Black Sapote

Look around at the trees in Lo de Marcos and you might find some interesting fruit.

Diospyros nigra, the black sapote, is a species of persimmon. Common names include chocolate pudding fruit, black soapapple and zapote prieto. The tropical fruit tree is native to Mexico, Central America, and Colombia. The common name sapote refers to any soft, edible fruit. Wikipedia

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Anono / Sweetsop

Anono is found in Lo de Marcos on trees and at local fruit stands. It is a sweet fruit that I think you will enjoy.

The sugar-apple, or sweetsop, is the fruit of Annona squamosa, the most widely grown species of Annona and a native of the tropical Americas and West Indies. The Spanish traders of Manila galleons brought it to Asia, where its old Mexican name ate may still be found in Malayalam and Odia Aata, Bengali aataa, Nepalese aati, Sinhalese mati anoda, Burmese awzar thee, Indonesia “ Srikaya”’ and atis in the Philippines. It is also known as Seetaphal in India and Shareefa Pakistan and in the Philippines and in Australia.[1] The name is also used in Portuguese as ata.

The fruit is spherical-conical, 5–10 cm (2.0–3.9 in) in diameter and 6–10 cm (2.4–3.9 in) long, and weighing 100–240 g (3.5–8.5 oz), with a thick rind composed of knobby segments. The color is typically pale green through blue-green, with a deep pink blush in certain varieties, and typically has a bloom. It is unique among Annona fruits in being segmented, and the segments tend to separate when ripe, exposing the interior.

The flesh is fragrant and sweet, creamy white through light yellow, and resembles and tastes like custard. It is found adhering to 13-to-16-millimetre-long (0.51 to 0.63 in) seeds forming individual segments arranged in a single layer around a conical core. It is soft, slightly grainy, and slippery. The hard, shiny seeds may number 20–40 or more per fruit and have a brown to black coat.

Anono estas plantogenro kiu konsistas el proksimume 100 – 150 specioj de plejgrandparte tropikaj arboj kaj arbustoj kun alternaj unuaraj, ledecaj folioj, el kiuj la plejmulto portas manĝeblajn fruktojn.

Thank you Wikipedia.

La fruktoj estas kunmetfruktoj: ili ekestas el multaj reciproke kuniĝintaj fruktetoj, kiuj ekestas el unu karpelo, sed tamen el la sama floro.

Temas pri la dua plej granda genro el la familio de la Anonacoj. La nomo Anono deriviĝis de “annon” (el la taina lingvo).

La sekva listo indikas kelkajn speciojn.

La jaca – Jackfruit

Did you know that the largest fruit in the world is also born in Nayarit? Yes! The Jaca is considered the largest fruit in the world and we have the privilege of having it born in Nayarit. It’s delicious pure and in smoothie and what do you think? It has 7 flavors and is a Natural Viagra!

Jaca is originally from Indonesia; in Bangladesh it is considered the national fruit and was brought to Nayarit in 1985. However, it is little known by the Mexican population, neither its nutritional value nor other ways to take advantage of it. Its exotic appearance is given by its yellow, orange or greenish, highly textured rind. The yaca is a sweet fruit of great size and strange appearance that can weigh up to 35 kilos and have a diameter of up to 25 centimeters. Thank you Tropical Tidbits.

Jackfruit is ripe and ready to harvest when the fruit begins to grow soft and a black ring forms around the stem, indicating that it is preparing to fall from the tree. Grab it before the birds do.

To get the sweet fruit out it is best to dawn rubber gloves or covers your hands with oil. The latex which surrounds the interior fruit is very sticky. The fruit itself easily separates from the covering.

Inside each piece of fruit is a large seed. You can boil the seeds, remove the hard cover and pound the remains into a delicious hummus. Enjoy!

Turkey / Pavo

If you are looking for turkey meat at a Lo de Marcos store, ask for Pavo. For chicken, ask for Pollo.

Turkey: a bird domesticated by Mexican hands
The turkey is a bird native to the north of the American continent. However, due to archaeological evidence, its domestication is attributed to the cultures that more than 2000 years ago inhabited central Mexico.

The word “guajolote” comes from Huexolotl Nahuatl and can be translated as “great monstrous bird”. However, the concept of monstrosity did not have the negative burden that we attributed to it. In fact, it refers to what is not ordinary, and therefore functions as evidence of the divine.

This bird is also called a epilator, turkey, pyre, huilo or totol. Due to the lack of archaeological evidence that captures the origin of this bird, it is difficult to pinpoint where it comes from. However, because the oldest records of its domestication have been found in places such as Temamatla and Tlatilco in central Mexico, it is thought that it was domesticated by the ancient Mexicans more than 2000 years ago.

According to our expert Luis F. Cariño, there are two types of Mexican guajolote: the wild (Meleagris gallopavo) and the ocellated (Agriocharis ocellata). The first is found in temperate climate zones from Canada to Oaxaca and Veracruz. The oella, meanwhile, lies further south. It can be found in Campeche, Yucatan, Chiapas, Quintana Roo and Tabasco.Today, turkey remains a fairly important bird for our communities.

For example, in the municipality of Venustiano Carranza, Chiapas, there is a tzotzil custom in which villagers pluck a turkey alive during a ceremony to ask for the bride. On the other hand, in the Mayor’s Office of Milpa Alta, Mexico City, it is believed that there is a very strong link between Nahualism and turkey. In fact, it is thought that, at night, the nahuales take the form of these birds.

The turkey, in pre-Hispanic times, in addition to being domesticated was consumed. This was especially true during the Panquetzalitzli held on the winter solstice. That feast was held in honor of Huitzilopochtli’s victory over the goddess of the moon.

Later, during the Colony, the guajolote – because of its resemblance to the Asian peacock – was called a turkey. This bird was used as a main dish in the Christmas festivities for its ability to feed many people. However, in New Spain, consumption was limited to upper-class people.

El guajolote: un ave domesticada por manos mexicanas

El guajolote es un ave originaria del norte del continente americano. Sin embargo, debido a evidencia arqueológica, se atribuye su domesticación a las culturas que hace más de 2000 años habitaban el centro de México.

La palabra “guajolote” proviene del náhuatl huexólotl y puede traducirse como “gran ave monstruosa”. Sin embargo, el concepto de monstruosidad no tenía la carga negativa que nosotros le atribuimos. De hecho, hace referencia a lo que no es ordinario, y, por lo tanto, funciona como evidencia de lo divino.

Esta ave también recibe los nombres de pípila, pavo, pípilo, huilo o totol. Debido a la falta de evidencia arqueológica que sitúe el origen de esta ave, es difícil precisar de dónde viene. Sin embargo, gracias a que los registros más antiguos de su domesticación se han encontrado en lugares como Temamatla y Tlatilco en el centro de México, se piensa que fue domesticada por los antiguos mexicanos hace más de 2000 años.

De acuerdo con nuestro experto Luis F. Cariño, existen dos tipos de guajolote mexicano: el silvestre (Meleagris gallopavo) y el ocelado (Agriocharis ocellata). El primero se encuentra en las zonas de clima templado desde Canadá hasta Oaxaca y Veracruz. El ocelado, por su parte, se encuentra más hacia el sur. Es posible hallarlo en Campeche, Yucatán, Chiapas, Quintana Roo y Tabasco.

Por ejemplo, en el municipio de Venustiano Carranza, Chiapas, hay una costumbre tzotzil en la cual los pobladores despluman vivo a un guajolote durante una ceremonia para pedir a la novia. Por otra parte, en la Alcaldía de Milpa Alta, Ciudad de México, se cree que hay un vinculo muy fuerte entre el nahualismo y el pavo. De hecho, se piensa que, por las noches, los nahuales toman la forma de estas aves.
El pavo, en la época prehispánica, además de ser domesticado fue consumido. Esto sucedía especialmente durante el Panquetzalitzli que se celebraba en el solsticio de invierno. Esa fiesta se hacía en honor de la victoria de Huitzilopochtli sobre la diosa de la luna.

Tiempo después, durante la Colonia, el guajolote -por su parecido con el pavo real asiático- fue llamado pavo. Esta ave fue utilizada como platillo principal en el festejo de las Navidades por su capacidad para alimentar a muchas personas. Sin embargo, en la Nueva España, el consumo se limitó a la gente de clase alta.

Gracias Tropical Tidbits.

Chilly Peppers

Poblano

Originating in the state of Puebla, the poblano is a large green chili most commonly used for chile rellenos: peppers stuffed with meat and cheese and sometimes served with a spicy tomato-based sauce. The fun (or deadly) thing about poblano chilis is that you never know what you’re going to get. Most tend to be pretty mild, but every now and again you can get some real eye-waterers, so approach with caution! Spice rating: mild to medium.

Ancho

You wouldn’t think it, but the ancho chili is actually a dried poblano pepper. What was once a large, bright green chili, if left to ripen and then dried for several days, shrivels up and turns a dark red-brown (sometimes almost black). The late harvest and drying out process allows the chili to develop a deliciously sweet, fruity flavour. These are perfect for grinding and making into a delicious mole or enchilada salsa. Spice rating: mild to medium.

Habanero

They may be small and cute-looking, but don’t be fooled: habanero chilis can be lethal. Rated 100,000–350,000 on the Scoville scale, these are one of Mexico’s hottest (back in 2009, it was even voted as one of the world’s hottest by Guinness World Records). Whilst most commonly red or orange, they can be white, brown, yellow, green or purple, depending on how early they’re picked. They’re commonly used for fiery-hot salsas and are most popular in the Yucatán peninsula, the largest producer of habanero chilies. Spice rating: super hot.

Serrano

Often mistaken for a jalapeño, the Puebla and Hidalgo-native Serrano pepper is a meaty green chili between three and 10 centimetres (one and four inches) long. They can vary hugely in spice levels depending on how they’re cooked and how early they’re picked (some are even yellow, red, brown or orange if left to over-ripen), but they’re largely considered to have a comfortable medium kick. You’ll find serrano chilies used for flavouring salsas, or served pickled as a garnish. Spice rating: medium to hot.

Pasilla

A dried form of the fresh chilaca pepper, pasilla (literally meaning ‘little raisin’) got its name from the dark and wrinkled skin that forms after dehydration. Because of its rich, sweet flavour, it’s often used as a sauce to accompany meats or fish. The Oaxacan pasilla, a slightly smoked version, is delicious and forms the base of Mexico’s famous mole, a sweet-spicy sauce made from fruit, chocolate, nuts and spices. Spice rating: mild.

Jalapeño

Accounting for around 30% of Mexico’s chili production, the jalapeño is an undisputed favourite in the country and beyond. This is probably due to its versatility: jalapeños can be pickled, stuffed, fried, smoked and even jellied. You’ll most commonly see them either pickled and diced over nachos, or served whole and lightly charred on the grill as a tasty street taco side. Spice rating: medium.

Guajillo

The guajillo, a dry, 10- to 15-centimetre (four- to six-inch) chilli with a deep red colour, is considered to be pretty mild by Mexican spice standards, and is mainly used for making rich, sweet sauces or meat marinades. The dried chilies are deseeded, soaked in water and then blended together to make a thin paste ready for cooking. The most popular use of the guajillo pepper is in sauces served with tamales, mole and pambazos. Spice rating: medium.

Chipotle

You’re most likely familiar with this name: it is one of the most famous sauces to have come out of Mexico. The name, of course, comes from the vital ingredient that gives the sauce its smoky, medium-spice flavour: the chipotle chili. Not many people know this, but chipotle is actually just a smoked, dried version of the jalapeño. It’s picked at the very end of the ripening process and then placed in a wood-fire box for several days, turning the fresh, green jalapeño into a dark red, shrivelled chipotle chili. Spice rating: hot.

Chiles de Arbol

Probably the most attractive-looking chili in Mexico, chiles de arbol, with their long, bright-red bodies and even brighter green stems, have captured the imagination of Mexicans for centuries. Because of their beauty (and because they don’t lose their colour once dried), they’re often used as wreath decorations or as a colourful dish garnish. But they’re not just a pretty face: with a heat index of up to 30,000 Scoville units, these potent chilies pack a huge punch. Most similar to cayenne pepper in spice, flavour and aroma, chiles de arbol are popular for adding some fiery heat to salsas. Spice rating: hot.

Thank you Tropical Tidbits.

Passion fruit / Maracuyá

Passiflora edulis is a vine species of passion flower that is native to southern Brazil through Paraguay and northern Argentina. It is cultivated commercially in tropical and subtropical areas for its sweet, seedy fruit, commonly called passion fruit. The fruit is a pepo, a type of berry, round to oval, either yellow or dark purple at maturity, with a soft to firm, juicy interior filled with numerous seeds. The fruit is both eaten or juiced, the juice often added to other fruit juices to enhance aroma.

Raw passion fruit is 73% water, 22% carbohydrates, 2% protein and 0.7% fat (table). In a 100 gram amount, fresh passion fruit contains 36% of the Daily Value (DV) of vitamin C, 42% dietary fiberB vitaminsriboflavin (11% DV) and niacin (10% DV), 12% iron and 10% phosphorus (right table).[9] No other micronutrients are in significant content.

Passion fruit is grown in Lo de Marcos and most often avaiable as a juice.