Summer tropical fruit salad recipe

June 20, 7:46 PMMiami Food and Drink ExaminerRosalie E. Leposky

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Canistel (egg fruit). Coconut Grove Farmers Market,  © 2009 Rosalie
E. Leposky

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I make my summer tropical fruit salad with whatever fruit happens to be available. Availability varies day by day, and relies on sources in addition to the supermarket chain stores, which seldom sell local tropical fruit.

Sustainable, local, and slow-food activists all promote using locally grown foods. Here is an opportunity to do so.

Most raw tropical fruits mix well together, including banana, Canistel (egg fruit), Carambola (star fruit), coconut, mango, mamey sapote, papaya, and passion fruit.

Mamey, because of its strong flavor, is best eaten by itself. Some members of my household have problems digesting papaya, so I keep it separate and mix it in at the end for those who can eat it.

For a larger list of Florida-grown commercial tropical fruit crops, visit the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Web site. Supermarkets may sell some of these fruits, but they may not be locally grown. When you don’t see signs, be sure to ask – and be prepared that the employee you ask may refer you to the produce manager, who also may not know.

Beyond the supermarkets

Beyond the supermarkets, finding tropical fruits in south Florida can be an adventure. Glaser Farms  tries to stock local in-season tropicals. If you don’t see what you want at the weekly Coconut Grove Farmers Market, introduce yourself to Stan Glaser and make your wishes known.

Some tropical fruits are available in season at the original El Palacio de los Jugos, 5721 W. Flagler St., and at Redland Market Village Bargain Town.

Robert is Here has an extensive selection of locally grown tropical fruits, but he’s a long ride from Miami.

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden  sells fruit on weekends at a fruit market  that is part of its tropical research farm, Williams Grove at the Fairchild Farm, 14885 SW 248th St.  Directions . Open Saturday and Sunday from 9 AM to 3:30 PM.  305-258-0464.

Other summer markets may also have some of these seasonal fruits.

Finally, as you drive around in Miami-Dade County, watch for roadside stands.

To learn more about tropical fruits, attend the monthly meetings of the Rare Fruit Council International, Inc.,  at the Miami Science Museum, 3280 S. Miami Ave., Miami FL 33129-2832. 305-646-4200. Council members are good sources for various kinds of fruit.

Summer Tropical Fruit Salad

Ingredients:

• 4 medium (or two large) egg fruit
• 2 bananas
• 2 fruit oranges  (Avoid juice oranges.)
• 4 to 6 passion fruit (Ripe fruit is wrinkled. Buy it perfectly round, then let it sit on a counter until it wrinkles.)
• 1 package of Glaser Farms pre-peeled mango (two to three cups)
• 2 ripe yellow star fruit (Green fruit, often found in supermarkets, is tart and not ripe).
• Dried coconut from Glaser Farms. (Commercial products may be sweetened.

Additional items:

Throw in any conventional fruit you may have around. I have used apples, strawberries, and other fruits that need to be consumed.

Directions:

• Prepare egg fruit. Cut in half, and remove large seeds. With a tablespoon, scrape out the fruit and put it in a large bowl. Toss the skin, or offer it to family members who like it.
• Dice bananas and put in bowl.
• Peel oranges, then cut into small pieces and add to fruit in the bowl.
• Cut star fruit into slices, then pieces, and add to bowl.
• Add mango to fruit in bowl.
• Add dried coconut to taste.
• Mix fruit salad. Serves four. This recipe is easy to increase in size.

Feel free to experiment and add other tropical and conventional fruits. Seasons for these fruits may overlap, but only for a short time. You may not find all of them at once.

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