August 24, 2010
More mysteries! These are Dragon Fruit, which retail at Publix for $3.99 each. I am sure my friends at Food 52 and Crimes Against Food would have all sorts of recipe ideas at their fingertips (or at least in their extensive data bases), but to an ordinary cook like me they look much too exotic and off-putting. The skin of the dragon fruit is a thin rind and the center of the fruit is made up of a red or white, sweet-tasting pulp. Thought to come to South America, it traveled to Viet Nam with the French and now is cultivated in tropical regions all around the world. Apparently it flourishes in high temperatures, so it should be quite happy here. Interestingly, the fragrant flowers of the dragon plant bloom only at night and last only one night.
The dragon fruit is best eaten by cutting the fruit in half and scooping the flesh out. The flavor is supposed to be very refreshing and sweet. They can also be juiced and added to alcohol to make a very delicious drink. An excellent notion.