by Loti | Feb 20, 2013 | Food, Thailand
Thailand. What better snack while on a long boat off the coast of Thailand than a berry, I mean a pineapple? Actually a pineapple is a cluster of berries fused to a central stalk. This particular pineapple happens to be the best I have ever eaten and we ate the whole thing between 2 of us. And it turns out the pineapple is incredibly healthy. Not only does it help with digestion, arthritis, asthma, and blood circulation, it helps prevent scurvy and most important, worm infestations. So there you have it. The pineapple is also great as a natural detox and is low in calories. My kind of food. But they are challenging to grow. The plant takes 2 years to produce a fruit, only one fruit is produced a year and only 2 fruits are produced in the life of the plant. The perennial plant is then plowed under and the process starts again. Hawaii is the only US state to produce pineapples, hence the expense. Long known as a symbol of hospitality and friendship, the pineapple shows up in all sorts of interesting places. On furniture, hats (think Carmen Miranda), and even adorning the top of the Men’s Singles trophy at Wimbledon. So keep your eyes open. You just might see a pineapple where you least expect it. ...
by Loti | Feb 14, 2013 | Food, Thailand
A typical fruit plate at The Four Seasons Elephant Camp in Thailand has papaya, watermelon, pineapple, grapefruit, rose apple and dragon fruit (the one with the black specs). Wait rose apple and dragon fruit? Am I on a different planet? Rather unassuming in taste (meaning it had very little in my opinion), the dragon fruit is beautiful to look at with a bright red skin and white flesh with black seeds. And unlike the durian fruit it has no smell. So why don’t we have them in the US? In an interesting twist of nature, the large flowers of the plant, which resemble a vine like cactus, only bloom at night during a full moon. In their native habitat, bats and moths pollinate the flowers. The US apparently doesn’t have the right species of bats and moths needed. So farmers in Southern CA trying to grow them have to pollinate by hand under the full moon (which is expensive and can be dangerous since we all know werewolves hang around during full moons). But, while you are out pollinating, maybe you can quench your thirst with some of the new products being flavored with dragon fruit. Skyy has a vodka, Celestial Seasonings has a green tea and there is a cream liqueur called Dragon Kiss available. So here’s to dragon fruit....
by Loti | Feb 12, 2013 | Food, Thailand
Bangkok. A fruit described as having a rich custard flavor with a hint of almonds. Sounds delicious yet the durian is banned from most hotels and all public transportation in Singapore including subways and airports. It is illegal to eat in public places in Malaysia. And if the fruit falls on you, it can kill you. Meet the world’s smelliest fruit. Descriptions range from raw sewage to smelly socks to rotten onions. No wonder it is banned from so many public places. But my beloved elephants love it and can smell it from a half mile away. So there must be something to it. Many in Southeast Asia regard the durian, which grows to be 2-7 pounds with sticky thorns all over it, to be the King of fruits. It is native to Malaysia and Indonesia and has quite a cult following. You either love it or hate it. Sadly we did not get (or take) an opportunity to taste or smell it. Used often in desserts, it was featured recently on one of my favorite TV shows, Chopped. Four chefs are given four ingredients from which to make a dish. The worst dish gets the chef eliminated (chopped). For dessert the chefs had durian, won ton wrappers, peanut brittle and Marsala wine. Wish I could have tasted that one!...
by Loti | Feb 9, 2013 | Food, Thailand
Also called the tree of life, the coconut, can be classified as a nut, a fruit and a seed. Here you see coconuts harvested by student monkeys enrolled in the First Monkey School in Surat Thani, Thailand. The tops were hacked off and then offered to us with a straw to sip the coconut water from within (I think the taste must be acquired as it was just weird). Every part of the coconut tree is used so there is no waste, hence the name tree of life. Over one third of the world’s population rely on coconuts for food, shelter, oil, palm sugar, and amazing health benefits (more on these in a later post). A coconut was even integral in the much told rescue of PT 109. In 1943, John F. Kennedy, a Navy Lieutenant, sent a message on a coconut shell to his base. 11 of his men were alive on a deserted island after being sunk by the Japanese. They were rescued the next day and the shell was used by JFK as a paperweight while he was in The Oval Office. Pretty cool. And in World War II and Vietnam, coconut water was used as a substitute for blood plasma and IV fluids on the battlefield. I always thought coconut products were bad for you. Turns out they are almost magical in their healing properties so I am going to have to figure out how to use the pound of coconut oil (in solid form) I bought this morning. Always a new adventure. ...
