Top 5 favorite fruits (including non tropicals)

[fruitlovers]

Why does watermelon surprise you Jaime? That's on my top 5 fruits! A good watermelon on a hot day is heavenly divine! Some of the old watermelon cultivars are also 10X better than any of the junkie supermarket watermelons available today.
About frame of mind, for kids the best fruit is the watermelon stolen from the farmer's field...you know, forbidden fruit? 

Watermelon is not from a fruit tree but>>>>>
I always eat lots of watermelon in the summer heat. I fact eaten nothing but watermelon for 5 days as a cleanse. You piss a lot. Seeded only of course same as you.

Watermelon needs honorable mention as fruit. Really its a huge swollen cucumber, same family but originating in Africa

Watermelon makes for an excellent cleanse or fast.
Not all fruits come from trees. Many fruits are from vines, for example: passionfruits, grapes, casabanana, gac. They don't need honorable mention, they are real fruits. 
FYI, watermelon was so popular amongst native americans that when first european colonizers landed on east coast of 13 colonies the indigenous peoples already had watermelon! How did they get it? From long chain of tribal exchanges. South america was colonized first and watermelon introduced there by europeans engaging in slave trade. A very long chain of tribal exchanges carried those watermelon seeds all the way up to north america. So the native americans knew a good fruit!

[Mike T]

Oscar the electrified firefoxes were banned because they would kill hundreds of flying foxes including the spectacled flying fox which has declined dramatically.The grower refused to net in spite of subsidies and defied the order to stop.Flying foxes are keystone pollinators and fruit dispersers in natural vegetation.If you eat a flying fox you smell like it in a couple of days.The taste like beefy rubber bands.
Bitter melon is held in high regard in SE Asia as are the winter melons.I woul prefer mango melon and good rock melons myself.

[zands]

Bing like the californians I just ate.

Mike-T>>>
Most cherries come from Washington State which has great areas of irrigated fruits of all kinds. Not near the coast but away from it and on the East side of the Cascades. California is a small player in cherries but I have seen them in markets. Lots of cherries grown in Michigan but I think just about all stay in the mid-West. I don't think I have ever seen any

But it is from Washington state that cherries get sent all over America. And now I know Australia too. They ship well. The early harvest is expensive, tart and not so ripe, you have to wait as the harvest progresses and the cherries get picked closer to ripeness

[zands]

Watermelon makes for an excellent cleanse or fast.
Not all fruits come from trees. Many fruits are from vines, for example: passionfruits, grapes, casabanana, gac. They don't need honorable mention, they are real fruits. 
FYI, watermelon was so popular amongst native americans that when first european colonizers landed on east coast of 13 colonies the indigenous peoples already had watermelon! How did they get it? From long chain of tribal exchanges. South america was colonized first and watermelon introduced there by europeans engaging in slave trade. A very long chain of tribal exchanges carried those watermelon seeds all the way up to north america. So the native americans knew a good fruit!

Yeah but grapes, passionfruit, casabana come from vines that exist for years. Watermelon comes off a vine that dies, must be replanted each year same as carrots or cucumbers. Grape vines can produce for decades same as good fruit trees and grapes grow on a woody vine. No wood in the watermelon plant

[Mike T]

Zands thanks for the info and tomorrow I'll give those lying hounds a piece of my mind.Californian produce indeed and I would not have forked out more than $4/lb for washington state cherries.

[murahilin]

Yeah but grapes, passionfruit, casabana come from vines that exist for years. Watermelon comes off a vine that dies, must be replanted each year same as carrots or cucumbers. Grape vines can produce for decades same as good fruit trees and grapes grow on a woody vine. No wood in the watermelon plant

Even though the plant is not long lived, it does not change the fact that watermelon is a fruit.

[zands]

Zands thanks for the info and tomorrow I'll give those lying hounds a piece of my mind.Californian produce indeed and I would not have forked out more than $4/lb for washington state cherries.

Right now they go for $2 in Florida though at start of cherry season the price is $3.50. Cherries are a real treat....Wikipedia says they are a commercial crop in Australia but due to global economics is just might be that Washington State cherries are less expensive than Australia grown cherries where you live. Same reason all I see in South Florida is Australia and NZ raised lamb even though America has a large lamb industry.

[murahilin]

Hummm- Plinia edulis -commonly called Cambucá.  As I looked at Govardham gardens selection, this was on my want list.....
Luc- can you describe the taste?

It's pretty good Gwenn. You should definitely get one.

Here is a post I made after eating one for the first time: http://tropicalfruitforum.com/index.php?topic=491.0

[zands]

Yeah but grapes, passionfruit, casabana come from vines that exist for years. Watermelon comes off a vine that dies, must be replanted each year same as carrots or cucumbers. Grape vines can produce for decades same as good fruit trees and grapes grow on a woody vine. No wood in the watermelon plant

Even though the plant is not long lived, it does not change the fact that watermelon is a fruit.

Same as tomatoes, peppers, zucchini are the fruit of a plant, but an annual plant. Though in Florida you can have hot pepper plants that live four years or so and develop a woody trunk. I saw one four feet tall. I believe tomato plants also can live a few years in Florida.

[fruitlovers]

Watermelon makes for an excellent cleanse or fast.
Not all fruits come from trees. Many fruits are from vines, for example: passionfruits, grapes, casabanana, gac. They don't need honorable mention, they are real fruits. 
FYI, watermelon was so popular amongst native americans that when first european colonizers landed on east coast of 13 colonies the indigenous peoples already had watermelon! How did they get it? From long chain of tribal exchanges. South america was colonized first and watermelon introduced there by europeans engaging in slave trade. A very long chain of tribal exchanges carried those watermelon seeds all the way up to north america. So the native americans knew a good fruit!

Yeah but grapes, passionfruit, casabana come from vines that exist for years. Watermelon comes off a vine that dies, must be replanted each year same as carrots or cucumbers. Grape vines can produce for decades same as good fruit trees and grapes grow on a woody vine. No wood in the watermelon plant

Where in the definition of fruit, etiher botanical or common usage, does it say it has to be perennial or be from a woody tree? That is only in your imagination. All melons and watermelons are fruits. Don't think you'll ever see them described as vegetables.

[BMc]

Zands thanks for the info and tomorrow I'll give those lying hounds a piece of my mind.Californian produce indeed and I would not have forked out more than $4/lb for washington state cherries.

Right now they go for $2 in Florida though at start of cherry season the price is $3.50. Cherries are a real treat....Wikipedia says they are a commercial crop in Australia but due to global economics is just might be that Washington State cherries are less expensive than Australia grown cherries where you live. Same reason all I see in South Florida is Australia and NZ raised lamb even though America has a large lamb industry.

Its more that we are in the other hemisphere and cherries from the opposite end of the earth provide some winter cheer.
Lamb is a bit different - we have far more sheep/lamb than people here and in NZ the ratio is something like 1000000:1 in favour of the ships and lum. We've got to send them somewhere.

We get lots of fruit from USA (stonefruits, citrus), Mexico (mangoes), China (lychees), and Thailand (Durian, Mangosteen etc) in the winter. Problem is that they just about all come through the big 2 supermarkets and by the time the American stuff gets here it is pretty scungy and the marketers dont know a lot about tropical fruit, so we end up with unappealing brown lychees and mangosteen on the shelves - further lessening consumer demand.

[Mike T]

I have changed my mind again and after trying one of the gold series pineapples I can find room on my list for those.It makes me feel sad for the cayennes but some people enjoy sourness and a lack of flavor.

[fruitlovers]

Mike, are you the unfaithful type? Changing your top favorites every time you eat a new fruit?

[Mike T]

You've caught me out Oscar, I am guilty of pomological infidelity.

[Pancrazio]

Don't get me started about apples.  I worked at my friends apple orchard in high school where they grew at least 20 different varieties.  After eating a fresh picked tree ripened apple, you will never grab one of those gas chambered store bought ones again. 

Oh, finally someone says it. Apples get lots of undeserved blame on this forum. 

While i recognize that this post are made for fun, i see that they fail in taking account one important thing, that some of you already said; much of the enjoyement of a fruit depends from the environment; i'm not just talking about cultural background. I'm talking about the simple temperature outside your house, and the season.
A chilled watermelon is really hard to beat in an hot summer day. BUT, when the late days of october come, same can be said for roasted chestnuts (possibly eaten while you drink some freshly fermented wine, or as we call it "vin novo"). For us in temperate climate, fruits (good fruits, not store bought one) are so much tied to the season that is almost impossible (to me) to imagine a good eating experience outside their season.
That said, my list is as follows:

1) Mango (guess what? never tasted a tree ripened, but i found some excellent ones in store in september)
2) Apricots (only if picked right from the tree)
3) Navel Oranges (close to the end of the season)
4) Apples  (Backyard grown - forget about store bought, they represent apples as much a Tommies represents mangos)
5) Dates (yes i love sweet, sweet fruits)

[fruitlovers]

Don't get me started about apples.  I worked at my friends apple orchard in high school where they grew at least 20 different varieties.  After eating a fresh picked tree ripened apple, you will never grab one of those gas chambered store bought ones again. 

Oh, finally someone says it. Apples get lots of undeserved blame on this forum. 

While i recognize that this post are made for fun, i see that they fail in taking account one important thing, that some of you already said; much of the enjoyement of a fruit depends from the environment; i'm not just talking about cultural background. I'm talking about the simple temperature outside your house, and the season.
A chilled watermelon is really hard to beat in an hot summer day. BUT, when the late days of october come, same can be said for roasted chestnuts (possibly eaten while you drink some freshly fermented wine, or as we call it "vin novo"). For us in temperate climate, fruits (good fruits, not store bought one) are so much tied to the season that is almost impossible (to me) to imagine a good eating experience outside their season.
That said, my list is as follows:

1) Mango (guess what? never tasted a tree ripened, but i found some excellent ones in store in september)
2) Apricots (only if picked right from the tree)
3) Navel Oranges (close to the end of the season)
4) Apples  (Backyard grown - forget about store bought, they represent apples as much a Tommies represents mangos)
5) Dates (yes i love sweet, sweet fruits)

Pancrazio, if mango is already number one on your list and you have not yet tasted a tree ripened mango, then what will happen once you taste one perfectly ripened off a tree? Probably your estimation of the fruit will go into outer orbit! 
I'm a great lover of dates also, but somehow they don't come to mind when i'm thinking of fruits. They are more like a dried fruit. Interesting and true what you say about the seasons. Here we can eat and enjoy a fruit anytime of the year, so quite different. Here we have lots of great fruit, but this place is NOT a work of human art, as is bella Italia!

[murahilin]

I have changed my mind again and after trying one of the gold series pineapples I can find room on my list for those.It makes me feel sad for the cayennes but some people enjoy sourness and a lack of flavor.

That pineapple looks pretty good. What is the gold series?

[Pancrazio]

Pancrazio, if mango is already number one on your list and you have not yet tasted a tree ripened mango, then what will happen once you taste one perfectly ripened off a tree? Probably your estimation of the fruit will go into outer orbit! 

Ahahah, I think so! This is the main reason I put so much effort in growing mangoes even in my climate.
You should have seen my face when I tasted my first good ripened mango (non those imported ones). Oh, the epiphany!

I'm a great lover of dates also, but somehow they don't come to mind when i'm thinking of fruits. They are more like a dried fruit. Interesting and true what you say about the seasons. Here we can eat and enjoy a fruit anytime of the year, so quite different.

Yes, dates can be interesting. I have eaten for ages just a variety, the Deglet Nour. I liked them, but now that i have been able to taste another variety i can say that even among dates there can be a good deal of taste variability. I tasted some from Israel, very big and with a very nice coffee-licorice taste. They were awesome!
Anyway, the fact that not every fruit is good for every season is the main reason i didn't put any opuntia or watermelon in my list.

[davidgarcia899]

1. Lychee
2. Sugar Apple
3. Avocado
4. Mango
5. Tied Mamey Sapote/Sapodilla

[red durian]

Favorite common fruits in no order:

1. durian
2. lychee
3. tangor
4. raspberry
5. mango

Favorite uncommon fruits in no order:

1. craboo/nance
2. white sapote
3. klambuku (Nephelium sp.)
4. Durio graveolens
5. Durio oxleyanus

My wife's favorites are:

1. Durio graveolens
2. Whiskey pollen Durio (Durio sp.)
3. Yellow pitaya
4. Persimon
5. Mango Manalagi (half ripe)

[roboto212]

1. Durian
2. Cempedak
3. Mango
4. Marang
5. Lychee


but just about any fruit, ripened properly will be amazing... I live on just fruits and veggies

[cuban007]

My all time favorites:

1. Mamey
2. Mangos and Saps....any of them
3. Guava
4. Chirimoya (Custard Apple)
5. Anon (Sugar Apple)

Notable mentions: Pineapple, Mangosteen, White Sapote, Lychee, Rambutan, Jackfruit, and Manzano Banana.

[DurianLover]

1. Mamey Sapote
2. Black Sapote
3. White fleshed flat peach
4. Mango
5. Lychee

There must be something magical in those Austrailian black sapotes,  the ones I tried were ok, and I only prefer them in a milkshake with some milk and sugar added.  but I have noticed in Aussie forums that folks down there just go bonkers for them. and now i see you listed it above Mango here.   this may be considered blasphemy by some folks     

So my guess is that you guys have some tastier sweeter Black Sapote cultivars.

First time I ever heard about black sapote, was by watching Travel Channel. And the most  unlikely source was Andrew Zimmern, known for eating exotic meats, not exotic fruits. He absolutely went nuts for Australian Black Sapotes. Taste wise on the scale 0-10, he gave 14 rating!

I found that segment on youtube. Visit to Cairns starts at 8:00. Anyone can recognize the cultivar?



Bizarre Foods Eastern Australia With Andrew Zimmern Part 2-3

[fruitlovers]

I wouldn't trust him! He doesn't like durinas. HAHAHAHA

[HawaiiFruitGrower]

I wanted to start a topic on whats your top 5 best fruits, mine would definately have to be....
1. Lychee
2. Abiu
3. Mangosteen
4. White Sapote
5. lilikois
In my opinion i think lychees are my favorite i usually sit under my grandpas trees and eat till im sick of it, Abius are really sweet they are my second favorite i love the texture, Mangosteens have a really sweet almost berry like taste, White sapotes have a vanilla pudding like taste which i really like and the size is amazing! And the lilikois or passion fruits to me are so good the purple and the yellow ones, i can eat lilikois everyday forever but only thing i suffer the next morning