Taste of a Naranjilla
I posted earlier about my Naranjilla (Solanum quitoense, aka Lulo). I did get quite a few fruit after treating it with a product to increase fruit set developed largely for tomatoes (Tomato & Blossom Set Spray from Bonide).
Here are a couple photos of the fruit in the fall (if anyone wants to repost these in this thread I've never figured out how to do that...)
http://s333.photobucket.com/albums/m393/mark43210/Solanum/?action=view¤t=naranjilla_oct13.jpg
(I rubbed off some of the "fur" to check the color)
http://s333.photobucket.com/albums/m393/mark43210/Solanum/?action=view¤t=naranjilla_nov09.jpg
I think the smaller fruits tend to have seeds; I suspect these may have developed without the aid of the hormone.
There was a little discussion earlier as to whether Naranjilla fruit is truly as special as it has been rumored to be.
I have to say most of the fruits I tasted were decent but not incredible. However I did try one fruit--fresh off the plant that had changed color a while before--that definitely was something special. I guess I would describe it as a sour taste which seemed to lead to some sort of endorphin release. Or at least that was my perception.
Has anyone else experience such a variability in Naranjilla taste? If so, how do I pick a good one next time? Certainly finding a really good fruit at the perfect time would not be unique to this plant.
The following thread was started by Randy on February 08, 2010 at 9:25 pm PST
Randy, I've tried naranjillas down in Costa Rica, they are not meant to be eaten fresh but are usually processed into smoothies, ice cream or sorbet. They are pretty good in that form but they certainly don't live up to the description found in The book "lost crops of the inca".
You can grow naranjilla the way you grow tomatoes, like an annual because they are pretty fast growing.
The above followup was added by Axel on February 09, 2010 at 7:13 am PST.
I remember reading that one way to eat the fruit is to cut it in half, squeeze, and just let the juice drip directly into the mouth. I gathered that that was how the "purists" ate it. My mom was in Ecuador a couple years ago and apparently they also serve the greenish juice with breakfast (even to her tour group).
I forgot to mention that the plant was from Annie's Annuals. They are in Richmond, 10 miles North of Berkeley. They also carry her plants in some local nurseries. I got a first plant (that died in the freeze of December) of 2008 at Annie's. The pictured one survived this year's freeze in a a sheltered position outside and also originated from Annie's. I bought it at Yamagami's in Cupertino, which sells Annie's plants. Prices are probably about $4.25 at Annie's and about a buck more at a nursery such as Yamagami's.
It can also be propagated from cuttings and I gather it should be restarted from either seeds or cuttings every few years.
Here's the plant at Annie's:
http://www.anniesannuals.com/plants/plant_display.asp?prodid=993
The above followup was added by Randy on February 09, 2010 at 8:54 am PST.
There appear to be two types: one better for juicing and one better for fresh eating. It may be that we only have the juicing type up here.
http://www.bananas.org/f8/pepino-yacon-solanum-artichoke-tobacco-6378.html
The above followup was added by Jason (z17, Palo Alto) on February 09, 2010 at 9:54 am PST.
Hi Jason,
I'm not sure whether the plant that I bought from Annie's is the juicing or the eating kind. The plant has no thorns whatsoever--does anyone know how that correlates? The size is a tricky measure because I think the hormone spray increases the size of the fruit. At least that's what it says on the label for other fruits. I was happy eating the fruit raw, although I certainly wouldn't call it sweet.
The above followup was added by Randy on February 09, 2010 at 9:47 pm PST.
Yeah all mine are basically thornless too.
The above followup was added by Brian on February 10, 2010 at 12:17 am PST.