Author Topic: Fruits at winn-dixie and Hilarious Article on Rambutan  (Read 3208 times)

JoeP450

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Fruits at winn-dixie and Hilarious Article on Rambutan
« on: August 02, 2019, 05:10:20 PM »
Actually just picked up some rambutan at winn dixie yesterday, just ok, taste is there but flesh adheres to seed and peels off part of thin outer seed coat on some fruits giving off bad texture and taste. Hear there are better varieties out there that don't have this issue, believe they were shipped in from mexico.

This recent article is hilarious though! https://www.vice.com/en_in/article/3k3x3j/the-alien-fruit-in-netflixs-another-life-is-actually-a-rambutan

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fruitlovers

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Re: Fruits at winn-dixie and Hilarious Article on Rambutan
« Reply #1 on: August 02, 2019, 05:51:22 PM »
Actually just picked up some rambutan at winn dixie yesterday, just ok, taste is there but flesh adheres to seed and peels off part of thin outer seed coat on some fruits giving off bad texture and taste. Hear there are better varieties out there that don't have this issue, believe they were shipped in from mexico.

This recent article is hilarious though! https://www.vice.com/en_in/article/3k3x3j/the-alien-fruit-in-netflixs-another-life-is-actually-a-rambutan

-JoeP450
Props department got lazy and just picked up their "alien" fruit at their local asian grocery store?
Rambutans, like lychees, loose quality pretty fast when they are refrigerated. There are ones that don't have pulp clinging to the seed, but most have the problem of some of exterior of skin (the testa) clinging to the pulp. This is a very thin layer that is tasteless, and most people don't find it objectionable.
Oscar

Rex Begonias

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Re: Fruits at winn-dixie and Hilarious Article on Rambutan
« Reply #2 on: August 02, 2019, 07:23:22 PM »
The ones I’ve purchased from stores here in SE FL have had flesh which clings to seed and pieces of seed add definite nutty flavor, which I don’t really mind much, but without a doubt changes the taste.

I’ve bought from a few different places here, they’ve all done that, but they may all have been sourced from same place.

I’m not expert though, this year is the first I’ve even tried rambutan, tho I will admit, I’ve tried it many times this year, lol.  Rambutan got to be my favorite between lychee, longan, rambutan.

Actually just picked up some rambutan at winn dixie yesterday, just ok, taste is there but flesh adheres to seed and peels off part of thin outer seed coat on some fruits giving off bad texture and taste. Hear there are better varieties out there that don't have this issue, believe they were shipped in from mexico.

This recent article is hilarious though! https://www.vice.com/en_in/article/3k3x3j/the-alien-fruit-in-netflixs-another-life-is-actually-a-rambutan

-JoeP450
Props department got lazy and just picked up their "alien" fruit at their local asian grocery store?
Rambutans, like lychees, loose quality pretty fast when they are refrigerated. There are ones that don't have pulp clinging to the seed, but most have the problem of some of exterior of skin (the testa) clinging to the pulp. This is a very thin layer that is tasteless, and most people don't find it objectionable.

brian

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Re: Fruits at winn-dixie and Hilarious Article on Rambutan
« Reply #3 on: August 02, 2019, 09:40:46 PM »
Ive always preferred rambutan to lychee but once I got a really fresh batch of lychees that were amazing it hs changed my mind.  I think most of the lychees I was getting were a bit old

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Re: Fruits at winn-dixie and Hilarious Article on Rambutan
« Reply #4 on: August 02, 2019, 10:24:30 PM »
Ive always preferred rambutan to lychee but once I got a really fresh batch of lychees that were amazing it hs changed my mind.  I think most of the lychees I was getting were a bit old
I never really undestood why people on the mainland put down lychees, until i went to California and tasted some in the stores there. They were really terrible! No comparison to fresh fruits. Rambutans also deteriorate in quality very fast. The fruit that keeps by far the longest refrigerated is longan. They are really amazing and can keep for many weeks in the fridge and still be good.
Oscar

Rex Begonias

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Re: Fruits at winn-dixie and Hilarious Article on Rambutan
« Reply #5 on: August 02, 2019, 10:47:49 PM »
Ive always preferred rambutan to lychee but once I got a really fresh batch of lychees that were amazing it hs changed my mind.  I think most of the lychees I was getting were a bit old
I never really undestood why people on the mainland put down lychees, until i went to California and tasted some in the stores there. They were really terrible! No comparison to fresh fruits. Rambutans also deteriorate in quality very fast. The fruit that keeps by far the longest refrigerated is longan. They are really amazing and can keep for many weeks in the fridge and still be good.

I believe it, just ate a couple that I had left sitting in paper bag on counter for a about 3 weeks, most were still fine, though a few had gone bad.

I gotta try some different varieties of longan though, didn’t particularly love these ones, had a lingering taste that sometimes reminded me of vomit, sometimes made me think picked too green, I’m not familiar enough with longans to be sure.

fruitlovers

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Re: Fruits at winn-dixie and Hilarious Article on Rambutan
« Reply #6 on: August 02, 2019, 11:56:28 PM »
Ive always preferred rambutan to lychee but once I got a really fresh batch of lychees that were amazing it hs changed my mind.  I think most of the lychees I was getting were a bit old
I never really undestood why people on the mainland put down lychees, until i went to California and tasted some in the stores there. They were really terrible! No comparison to fresh fruits. Rambutans also deteriorate in quality very fast. The fruit that keeps by far the longest refrigerated is longan. They are really amazing and can keep for many weeks in the fridge and still be good.

I believe it, just ate a couple that I had left sitting in paper bag on counter for a about 3 weeks, most were still fine, though a few had gone bad.

I gotta try some different varieties of longan though, didn’t particularly love these ones, had a lingering taste that sometimes reminded me of vomit, sometimes made me think picked too green, I’m not familiar enough with longans to be sure.
Yup, sounds like you got bad longans. Nothing vomit like in their taste. But any fruit can taste quite bad when it is spoiled or on the verge of becoming spoiled.
Oscar

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Re: Fruits at winn-dixie and Hilarious Article on Rambutan
« Reply #7 on: August 03, 2019, 11:18:42 PM »
Another problem is that the cultivar is often unknown once you're outside of a place like Pine Island where they know what they're growing.  The stuff you pick up in the store (be it the local Asian store or some hipster market) could be any variety.  Just like mangos or anything else- some are good and some are not.

I used to get great rambutan and lychee by people selling beside the road on Kauai.  Have had plenty of good (and bad) fresh lychee here in FL but never a really good rambutan.  Locally grown longan are hit or miss as well in my experience.

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Re: Fruits at winn-dixie and Hilarious Article on Rambutan
« Reply #8 on: August 04, 2019, 12:30:51 AM »
Got some incredible fresh lychees one time in a farmers market in Guadalajara.  They were so heavenly I bought two pounds. Which was dumb, because we were getting on a plane for the states later that day.

My husband has a photo of me, sitting in the Guadalajara airport, stuffing myself with them.  Still couldn't finish them so I put at least a pound of them in my pockets and walked right onto the plane.  Ate them all the way to Dallas, where they made me throw the last three away when the USDA beagle ratted me out.

Man, what a memory!

Carolyn

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Re: Fruits at winn-dixie and Hilarious Article on Rambutan
« Reply #9 on: August 04, 2019, 01:44:30 AM »
Another problem is that the cultivar is often unknown once you're outside of a place like Pine Island where they know what they're growing.  The stuff you pick up in the store (be it the local Asian store or some hipster market) could be any variety.  Just like mangos or anything else- some are good and some are not.

I used to get great rambutan and lychee by people selling beside the road on Kauai.  Have had plenty of good (and bad) fresh lychee here in FL but never a really good rambutan.  Locally grown longan are hit or miss as well in my experience.
No rambutans grown in Florida, so all the ones you've had are imports, probably from Mexico or Guatemala, meaning many days of refrigeration in transit.
Oscar

irun5k

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Re: Fruits at winn-dixie and Hilarious Article on Rambutan
« Reply #10 on: August 04, 2019, 08:37:42 AM »
Quote
No rambutans grown in Florida, so all the ones you've had are imports, probably from Mexico or Guatemala, meaning many days of refrigeration in transit.

That is the usual case, yes- and it is obvious because rambutan degrade aesthetically so quickly.  I can't imagine you'd ever find one that has been shipped that looks like it was just picked.  A rambutan just off the tree is a thing of beauty.

With that said, I picked up a few a few years back at the Saturday Morning Market here in St. Pete.  I was taken aback because they looked like they were just picked.  I asked the seller where they were grown and she said "locally!" (most of the stuff they sell is local produce.)   Still seems unlikely to me but I'm not sure the girl would have lied and I don't know how they could have looked so good unless they were sourced locally.... perhaps a rouge tree or two, who knows.

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Re: Fruits at winn-dixie and Hilarious Article on Rambutan
« Reply #11 on: August 04, 2019, 06:49:05 PM »
Quote
No rambutans grown in Florida, so all the ones you've had are imports, probably from Mexico or Guatemala, meaning many days of refrigeration in transit.

That is the usual case, yes- and it is obvious because rambutan degrade aesthetically so quickly.  I can't imagine you'd ever find one that has been shipped that looks like it was just picked.  A rambutan just off the tree is a thing of beauty.

With that said, I picked up a few a few years back at the Saturday Morning Market here in St. Pete.  I was taken aback because they looked like they were just picked.  I asked the seller where they were grown and she said "locally!" (most of the stuff they sell is local produce.)   Still seems unlikely to me but I'm not sure the girl would have lied and I don't know how they could have looked so good unless they were sourced locally.... perhaps a rouge tree or two, who knows.
In Thailand a technique has been developed for keeping the exterior of the rambutan fruit, especially the "hairs" from drying out and turning brown. It is a dip in a sort of waxy material.
Oscar

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Re: Fruits at winn-dixie and Hilarious Article on Rambutan
« Reply #12 on: August 05, 2019, 06:58:01 PM »
Ive always preferred rambutan to lychee but once I got a really fresh batch of lychees that were amazing it hs changed my mind.  I think most of the lychees I was getting were a bit old
I never really undestood why people on the mainland put down lychees, until i went to California and tasted some in the stores there. They were really terrible! No comparison to fresh fruits. Rambutans also deteriorate in quality very fast. The fruit that keeps by far the longest refrigerated is longan. They are really amazing and can keep for many weeks in the fridge and still be good.

I believe it, just ate a couple that I had left sitting in paper bag on counter for a about 3 weeks, most were still fine, though a few had gone bad.

I gotta try some different varieties of longan though, didn’t particularly love these ones, had a lingering taste that sometimes reminded me of vomit, sometimes made me think picked too green, I’m not familiar enough with longans to be sure.

Bought again from same grower (was sure to try first) and they were pretty great.  He wasn’t particularly sure what variety they were as he has a ton of trees, but figured Kohala because that’s what most were.  I believe these were the same type as before and I’m guessing just a matter of ripeness/when it was picked.  He also mentioned they have been somewhat inconsistent from tree to tree for him even with same grafted variety, I guess maybe just based on growing conditions.

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Re: Fruits at winn-dixie and Hilarious Article on Rambutan
« Reply #13 on: August 05, 2019, 10:42:35 PM »
Ive always preferred rambutan to lychee but once I got a really fresh batch of lychees that were amazing it hs changed my mind.  I think most of the lychees I was getting were a bit old
I never really undestood why people on the mainland put down lychees, until i went to California and tasted some in the stores there. They were really terrible! No comparison to fresh fruits. Rambutans also deteriorate in quality very fast. The fruit that keeps by far the longest refrigerated is longan. They are really amazing and can keep for many weeks in the fridge and still be good.

I believe it, just ate a couple that I had left sitting in paper bag on counter for a about 3 weeks, most were still fine, though a few had gone bad.

I gotta try some different varieties of longan though, didn’t particularly love these ones, had a lingering taste that sometimes reminded me of vomit, sometimes made me think picked too green, I’m not familiar enough with longans to be sure.

Bought again from same grower (was sure to try first) and they were pretty great.  He wasn’t particularly sure what variety they were as he has a ton of trees, but figured Kohala because that’s what most were.  I believe these were the same type as before and I’m guessing just a matter of ripeness/when it was picked.  He also mentioned they have been somewhat inconsistent from tree to tree for him even with same grafted variety, I guess maybe just based on growing conditions.
Longans will hang on the trees for a long time, but if picked too late, especially Kohala, they get very bland and watery. It's hard to pick them too green because they will not color up brown color until ripe.
Oscar

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Re: Fruits at winn-dixie and Hilarious Article on Rambutan
« Reply #14 on: August 06, 2019, 08:44:17 AM »
Ive always preferred rambutan to lychee but once I got a really fresh batch of lychees that were amazing it hs changed my mind.  I think most of the lychees I was getting were a bit old
I never really undestood why people on the mainland put down lychees, until i went to California and tasted some in the stores there. They were really terrible! No comparison to fresh fruits. Rambutans also deteriorate in quality very fast. The fruit that keeps by far the longest refrigerated is longan. They are really amazing and can keep for many weeks in the fridge and still be good.

I believe it, just ate a couple that I had left sitting in paper bag on counter for a about 3 weeks, most were still fine, though a few had gone bad.

I gotta try some different varieties of longan though, didn’t particularly love these ones, had a lingering taste that sometimes reminded me of vomit, sometimes made me think picked too green, I’m not familiar enough with longans to be sure.

Bought again from same grower (was sure to try first) and they were pretty great.  He wasn’t particularly sure what variety they were as he has a ton of trees, but figured Kohala because that’s what most were.  I believe these were the same type as before and I’m guessing just a matter of ripeness/when it was picked.  He also mentioned they have been somewhat inconsistent from tree to tree for him even with same grafted variety, I guess maybe just based on growing conditions.
Longans will hang on the trees for a long time, but if picked too late, especially Kohala, they get very bland and watery. It's hard to pick them too green because they will not color up brown color until ripe.

Oh, no kidding.  Makes sense, as he had one box full of ones that basically tasted like water, guess those ones were too late.  I want to say I think they were a darker brown also, if that's any indicator?  Not sure what the issue with the funky ones I got this past month was then...

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Re: Fruits at winn-dixie and Hilarious Article on Rambutan
« Reply #15 on: August 06, 2019, 03:26:12 PM »
Yeah, usually rambutan here in the states aren't very good.
However, I got some pretty good ones at our Wal-Mart, of all places.

Lychees here (from international/asian markets) usually are pretty bad. Longans not so great either. I describe them sort of having a cough syrup flavor here.

Pulasan, rambutan, and longan right off the tree of course are out of this world in comparison to these store bought fruits.

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Re: Fruits at winn-dixie and Hilarious Article on Rambutan
« Reply #16 on: August 06, 2019, 04:39:41 PM »
We have same problem here with imported peaches, nectarines, apricots, plums. Very high priced and usually very low quality. They are picked rock hard and then refrigerated for long periods of time, so it's no wonder.
Oscar

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Re: Fruits at winn-dixie and Hilarious Article on Rambutan
« Reply #17 on: August 06, 2019, 04:52:07 PM »
Rambutan found here in our Asian markets are usually pretty fresh and good.  Unfortunately, the ones found in our local grocery stores are normally black or nearly black to the point where you can barely see it was once red.  No one is going to pick up a package of black fruit to try for the first time.  Sad.

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Re: Fruits at winn-dixie and Hilarious Article on Rambutan
« Reply #18 on: August 14, 2019, 11:26:51 PM »
I am not a big fan of Walmart and avoid shopping there whenever I can. However, credit where credit is due, they carry rambutans which are generally a nice red color and taste (in my opinion) great. They are just about the only thing I ever buy from Walmart. I am sure that these rambutans are not as good as ones fresh off the tree, since these have traveled all the way from Guatemala, but it is not like I have another option. I like lychees a little better than rambutans, but it is close, partly due to how the flesh adheres to rambutan seeds, which I find inconvenient.

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Re: Fruits at winn-dixie and Hilarious Article on Rambutan
« Reply #19 on: August 16, 2019, 01:31:05 PM »
They could have at least spray painted the fruit, or added pink colored cotton around it or something, to make it look more "alien" .
William
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Re: Fruits at winn-dixie and Hilarious Article on Rambutan
« Reply #20 on: August 16, 2019, 05:16:20 PM »
They could have at least spray painted the fruit, or added pink colored cotton around it or something, to make it look more "alien" .
Very low budget movie?  ;)
Oscar