there's no such thing).Grits is ground up corn with the texture of sand until it's cooked. 1 cup of grits to about a quart of water and the longer you cook it,the smoother it gets. You eat grits with butter,salt and pepper and it is a breakfast staple. You can buy instant grits but I would just as soon go in the backyard and get a handful of sand and try to eat it.
Just to introduce you to Southern-speak, here are a few favorite words and phrases:
Y'all-pronounced in one syllable when addressing one or a group of people,ie; Y'all come on in and eat .
geatyet: Did you eat yet?
yuanna: You want to?
yonder: Not here but over there- I saw him over yonder.
spicket: the dang spicket keeps dripping(spigot or water faucet)
hose pipe: water hose
Thousands more but y'all get the pitcher(picture) dont'cha(don't you)
Thanks for the invite! I think this is going to be a fun group! I had never heard of the Durian before this. It certainly sounds like a unique fruit and I think this is a unique group. I'm glad to be here!
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anonymous
August 20, 2006 10:37 PM
One thing that is unique to CANADA is Maple Syrup. This is made by putting a tap into the Maple trees trunk in the spring. It takes 40 gallons of maple sap and alot of boiling to make one gallon of Maple syrup. It has an extremely sweet full flavoured taste. Delicious on pancakes and as a flavouring for maple walnut ice cream or maple fudge or maple frosting or......
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Well, I've tried quite a few of the above mentioned fruits while in Hawaii. I even brought home a jackfruit that fell off the tree right in front of my car. It wasn't very good. Lichees, however are great and green papaya salad really wonderful. Mango and papaya? I find papaya very sweet and needs to be cut up with other tarter fruit for my taste. Guava jam on morning toast is really wonderful. Lilikoi (passionfruit) has a tart and unforgettable taste (no substitute). I've been told Mangoes can be used as a substitute anywhere you would use peaches, and I love peaches. As for midwestern fruits, my favorites are sour cherry and apple. Both make unforgettable pies. You could probably say I just love food!
Heeeeyyy!!! I didn't know that maple syrup came from Canada!!! Well now I love Canada even more!!
Gayle, you won't believe this...., but I eat grits with (soy)butter and sugar!!LOL!!! Yep, I guess my mom, the yankee transplant taught me to eat it that way.
I was just thinking it's time I or someone mentioned our Canadian maple syrup which is absolutely the best! And don't forget there's also maple butter, maple sugar, maple fudge - oh hey, we love maple stuff here!
I use maple syrup a lot - but also as a sweetener when baking. (I'm vegan and don't like to use honey, so . . . ) It's absolutely wild in muffins, quickbreads, etc.
Warmly, River
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Other members in might agree that the saskatoon berry - for which the city of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, was named - is a special treat. The name is from the Cree. Until around twenty or so years ago, saskatoons could only be found in the wild. Now they are cultivated too. These wonderfully sweet blue berries (NOT to be confused with blueberries! ) can be used in pies, muffins, jams, jellies and, I'm reliably told, even wines!
Here's what they look like when growing:
Also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juneberry for more info and a photo of the lovely blossoms.
Anyone else love saskatoons?????
Warmly, River
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Cool y'all!! As a person who has barely been out of Nashville , except for the occasional Florida vacation that I took with my parents during summer vacation , and "used" to look forward to, but now that I have to pay for those things myself, I don't go ,
it's great to get to hear about aaaaaaall the other places I haven't been too .
I didn't remember that Tobasco Sauce was a cajun food!! I LOOOOOVE Tobasco sauce, and I DO mean Tobasco brand good ol' yummy, yummy Tobasco Sauce!!
I also had no idea that it was made like it is! Geeze it's a lot of trouble , and worth every penny!! No wonder it costs more, but geeze!!
Tabasco®
At the beginning of each year, capsicum pepper seeds are planted in greenhouses. In April, the seedlings that result are transplanted to fields. By August, peppers have appeared and reached a ripe, red color. These are hand-picked and mashed with salt mined on the Island. This mixture ferments for three years in white oak barrels, after which vinegar is added; the solution is stirred for a month before being strained and bottled. Since its origin, Tabasco sauce has become a veritable cultural and culinary icon, appearing in dictionaries, movies, TV programs — even on dinner tables at the White House. Today, over 400,000 bottles of Tabasco sauce are manufactured daily.
OK I know apples aren't really an exotic fruit to us, but hey they're great - and I'm always delighted to remember that one of my favourite apples - the red McIntosh (yeah, the fruit, not the machine on which I'm writing about it! ) - is Canadian in origin, thanks to Ontario's John McIntosh back near the beginning of the 19th century. (I live in Ontario now, so that would make him practically a neighbour!)
My newest apple love is however the Aurora Golden Gala (and no, I don't work for applegrowers or anything like that - I just eat a lost of fruit and vegetables) - developed in BC quite recently. It is soooo sweet and I love to munch as well as use it in salads, etc. Just a kid at heart - portable food! I found a photo:
Now doesn't that just look like something you'd offer to a goddess!!
Warmly, River (love that tree!)
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anonymous
OOOooooooo... August 29, 2006 4:40 PM
River...I dont know whether I could get my mouth around that biggie??!!
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Billye T Do you know, I've used Tabasco sauce all my life (well, since I was weaned, anyway, and probably before) and I never associated it with Cajun foods. Weird, eh? Talk about blind spots we have! for the heads-up!
Warmest love to all, River
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