Fit Fare

You’d think that a fruit that looked like this would be a taste explosion in your mouth, wouldn’t you? Alas, dear readers, the Dragonfruit was a bit of a disappointment. For all of its harsh spiky exterior, the inside, although pretty in its own right with the small black seeds through a milky white flesh, was a bit of a let down.

The Hylocereus undatus, a.k.a. Pitahaya, or Strawberry Pear is actually a vining cactus that spreads out over the ground or climbs other trees and plants for support. It prefers tropical or sub-tropical climates and is thought to have originated in Mexico or South America, although it is now grown throughout the world and is the leading fruit export of Vietnam. Weighing up to a pound each, the pinkish red skin is covered in rough, green spikes.

Dragonfruit are now being grown commercially in Florida and California, which should make them relatively accessible for people wanting to try them. There are many varieties available ranging from white-fleshed to red and even yellow, with the red-fleshed fruit reported to be the sweetest. The red-fleshed varieties also contain lycopene, the wonderful anti-oxidant found in tomatoes. According to information found at www.ilovepitaya.com, the dragon fruit is rich in vitamins, helps the digestive process, helps prevent colon cancer and diabetes, helps to neutralize toxic substances such as heavy metal, reduce cholesterol levels and high blood pressure, can help against asthma and cough (if consumed regularly) and can be grown without the use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers.

All of which really makes me wish that the white-fleshed Dragonfruit that I brought home had tasted better. It is often described as being similar to the flavor of a kiwifruit, with some varieties having a lemony undertone, but all I got was wet and vaguely sweet. The texture was very much like that of a ripe muskmelon, and was easily spooned out of the skin.

The story of the Dragonfruit is even more interesting than the fruit itself. According to the Pine Island Nursery…

The sensation surrounding this fabulous fruit can be attributed to a legend created by ingenious Asian marketers. According to the legend the fruit was created thousands of years ago by fire breathing dragons. During a battle when the dragon would breathe fire the last thing to come out would be the fruit. After the dragon is slain the fruit is collected and presented to the Emperor as a coveted treasure and indication of victory. The soldiers would then butcher the dragon and eat the flesh. It was believed that those who feasted on the flesh would be endowed with the strength and ferocity of the dragon and that they too would be coveted by the Emperor.

One use I did come up with for my not-very-exciting Dragonfruit was to scoop out the flesh and use it to create a cold soup, reserving the lovely and intriguing shells as bowls. I think I’m on a mission now to try a good Dragonfruit, and I plan to start asking about varieties when I buy another one.