Jack Fruit

Timmy is holding half a jackfruit. Many people have never seen this fruit before so I am dedicating this blog to it. Later today we are visiting the waterfalls near us and there is a big jackfruit tree there.

Oh, sorry I cut off the top of his head. I never claimed to be a photographer. Tom is the visual person in our union. I could totally be a great photographer but I think that spouses shouldn't compete so I leave the awesome camera work to him. I'm a good wife that way.


Jackfruit is huge! Can you see that there? It is like a massive watermelon but spongy rather than hard. I think this saves it when it falls from the tree it grows on. I can't imagine being under a tree when this thing decided to fall. Good thing Newton was sitting under an apple tree. If this had fallen on his head we might be living in a completely different world not knowing why we couldn't jump really really high. But I digress....(as usual)...

Maureen (one of our staff members) is processing the fruit for us today. It has a very pungent smell that fills the room. It is very sweet and tropical smelling. Is 'tropical' a smell? If so, it is very close to the scent of this fruit.


First Maureen pulls out the little seed pod. The goop (for lack of a technical term) surrounding the pods is very very sticky. That is why she is wearing gloves. Apparently if enough gets on your hands only kerosene will take it off. Ewww! I always pull them out very carefully. Or I get someone else to do it. Delegation, people!


Next Maureen peels the seed pod. That thin, yellow stuff she peels off is the edible part. The white and brown lump is the seed. Not good for eating. The red bowl behind there is the waste and the clear rectangle container is the yummy stuff. Not a whole lot of food from that huge fruit but completely worth it.



And there you have it. The finished product. Now, how to describe the taste and texture of jackfruit? It is hard to do but I'll give it a shot. The first time I ever tasted jackfruit I was living in India and was about 10 years old. Just as someone was handing me my section of the fruit there was a power cut. It was completely dark and as something was placed in my hand I thought my friends were playing a trick on me and had handed me a banana peel instead. It is waxy and smooth. The fruit is chewy and a bit stringy. Little bits can get stuck in your teeth. But never mine! I'm completely ladylike and never have stringy bits in MY teeth. Ahem.

Jackfruit is pretty sweet and you can only eat so much before reaching your saturation point. Maybe that is why God put it in a package that required you to work hard for it and eat it slowly. Hmmm, food for thought.


Until next time, may God bless and keep you on your own personal adventures.

Love!

Amy