Fruit recipes

HE Otaheite and Spanish or Barbadoes_ gooseberries are ‘“‘gooseberries’”? by courtesy only, although the resemblance is not strained. The former, Cicca disticha (C. racemosa), is a tree whose berries are white and waxy, growing in clusters, the tree, leaves, and berries all being very ornamental. The ‘‘gooseberries” are extremely acid and very acceptable at their season of ripening: the height of summer. The Spanish, or Barbadoes Gooseberry, the Pereskia aculeata, or Lemon Vine, is a climbing cactus with exquisite blossoms which resemble miniature pond lilies, and fruit of pleasing tartness. (The blossoms, however, give out an unpleasant musty odour.) The berries may be used in many different ways, bringing out their refreshing flavour in natural state or for culinary purposes. The Spanish Lime, or Ginep (Melicocca bijuga) has an edible fruit resembling the Northern plum in appearance but with rather a grape flavour, both pulp and seeds being edible, the latter sometimes roasted and eaten like chestnuts. The Sea Grape or Shore Grape of the West Indies, the Coccoloba uvifera, is not a vine but a broad-leaved, bushy tree or plant with purple-red fruits of agreeable flavour, susceptible of varied preparation. The Ceriman or Monstera deliciosa is sometimes called the ‘‘false bread-fruit,’’ but its distinction should rest entirely upon itself for the tall, spreading plant with large, curiously shaped leaves bears a most delicious fruit, conelike in form, whose flavour is singularly delightful, a combination of pineapple and banana both as to taste and pulpconsistency, though far more aromatic than either. The lignt, husky skin is not unlike the pineapple in its markings, though very tender and readily removed. The Kai Apple (Aberia Cajffra), from Natal, is a large, edible fruit which makes an excellent preserve. The Carissa carandas or ‘‘Caraunda,” the Carissa arduina and C. acuminata, are also Natal fruits, known variously as “Amatungulu”’ and ‘‘Amatungula”’ and ‘‘Maritzgula.” The Carissa arduina resembles both a cherry and raspberry, having a thin, deep-red skin, and tiny seeds (larger than the fruits it resembles), and makes a delicious preserve though equally good uncooked. The ‘Strawberry Pear” (Cereus triangularis) is a relative of the Night-blooming Cereus, and its “‘scaly buds,” called ‘‘Godochro”’ in Jamaica, are used in making the tooth- ‘some ‘‘pepper-pot”’ of the West Indies. The “ pear” itself is pleasing but not more pronounced than many other fruits of the cacti. The ‘‘Melon Pear’ or Pepino, sometimes called also “Melon Shrub” is one of the edible Solanums, described by Mr. Grelech of Los Angeles, who introduced it there from Guatemala, as resembling ‘‘in many respects the Chili pepper vine, the tomato, or the nightshade. . . . The fruit is of the size of a hen or goose egg or even larger, and very much of the same shape. . . . The interior of the fruit is a solid pulp similar to that of a pear, also of a pale yellow colour and of a taste resembling that of a fine muskmelon, but which has besides a charming acid, so wholesome and delicious that when the fruit is partaken of on a very warm day it allays the thirst for several hours.” It is in colour lemon, streaked with violet. The ‘Tree Tomato” of Jamaica is another Solanum (S. betaceum), which is grown over much of the world for its purplish-red fruit which, uncooked, and fully ripe is not unlike a gooseberry, or, stewed with sugar, an apricot, though more tart. It is used as is the tomato and is about the same size though oval rather than rounding.