Nice to see no serious new arguments erupting in this lovely Wednesday morning. Since everyone is calm or recuperating from the earlier ?battle of the sexes?, I will dare to post something pleasing to everyone.
Fruits of DR.
DR is not only famous for its white sandy beaches and warm people but the fertile land also produces some of the sweetest fruits one can find all year round. This is the tropical zone and the fruits seem to always have the upper hand in the produce dept. of a grocery store.
I will tell you a bit about what is available in Santiago, as I have been living here for the past 2 years. When I think of Santiago, I think of mangos. Santiago, to me, is the mango capital of DR. Almost every house has a mango tree and sometimes they have 2 or 3.
I have a huge mango tree which shades my entire back yard. I also have an orange tree (juicing oranges?what they call here to this particular orange), 3 banana trees and 2 plantian trees. Oh, did I forget 2 aguacate trees? One tree produces aguacates as large as a cantaloupe.
I am not an expert on fruits but I do know which are the best to eat. Let me start with mangos.
Mangos are my favorite fruit. I can eat mangos everyday for the rest of my life. I just can?t get enough of them. They grow all over Santiago and one can pick them up for next to nothing. Often times we go to have lunch / dinner in open air restaurants and simply pick mangos from the tree when we head back home (all free). Most people won?t mind if you ask them to pick a few mangos from their tree. They will certainly welcome you to their back yard to help yourself.
I have mainly categorized mangos in 3 major types. There are endless types of mangos but I will only talk about the 3 most visible types of mangos that you will see being sold everywhere.
1. The most common type is a green and then turns yellow elongated big mango. It is very common type and can be seen hanging off the trees all over Santiago. It is sweet but I don?t like it as it has a lot of hairy fibers and the pit seems to be just as big as the mango itself. So in essence, you get ripped off. You get a big mango but full of fiber and very little pulp. The seed is just too big inside.
2. This is the small tiny mango, not too sweet and not worth buying. This is the wild type and grows on most wild countryside trees. They grow in bunches (like grapes but big). They become totally yellow, even on the trees and grow in really large quantities. Most people sell them on the side street by the tin full. Tin full= a large 2 gallon tin can full of mangos. I have found some of these mangos to be sweet but mostly not so good tasting. The seed in also big inside.
3. This is the best so I have saved it for last. It?s the round red/yellow mango. It sometimes turns all red (like a Mexican mango) and tastes the best. Its extremely sweet and full of pulp. The hairy fiber is almost non-existent and the seed inside is very tiny. This is the best natural combination to making the best mango. I am fortunate enough to have this huge tree of just that type of mango in my house. The mangos grow green then turn to bright red at the top, then they get a shade of yellow when they ripe. I leave my mangos on the tree so they ripen from the natural sunshine. Once they ripe on the tree, believe me, they turn out to be the sweetest in taste and meaty in texture. When people come to my house to eat my mangos they say ? wow, that?s the best tasting mango I have ever had in my whole life?.? One European friend came to stay in my house (for 3 weeks) just to eat my mangos. I am afraid to guess how many mangos he ate at a time. May have set a new world?s record in eating mangos.
This type of mango is not so common and sells for a better price than the wild ones. My mangos are not only sweet but they have a very distinct satisfying taste that you don?t find in many other types. You must try one to know the difference. I always give away bags full of mangos to anyone, just for asking. If anyone would to visit me after 2 months, please bring a strong sack to take back dozens of (pesticide free) mangos from my back yard.
Another place you can always find these types of mangos (even bigger than mine) is on the scenic road to Puerto plata from Santiago. There comes a point where a family has a stand setup along side of the road, selling only bright yellow / red mangos. The prices are reasonable for the quality that you get in return.
My other favorite fruit is called ?lechosa? or papaya (called in other countries). It?s a melon type fruit which seems to be available all year around in DR. It?s a typical tropical fruit. Slice it open and throw away the seed from the inside. Now you may eat it straight from the slices or cut it up in smaller pieces to eat with a fork. Make sure the fruit is all yellow and no soft spots felt anywhere on the fruit. This is the sweetest tasting fruit that you would find in the melon family. Is it the melon family?
Cocos (coconuts) are sold on many streets corners in their green form. They are mainly used for the water inside. The fruit, inside, can also be extracted for eating but most people just cut it open and pour the juice in a plastic cup with ice and drink it straight away. This is the best cure for sadistic sun thirst in a hot summer day. It will bring instant relief to your summer thirst.
Bananas are grown all year round. You can find them cheap and in abundance almost anywhere. The best tasting bananas are also found on the scenic road towards Puerto plata from Santiago. Just stop over at any fruit stand and try the tiny bananas hanging in a bunch. These bananas are extremely tiny but sugar sweet.
Now it seems the tangerine season is not far. These tangerines are very sweet and juicy. They sell them along side of the highways from Puerto plata to navarette and from navarette to Santiago. You can get them in dozen or in 20 plus string (a bunch of tangerines tied up in a string). I could eat a dozen of when I am driving. I almost always finish them before I reach home. You just can?t eat one.
This is all I am going to write for now. Others can contribute your favorites if you prefer.
Cheers.
Fruits of DR.
DR is not only famous for its white sandy beaches and warm people but the fertile land also produces some of the sweetest fruits one can find all year round. This is the tropical zone and the fruits seem to always have the upper hand in the produce dept. of a grocery store.
I will tell you a bit about what is available in Santiago, as I have been living here for the past 2 years. When I think of Santiago, I think of mangos. Santiago, to me, is the mango capital of DR. Almost every house has a mango tree and sometimes they have 2 or 3.
I have a huge mango tree which shades my entire back yard. I also have an orange tree (juicing oranges?what they call here to this particular orange), 3 banana trees and 2 plantian trees. Oh, did I forget 2 aguacate trees? One tree produces aguacates as large as a cantaloupe.
I am not an expert on fruits but I do know which are the best to eat. Let me start with mangos.
Mangos are my favorite fruit. I can eat mangos everyday for the rest of my life. I just can?t get enough of them. They grow all over Santiago and one can pick them up for next to nothing. Often times we go to have lunch / dinner in open air restaurants and simply pick mangos from the tree when we head back home (all free). Most people won?t mind if you ask them to pick a few mangos from their tree. They will certainly welcome you to their back yard to help yourself.
I have mainly categorized mangos in 3 major types. There are endless types of mangos but I will only talk about the 3 most visible types of mangos that you will see being sold everywhere.
1. The most common type is a green and then turns yellow elongated big mango. It is very common type and can be seen hanging off the trees all over Santiago. It is sweet but I don?t like it as it has a lot of hairy fibers and the pit seems to be just as big as the mango itself. So in essence, you get ripped off. You get a big mango but full of fiber and very little pulp. The seed is just too big inside.
2. This is the small tiny mango, not too sweet and not worth buying. This is the wild type and grows on most wild countryside trees. They grow in bunches (like grapes but big). They become totally yellow, even on the trees and grow in really large quantities. Most people sell them on the side street by the tin full. Tin full= a large 2 gallon tin can full of mangos. I have found some of these mangos to be sweet but mostly not so good tasting. The seed in also big inside.
3. This is the best so I have saved it for last. It?s the round red/yellow mango. It sometimes turns all red (like a Mexican mango) and tastes the best. Its extremely sweet and full of pulp. The hairy fiber is almost non-existent and the seed inside is very tiny. This is the best natural combination to making the best mango. I am fortunate enough to have this huge tree of just that type of mango in my house. The mangos grow green then turn to bright red at the top, then they get a shade of yellow when they ripe. I leave my mangos on the tree so they ripen from the natural sunshine. Once they ripe on the tree, believe me, they turn out to be the sweetest in taste and meaty in texture. When people come to my house to eat my mangos they say ? wow, that?s the best tasting mango I have ever had in my whole life?.? One European friend came to stay in my house (for 3 weeks) just to eat my mangos. I am afraid to guess how many mangos he ate at a time. May have set a new world?s record in eating mangos.
This type of mango is not so common and sells for a better price than the wild ones. My mangos are not only sweet but they have a very distinct satisfying taste that you don?t find in many other types. You must try one to know the difference. I always give away bags full of mangos to anyone, just for asking. If anyone would to visit me after 2 months, please bring a strong sack to take back dozens of (pesticide free) mangos from my back yard.
Another place you can always find these types of mangos (even bigger than mine) is on the scenic road to Puerto plata from Santiago. There comes a point where a family has a stand setup along side of the road, selling only bright yellow / red mangos. The prices are reasonable for the quality that you get in return.
My other favorite fruit is called ?lechosa? or papaya (called in other countries). It?s a melon type fruit which seems to be available all year around in DR. It?s a typical tropical fruit. Slice it open and throw away the seed from the inside. Now you may eat it straight from the slices or cut it up in smaller pieces to eat with a fork. Make sure the fruit is all yellow and no soft spots felt anywhere on the fruit. This is the sweetest tasting fruit that you would find in the melon family. Is it the melon family?
Cocos (coconuts) are sold on many streets corners in their green form. They are mainly used for the water inside. The fruit, inside, can also be extracted for eating but most people just cut it open and pour the juice in a plastic cup with ice and drink it straight away. This is the best cure for sadistic sun thirst in a hot summer day. It will bring instant relief to your summer thirst.
Bananas are grown all year round. You can find them cheap and in abundance almost anywhere. The best tasting bananas are also found on the scenic road towards Puerto plata from Santiago. Just stop over at any fruit stand and try the tiny bananas hanging in a bunch. These bananas are extremely tiny but sugar sweet.
Now it seems the tangerine season is not far. These tangerines are very sweet and juicy. They sell them along side of the highways from Puerto plata to navarette and from navarette to Santiago. You can get them in dozen or in 20 plus string (a bunch of tangerines tied up in a string). I could eat a dozen of when I am driving. I almost always finish them before I reach home. You just can?t eat one.
This is all I am going to write for now. Others can contribute your favorites if you prefer.
Cheers.
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