Year-long South America fruit chasing adventure

[universalhandle]

Hello,

I like to collect fruit (in my belly). Living in Washington, DC, I don't get too many opportunities to feast on unusual tropical fruit (though I've got a few fruiting pawpaws in my backyard).

I'm taking a yearlong sabbatical and have decided to spend all of it in South America. I was hoping to benefit from the wisdom of this forum to inform my itinerary. What are your favorite hard-to-find/not-available-in-US-grocery-store fruits that I shouldn't miss, and when and where should I be to get them? I have done a little bit of research and already have my eye on cherimoya, curuba, tamarillo, and feijoa, but I'm not really sure when these or others will be available in markets. Tips like, "If you're in Ecuador during the month of X, you're bound to find Y number of unusual fruits" are also welcomed.

Thanks for any and all pointers!

[Daintree]

What a great adventure!
I never travel for such a long period of time - have a big greenhouse to take care of.
But what I have found is that a great place to find interesting fruits are street vendors. I have tasted some awesome fruits! Many of them are only known to vendors by local names, so I like to get them to write down the names so I can look them up later. Then I take photos of the fruits and take notes on the flavor, texture etc.
Also check out specialized "fruit tours".

Carolyn

[ChiliChameleon]

I just got back from Ecuador. Right now they have a few cherimoya, but the main season is over. From what I heard main season for cherimoya in Ecuador is around June. That being said I was able to find a few cherimoya, tomate de arbol, and soursop. The main problem I encountered was quality of fruit. Hard to get perfectly ripe fruit at local markets. I think you would be better served by trying to team up with local fruit growers and farms and travel when things are in season. There's another TFF member on here - Finca La Isla that may be able to help you if you're going to Costa Rica.

[Finca La Isla]

In My part of Costa Rica we are in a good fruit phase right now through October. The next season would be around April or so.
Peter

[elouicious]

Peru is a great place to visit for many reasons but its almost year round fruit season is one of the biggest attractors for me, The combination of latitude and elevations allows for very climate controlled areas and they can, for example, produce cherimoya year round

[ben mango]

Had mangosteens in Medellin, Colombia not last February but the February before that.

[ChiliChameleon]

@Peter - Finca La Isla

Can you give a breakdown of what fruit is available in Costa Rica and during which months? I think we spoke before about durian, how has your durian production been?

Cheers!

Jason

[booeyschewy]

Brazil is king and Amazonia is the place. Many fruits you list are easily available practically year round in big city supermarkets. In Belem, Para ver o peso market is famous for being a spot to try fruit but the reality is the best fruits are always in peoples yards or the forest. Stuff I like various jabuticabas, cacao and it’s relatives (cupuaçu, cacauí, cupuí etc), bacupari verdadeiro (big one)and the wild garcinias in general, guava of course, rambutan, mangosteen, lychee, biribá, soursop etc. summer is the time here where I’m at. Not sure about Amazonia but we have the same climate and there’s fruit year round. But just do research first, Brazil requires caution when traveling.

[Finca La Isla]

Costa Rica  looks small on a map but has quite a variety of climate zones from lowland up to more than 8000’.
At our farm we are starting durian right now and there will be two peaks in September and October. There’s a lot of fruits that go along with that like champedek, Marang, garcinias like cherapu and Brunei cherry. There’s plenty of native fruits as well.
To know for sure about next April or so it would take checking back by December so we know what the corresponding flowering season has been like.
There are many places to look for fruits here. The Thursday farmers market in San Isidro, General has rare fruits from all over CR and there are many colder weather fruits there like Cherimoya, tree tomato, etc. I frequently find fruits there that I’ve never seen before and I have a collection of more than 200 kinds and have been exposed to many more.
Costa Rica has a very good farmers market system all over the country. The Tico is a good fruit customer so fruit stands and markets are well supported.
Peter