Local Grown Fruits

The Dragon

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The dragon is an auspicious mystical creature in the Chinese culture and if there is a fruit named after it, we want to find out if it has some sort of amazing prowess. 

Origins

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The Red Dragon Fruit is also known as Pink Pitaya or Strawberry Pear. It is a tropical fruit that is bright red on the outside with green spiky leaves flaring up around it like flames and its flesh has an interesting texture that is sweet and peppered with black seeds. Many may recognise the fruit but few know that it actually grows on a climbing cactus called hylocereus or some may know it with a much prettier name, the Honolulu Queen. This cactus has large, white flowers that open only at night, famously known as the 'Lady of the Night' or 'Moonflowers'.

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Native to southern Mexico and North America, it was the French who brought the fruit over to Southeast Asia in the early 19th century. My Blue Tea's Red Dragon Fruits are grown and harvested in farms that offer the best conditions, climate and best practices to bring you top quality superfoods.

 Mamey sapote is also known as mamey Colorado and is originally from the lowlands of Mexico and Central America. The fruit is highly appreciated by people from Caribbean and Central America. There are two main commercial varieties grown in Florida; 'Magaña' (2- to 4-lb-fruit, with elliptic shape and slightly pointed end) and 'Pantin' (smaller size, oval shape and 1- to 2-lbs). The fruit skin is rough and dark-brown, the flesh is orange to deep- red, sweet, creamy, and has a cherry-almond-like flavor. The fruit is high in vitamin A and it is considered a good source of potassium. 

 Thai guava is a tropical fruit that's sweet and tangy, with a crunchy texture and a unique aroma 

• Taste: Thai guava has a mild, refreshing sweetness, and a delicate balance of sweet and tangy flavors. 
• Texture: Thai guava is crunchy, with a soft, seed-filled center and velvety pulp. 
• Appearance: Thai guava is large, often the size of a grapefruit, with a green bumpy peel and white flesh. 
• Uses: Thai guava can be eaten raw, or added to smoothies, salads, or desserts. It can also be used in cocktails or juice. 
• Nutrition: Thai guava is rich in vitamin C, antioxidants, and dietary fiber. 
• Origin: Thai guava was introduced to Asia by the Portuguese in the 17th century. It's primarily grown in Thailand and Southeast Asia, but is also grown in California, Florida, and Hawaii. 
• Season: Thai guava is available sporadically year-round, but is most in season from July through November.

Cacao grows in the forest understory to a height of 6–12 metres (20–40 feet), usually remaining at the lower end of this range. Its oblong leathery leaves measure up to 30 cm (12 inches) in length, and are periodically shed and replaced by new leaves that are strikingly red when young. Its flowers are either foul-smelling or odourless; they can be present at all times but appear in abundance twice a year. These flowers grow in clusters directly from the trunk and limbs and are about 1 cm (0.4 inch) in height and breadth. They can be white, rosy, pink, yellow, or bright red, depending on the variety, and are pollinated by tiny flies called midges in many areas.

After four years the mature cacao tree produces fruit in the form of elongated pods; it may yield up to 70 such fruits annually. The pods, or cherelles, range in colour from bright yellow to deep purple. They ripen in less than six months to a length up to 35 cm (14 inches) and a width at the centre of 12 cm (4.7 inches). Each pod has numerous ridges running along its length and holds 20 to 60 seeds, or cocoa beans, arranged around the long axis of the pod. The oval seeds are about 2.5 cm (1 inch) long and are covered with a sweet sticky white pulp.

Malanga Isleña corms widely vary in appearance, depending on cultivation time, soil, and climate, and range from small to large, growing in a round to oblong shape. Each plant generally produces one central corm, and the corm’s variegated dark to light brown skin is rough with an uneven, scaly texture comprised of faint horizontal rings and fiber-like hairs. Underneath the surface, the flesh is dense, dry, and starchy, primarily white with subtle brown speckling. Malanga Isleña corms must be cooked and develop a smooth, thick, and semi-fluffy consistency. The flesh has a mild, earthy, sweet, and nutty flavor with musky nuances that some liken to the taste of black walnut. In addition to the corms, the young leaves are edible when cooked, providing a vegetal, grassy, and green flavor.

Malanga Isleña is available year-round.

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 Yuca root, also known as cassava, is a starchy, high-carbohydrate root vegetable that's a staple food in many parts of the world: 

• AppearanceYuca roots are large, tapered, and can weigh several pounds. They have a rough, bark-like skin and crisp, white flesh. 
• TasteYuca has an earthy, nutty flavor. 
• NutritionYuca is high in carbohydrates and vitamins, and low in saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium. It's also a good source of manganese and vitamin C. 
• UsesYuca is used in many ways, including: 
  • As a thickener in tapioca 
  • As a source of flour when the seeds are ground 
  • In supplements like teas, powders, capsules, pills, liquid oils, and tinctures
    
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 The pepino melon, also known as melon pears, tree melons, and pepino dulce (sweet cucumber), is a fruit that is native to South America. It is not actually a melon but the fruit of a small evergreen shrub and closely related to the nightshade family (the nightshade family includes tomatoes and eggplant). 

The dragon is an auspicious mystical creature in the Chinese culture and if there is a fruit named after it, we want to find out if it has some sort of amazing prowess. 

Origins

​

The Red Dragon Fruit is also known as Pink Pitaya or Strawberry Pear. It is a tropical fruit that is bright red on the outside with green spiky leaves flaring up around it like flames and its flesh has an interesting texture that is sweet and peppered with black seeds. Many may recognise the fruit but few know that it actually grows on a climbing cactus called hylocereus or some may know it with a much prettier name, the Honolulu Queen. This cactus has large, white flowers that open only at night, famously known as the 'Lady of the Night' or 'Moonflowers'.

​

Native to southern Mexico and North America, it was the French who brought the fruit over to Southeast Asia in the early 19th century. My Blue Tea's Red Dragon Fruits are grown and harvested in farms that offer the best conditions, climate and best practices to bring you top quality superfoods.

Culantro is a perennial tropical herb that is used to add flavor to your dishes while cooking. It is similar to cilantro (coriander) and lettuce. Usually, its leaves and stalks are used.

Culantro is an amazing substitute for cilantro, with a stronger aroma and taste and leaves that are a bit longer. It is used in the Caribbean, Americas, Vietnam, Thailand, and several other Asian countries.

Botanical Name: Eryngium Foetidum

Common Names: Culantro, Mexican coriander, sawtooth coriander, Recao, shadow Beni, long coriander, Bhandhania, spiny cilantro, broadleaf cilantro.

Dry coconuts are small to medium in size, averaging 7 to 12 centimeters in diameter and 10 to 13 centimeters in length, and have an oval to oblong shape with blunt, curved edges. Each Dry coconut will vary slightly in size and shape, and the surface of the coconut is light brown, hard, and lightly wrinkled with a textured, rough feel. The exterior surface is also thin and fibrous but edible. Underneath the surface, a thin layer of concentrated, dried flesh lines the edge of the coconut with a hollow center. The flesh is comprised of ivory to off-white shades and has a dense, oily, greasy, and chewy consistency. Dry coconuts have a subtle aroma, and the entire kernel is edible raw. The flesh has a mild, rich, and neutral flavor with nutty, tropical nuances.

Dry coconuts are available year-round. 

 Here are some facts about the solo papaya:

• Origin: The solo papaya is believed to have originated in Barbados, but was introduced to Hawaii between 1911 and 1919 by Gerrit P. Wilder. 
• Name: The name "solo" comes from Spanish and means "one" or "alone". Puerto Rican laborers at the Hawaii Experiment Station named the papaya "Solo" because it was small enough for one person to eat. 
• Shape: The solo papaya is pear-shaped and weighs about 450–675 g. 
• Flesh color: The solo papaya has yellow or red flesh. 
• Taste: The solo papaya is juicy, sweet, and fragrant, with a flavor similar to melon. 
• Skin: The solo papaya has thin skin that becomes yellow-orange when ripe. 
• Growing: The solo papaya is a fast-growing, tropical tree that can be grown in a large pot in northern zones or in outdoor gardens in zone 10 and higher. 
• Harvest: The solo papaya can be harvested in about 12 to 18 months. 
• Uses: The solo papaya can be eaten in many ways, including eating the orange flesh with a touch of lemon. The young leaves can be eaten as a vegetable, and the crushed seeds can be used as a face mask or dewormer.