SURINAM CHERRY

Common Name: Surinam Cherry
Vernacular Name: Brazilian Cherry, Cayenne Cherry, Pitanga, Cereza de cayena, Surinaamsche kersh
Botanical Name: Eugenia uniflora
Specimens From: Malaysia

Surinam cherry is native to Surinam and several tropical countries of South America. It is about the size of a cherry but the shape is unique with about 7 to 8 ribbed and oblate. Green when young and will change to orange and finally to either bright red or very dark red (almost black), though the later variety is not so common.

This fruit may have one or more non-edible seeds, round with a flattened side. Surinam cherry is eaten raw, similar to eating a cherry. With a very thin skin, it is juicy and rather resinous. The taste is usually a conbination of sweet, tart and slightly bitter but the dark red variety is much sweeter.

This cherry is very soft and prone to bruising and tearing easily. In most places, it is grown mainly in backyard gardens for ornamental purposes due to its cute, curvy and colourful fruits. It is hardly found in the market. Other than eaten raw, it can also be made into jam and jellies.


Fruit: Surinam Cherry; Eugenia uniflora; Myrtaceae.


Other fruit in the same family: Guava (Pink flesh), Guava (Yellow flesh)


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GUAVA (Pink Flesh)

Common Name: Guava
Botanical Name: Psidium guajava
Specimens From: Indonesia
Specimens Weight: 210 gm [7.41 oz] (average wgt per fruit)

Guava is a very common tropical fruit, native from Mexico to northern South America. It is now grown or cultivated in most tropical countries.

There are many types of guava but usually round, oval or pear in shape. Green when unripe but some cultivars will stay light green even when it is ripe and some will turn yellow. The fresh may be off-white to cream or pink to red. Do not let it over-ripe as it will turn mushy. Juice it if that is the case. There are also the red skin guava but it is not so common.

The taste is slightly sweet with a strong musky odor but still taste nice. Still hard when it is not so ripe but not so sweet. If you eat it at the right time, it is sweeter and is soft enough but not mushy yet. In some places, the fresh cut guava may be dip in either one or combinations of this: salt, pepper, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar and prune salt.

There are numerous seeds in a guava but there are a minor few, seedless varieties. The seeds are mostly found in the center of the fruit but it is quite spread out and within a large proportion of the flesh. Though the seeds are small and edible but it is also very hard and may hurt your teeth if you bite on it. Spit it out if you prefer as those fresh with the seeds are the softest and sweetest part of the fruit

The skin is edible and it will be a waste to peel it, because of the high concentration of vitamins (A,B,C) are found in the skin. This variety, the ripe yellow skin is soft and tasty enough to eat but there are some varieties with hard and bitter skin. So you decide, nutrient or taste is more important?

Guava is one of the super fruits, which is packed with numerous nutritions. It is very high in Vitamin C and in antioxidant. Great in potassium and fibre too, among others. The pink fresh is slightly better than white, as it contains more beta carotene plus others.



Guava Juice, Pink

Make a guava juice or smoothie. It is a nice, thick and pinky juice with a distinct guava aroma but not that sweet on its own. It is a very healthy drink! But you may add milk, sugar or other sweeter fruit juice to enhance the flavour to your preferences.


Fruit: Guava; Psidium guajava; Mytaceae.


Other fruits in the same family: Surinam Cherry, Guava [greenskin/yellow flesh]


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GUAVA (Odd Shape/Green Skin/Yellow Flesh)

Common Name: Guava
Vernacular Name: Apple Guava, Guayaba, Jumbu Batu, Farang, Jwafa, Pera, Bayabas
Botanical Name: Psidium guajava
Specimens From: Thailand

Guava is a very common tropical fruit, native from Mexico to northern South America. This is the ugly guava. There are many types of guava, usually round, oval or pear in shape but this cultivar of guava have the most unusual, irregular shape.

The skin is thin and light green in colour with creamy yellow flesh. When ripe, it is soft but don't wait till it over-ripes, it will be mushy. The taste is sweet with a strong musky odor, which some people may dislike it.

The skin is edible and it will be a waste to peel it, because of the extreme high concentration of vitamins (A,B,C) are found in the skin. And that is why, guava is one of the top most nutritious fruit. The problem is, the skin tastes a little bitter. So you decide, nutrient or taste? The best part about this particular cutivar is, it is seedless.

Guava, Dried


There is also dried guava, taken as snacks.


Fruit: Guava; Psidium guajava; Mytaceae.


Other fruits in the same family: Surinam Cherry, Guava [yellow skin/pink flesh]


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