Author Topic: I Finally Found A Good Use For Pitangatuba Fruit - What's Yours?  (Read 5398 times)

Kevin Jones

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This year I am picking a bumper crop of Pitangatuba fruits.
But what to do with them?
They are not delicious eaten out of hand.
They smell wonderful.... But they are so sour!!!!!
Since I usually have lemon in my tea I thought I would switch to Pitangatuba instead.
Makes a good substitute.

How are you using Pitangatubas?

Kevin Jones



Coach62

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Re: I Finally Found A Good Use For Pitangatuba Fruit - What's Yours?
« Reply #1 on: June 25, 2018, 09:20:12 PM »
I thought they were supposed to be sweet?  Are you sure they're ripe?

I do know that I've emailed Adam at Flying Fox about 3 times about buying a couple, but he hasn't returned any of my emails.  Is he still in biz?  I was hoping to buy a few things off of him, but not if he won't even return an email.
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Re: I Finally Found A Good Use For Pitangatuba Fruit - What's Yours?
« Reply #2 on: June 26, 2018, 12:34:31 AM »
This year I am picking a bumper crop of Pitangatuba fruits.
But what to do with them?
They are not delicious eaten out of hand.
They smell wonderful.... But they are so sour!!!!!
Since I usually have lemon in my tea I thought I would switch to Pitangatuba instead.
Makes a good substitute.

How are you using Pitangatubas?

Kevin Jones

Compost pile

Kevin Jones

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Re: I Finally Found A Good Use For Pitangatuba Fruit - What's Yours?
« Reply #3 on: June 26, 2018, 12:49:05 AM »
Dead ripe and as sour as a lemon.
Ask around...

Kevin

Kevin Jones

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Re: I Finally Found A Good Use For Pitangatuba Fruit - What's Yours?
« Reply #4 on: June 26, 2018, 12:51:33 AM »
I have 7 plants that are fruiting now for a couple of years.
Got them all from Adam.
Not saying that they aren't any good....
just saying they are sour as can be... like a lemon.

Kevin


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Re: I Finally Found A Good Use For Pitangatuba Fruit - What's Yours?
« Reply #5 on: June 26, 2018, 01:24:02 AM »
All the ones I have heard of or encountered have been pretty sour.

John

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Re: I Finally Found A Good Use For Pitangatuba Fruit - What's Yours?
« Reply #6 on: June 26, 2018, 01:33:47 AM »
I heard they were sour as well. I have two trees and I had a few with the wife and kids and thought they were much better than advertised. Sweet and a touch sour with a noticeable citrusy taste...easilly eaten out of hand. Maybe I just got lucky. I will keep trying them and see. Chris
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Re: I Finally Found A Good Use For Pitangatuba Fruit - What's Yours?
« Reply #7 on: June 26, 2018, 09:05:14 AM »
I thought they were supposed to be sweet?  Are you sure they're ripe?

I do know that I've emailed Adam at Flying Fox about 3 times about buying a couple, but he hasn't returned any of my emails.  Is he still in biz?  I was hoping to buy a few things off of him, but not if he won't even return an email.

I am in the same boat with the email, but (?now?) he seems to do most of his business via eBay (seller: FlyingFoxFruits) and FaceBook via a fruit auctions page. There are Pitangatuba seedlings for sale listed now on eBay.

starch

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Re: I Finally Found A Good Use For Pitangatuba Fruit - What's Yours?
« Reply #8 on: June 26, 2018, 09:11:38 AM »
My Pitangatuba are sour, but most definitely sweet too. Certainly nothing like a lemon. I find they have better flavor when you pick them when they are bright yellow (no green) and ready to fall off on their own. Then bring inside and sit on the counter for a day. They develop an orange-yellow color. They are excellent that way.

Here is my plant and the ripe fruit: http://desertvalleyorchard.blogspot.com/p/pitangatuba.html
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Re: I Finally Found A Good Use For Pitangatuba Fruit - What's Yours?
« Reply #9 on: June 26, 2018, 11:52:16 AM »
have one growing as a seedling from Adam as well.

in its 3rd or 4th year.

Insipid, sour, lots of latex. If left to "orange up" the very core can be very unique tasing - sweet, apricot-y, tangy, but also with lots of latex, very watery, and a kinda gross texture.

Not a fruit i would consider worth the time and will likely pull mine eventually.
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Re: I Finally Found A Good Use For Pitangatuba Fruit - What's Yours?
« Reply #10 on: June 26, 2018, 11:52:21 AM »
They have a passion fruit, peach and mango flavors but it’s overpower by the sour component. I’ve sprinkled it with chilly powder, mix it with w black tea next I’ll try a cocktail because this fruit is definitely too sour to ear out of hand

baccarat0809

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Re: I Finally Found A Good Use For Pitangatuba Fruit - What's Yours?
« Reply #11 on: June 26, 2018, 12:12:08 PM »
How about with Vodka or Tequila?

Fruitdork

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Re: I Finally Found A Good Use For Pitangatuba Fruit - What's Yours?
« Reply #12 on: June 26, 2018, 12:12:58 PM »
Put on papaya like lemon

Kevin Jones

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Re: I Finally Found A Good Use For Pitangatuba Fruit - What's Yours?
« Reply #13 on: June 26, 2018, 12:40:55 PM »
They are very juicy.... sour juice-bags of acid.
I use them in iced tea as a lemon substitute.
In all fairness... there is a nice tropical fruit aroma that contributes to the flavor.

Kevin Jones

sunny

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Re: I Finally Found A Good Use For Pitangatuba Fruit - What's Yours?
« Reply #14 on: June 26, 2018, 12:53:51 PM »
This boy has really nice one..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgZX9T_vmsg

Kevin Jones

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Re: I Finally Found A Good Use For Pitangatuba Fruit - What's Yours?
« Reply #15 on: June 26, 2018, 01:25:37 PM »
That's Adam... the Pitangatuba Godfather!

kj


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Re: I Finally Found A Good Use For Pitangatuba Fruit - What's Yours?
« Reply #16 on: June 26, 2018, 02:18:22 PM »
Sounds like you need some miracle berries (fresh or in tablet form) to enjoy them.
Continuing my journey to disprove those who say "You can't grow that in the desert" since 2013.

Kevin Jones

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Re: I Finally Found A Good Use For Pitangatuba Fruit - What's Yours?
« Reply #17 on: June 26, 2018, 03:09:53 PM »
Would not hurt!

kj


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Re: I Finally Found A Good Use For Pitangatuba Fruit - What's Yours?
« Reply #18 on: June 26, 2018, 03:18:17 PM »
lots of variation in fruit size, shape color and flavor...some definitely taste better than others.  Not what I'd consider a sweet fruit, I compare them to passion fruit, which can be acid to acid-sweet.  Also it's important to realize, timing is everything with this fruit.  The first fruits of the season don't taste as good as mid season, to late season fruits (at least here in FL), and if you get them too early, they are no good, and if you get them too late, they are even worse...so you have to get them at the perfect time, for best flavor...you can even eat several fruits off the same tree and notice slight variations in flavor.  I think they are best for juicing, smoothies, or ice-creams, it appeals to more people that way.
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stuartdaly88

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Re: I Finally Found A Good Use For Pitangatuba Fruit - What's Yours?
« Reply #19 on: June 26, 2018, 03:49:14 PM »
lots of variation in fruit size, shape color and flavor...some definitely taste better than others.  Not what I'd consider a sweet fruit, I compare them to passion fruit, which can be acid to acid-sweet.  Also it's important to realize, timing is everything with this fruit.  The first fruits of the season don't taste as good as mid season, to late season fruits (at least here in FL), and if you get them too early, they are no good, and if you get them too late, they are even worse...so you have to get them at the perfect time, for best flavor...you can even eat several fruits off the same tree and notice slight variations in flavor.  I think they are best for juicing, smoothies, or ice-creams, it appeals to more people that way.

Thanks for the info Adam:)

I still have some plants I grew from seed you gave me a few years ago. Hoping for flowers soon!
Gave a couple to friends around the country. Wonder if these are the only specimens in South Africa?

You must the the father of many of these plants around the whole world by now 8)
Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet.
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TheDom

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Re: I Finally Found A Good Use For Pitangatuba Fruit - What's Yours?
« Reply #20 on: June 26, 2018, 04:17:54 PM »
The ones I'd gotten from Berto a while back have all been strongly sweet and sour at the same time, definitely comparable to a passionfruit, and I tend to just eat them out of hand. They're sweeter with miracle fruit but I like sour fruit to begin with so i prefer them out of hand. When I have more than I want to eat fresh I'll cut them in half and pull the seed then freeze the halves. The frozen halves do well in mixed drinks, like the one below:

I've done vodka and tonic drinks with pitangatuba and enjoyed them. Usually I'll puree a few pitangatuba in with some vodka, then add that mixture to ice and tonic. Do not pour tonic into the pitangatuba puree, because it leaves it with a gnarly looking scum/foam at the top of the drink that's rather off-putting.
Dom

Kevin Jones

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Re: I Finally Found A Good Use For Pitangatuba Fruit - What's Yours?
« Reply #21 on: June 26, 2018, 08:27:53 PM »
Cheers!

kj


OCchris1

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Re: I Finally Found A Good Use For Pitangatuba Fruit - What's Yours?
« Reply #22 on: June 27, 2018, 02:22:15 AM »
My feelings are definitely in line wit that youtube vid. Chris
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Kevin Jones

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Re: I Finally Found A Good Use For Pitangatuba Fruit - What's Yours?
« Reply #23 on: June 27, 2018, 11:33:31 AM »
They also make a nice air freshener.
Set a few 'tubas in a bowl and they really add a tropical fruit fragrance.

kj


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Re: I Finally Found A Good Use For Pitangatuba Fruit - What's Yours?
« Reply #24 on: June 28, 2018, 03:19:27 AM »
miracle berry+pitangatuba=winners.

also, make a good jam.