Author Topic: Theobroma bicolor fruiting again  (Read 8554 times)

fruitlovers

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Theobroma bicolor fruiting again
« on: September 11, 2013, 05:50:00 AM »
This is their second fruiting:

The trees are much more upright and taller than cacao, the leaves much bigger and rounder. Hard to tell really that it is a theobroma except by looking at the flowers. The fruits are up in the canopy rather than on trunk as with cacao. The flowers are deep red. Couldn't photo the flowers as so far they went unnoticed 12 feet up in the air. This tree is about 5 years old:

Some photos i posted from last year's crop:

Oscar

Luisport

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Re: Theobroma bicolor fruiting again
« Reply #1 on: September 11, 2013, 06:05:02 AM »
Very beautifull tree and fruit! Thank you and congratulations!!!  ;D

EvilFruit

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Re: Theobroma bicolor fruiting again
« Reply #2 on: September 11, 2013, 06:07:08 AM »
Very beautiful. The fruit looks a bit like a giant walnut  ;D

BTW, whats your favorite fruit from Theobroma ?

Thanks
Moh'd

fruitlovers

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Re: Theobroma bicolor fruiting again
« Reply #3 on: September 11, 2013, 06:14:20 AM »
Very beautiful. The fruit looks a bit like a giant walnut  ;D

BTW, whats your favorite fruit from Theobroma ?

Thanks

Of the few i've tasted i would have to say cacao. There is variation in cacoa but some trees produce very nice tasting fruit, problem is there is usually very little pulp...you have to suck on a lot of seeds.
Oscar

Luisport

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Re: Theobroma bicolor fruiting again
« Reply #4 on: September 11, 2013, 06:18:29 AM »
Very beautiful. The fruit looks a bit like a giant walnut  ;D

BTW, whats your favorite fruit from Theobroma ?

Thanks

Of the few i've tasted i would have to say cacao. There is variation in cacoa but some trees produce very nice tasting fruit, problem is there is usually very little pulp...you have to suck on a lot of seeds.
Well i just say... suck it!  :P :P :P (no 0fense please)

Mike T

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Re: Theobroma bicolor fruiting again
« Reply #5 on: September 11, 2013, 06:39:06 AM »
Oscar the fruit in your pictures look more fleshy and inviting than some online shots. Do they have a good taste and flesh yield.
I have just received a couple of sprouting seeds and was wondering how desirable they are as a fruit tree.

Felipe

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Re: Theobroma bicolor fruiting again
« Reply #6 on: September 11, 2013, 06:50:55 AM »
The roasted seeds are very tasty!

msk0072

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Re: Theobroma bicolor fruiting again
« Reply #7 on: September 11, 2013, 07:37:47 AM »
The flesh picture remind me on durian flesh
Mike

Sanddollarmoon

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Re: Theobroma bicolor fruiting again
« Reply #8 on: September 11, 2013, 10:04:38 AM »
It looks almost... Porous. Can you make chocolate from the seeds as well, or is this one of those used for flesh type ones?

KarenRei

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Re: Theobroma bicolor fruiting again
« Reply #9 on: September 11, 2013, 10:19:05 AM »
Oscar the fruit in your pictures look more fleshy and inviting than some online shots. Do they have a good taste and flesh yield.
I have just received a couple of sprouting seeds and was wondering how desirable they are as a fruit tree.

I second this question.  How's the taste on that flesh?  It looks appealing  :)
Já, ég er að rækta suðrænar plöntur á Íslandi. Nei, ég er ekki klikkuð. Jæja, kannski...

val

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Re: Theobroma bicolor fruiting again
« Reply #10 on: September 11, 2013, 10:44:24 AM »
That's cool. Thanks for sharing.

KarenRei

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Re: Theobroma bicolor fruiting again
« Reply #11 on: September 11, 2013, 10:55:01 AM »
Just saw this article on Pataxte (T. bicolor) and found it very interesting:

http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2009/04/428980.html

Reports that if you do it right you can make an excellent "white" chocolate with it, and that the seeds can be used to make excellent "nut" milk that's more milk-like than almond milk.

Reportedly if you don't ferment the seeds properly, though, they taste like a whole lot of nothing, like matza.  I think this is the other person that was mentioned in the first article:

http://chocolateincontext.blogspot.com/2008/08/great-guatemalan-pataxte-experiment.html

No comments on the flesh, unfortunately.
« Last Edit: September 11, 2013, 10:59:35 AM by KarenRei »
Já, ég er að rækta suðrænar plöntur á Íslandi. Nei, ég er ekki klikkuð. Jæja, kannski...

micah

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Re: Theobroma bicolor fruiting again
« Reply #12 on: September 11, 2013, 12:50:17 PM »
I've harvested some from my tree. They fall when ripe...the flavor differs..depending on if you get it the first or second or next days.  First day being better. A whole new flavor to me. Maybe sweet jack fruity durian, but different...the texture is a new experience...the fruit pulp has a sticky poppy thing going on when chewed, I'd say the seed (non bitter cacao like) is more the winner..skewed on a stick roasted..like peanuts.

Finca La Isla

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Re: Theobroma bicolor fruiting again
« Reply #13 on: September 11, 2013, 03:29:23 PM »
The pulp of bicolor is more like cupuasu in texture and bulk than it is like cacao.  The quality varies a lot as with cupuasu.  Frequently pataxte pulp will have a very soapy taste but I have had good ones, from the same tree, that I wanted to eat all the pulp in a fruit which can be a lot.  Perhaps it has to do with degree of ripeness when it falls.
In this area pataxte is native and has ethnobotanic uses.
Interestingly, the price for dried pataxte seeds in the Oaxaca market is four times that of cacao.
Peter

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Re: Theobroma bicolor fruiting again
« Reply #14 on: September 11, 2013, 06:02:41 PM »
The fruit pulp tastes to me similar to chempadek, so Micah's description of jackfruit/durian is also pretty close. It has a strong taste, so not for the faint hearted. There is quite a bit of pulp, lots more than cacao, but less than cupuasu. I've heard there is lots of variation from tree to tree. In an earlier thread Har posted that it's his favorite theobroma, although he said he also tasted ones that were terrible. Mine don't have any soapy taste at all.
The seeds are indeed the most favored part for eating. Jim West brought me a bag of roasted seeds once on a visit and they were delish. They can also be used for making chocolate. There is a company in Antigua, Guatemala that makes chocolate bars from them. I've never thought of making nut milk from them, but that's also a good idea.
BTW, for you folks interested in history and archaelogy, this was a favorite fruit of the Mayans. They made pots and vessels that obviously represent them.
Oscar

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Re: Theobroma bicolor fruiting again
« Reply #15 on: September 13, 2013, 09:11:13 AM »
Oscar, those are great photos!  I saw a mature tree @ Jardim Botanico in Rio (along with their stand of Cacao) which was in fruit at the time - your pictures capture the tree and fruit better than seeing them in person.