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Biggles

Mar 17, 2004, 12:26 PM

Post #1 of 7 (1412 views)

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What are these two fruits?

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I'm reading an article about natural foods in Mexico and saw a picture of a guy selling all sorts of aguas frescas. Most of the fruit I knew, but what is "changunga"and "zapote"? I asked one of the ladies (mexican) that works with me (and her English is excellent) but she'd never heard of the first and the second she had trouble describing. Can anyone tell me what these are?

¡Gracias!

Cheri

esperanza

Mar 17, 2004, 12:40 PM

Post #2 of 7 (1403 views)

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Re: [Biggles] What are these two fruits?

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A changunga is a small round yellow fruit about the size a dime would be if it were spherical. The taste is...well, it's an acquired taste that I haven't acquired. I've only eaten the fruit in Uruapan and Pátzcuaro, Michoacán, but it's common everywhere in the southern parts of Mexico.

The green-skin zapote is known in English as the custard apple. There are a lot of different kinds, including black ones. Zapotes are delicious. The fruit is the flavor of banana, strawberry, peach--all mixed up together. I wish I had one!

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Biggles

Mar 17, 2004, 12:45 PM

Post #3 of 7 (1401 views)

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Re: [esperanza] What are these two fruits?

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Many thanks--this was driving me nuts! Now I can tell Jenny (Yenuen) what we were talking about. :)

Cheri

Esteban

Mar 18, 2004, 8:29 AM

Post #4 of 7 (1376 views)

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Re: [Biggles] What are these two fruits?

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The only comment I have is about the small yellow fruit. Here in Mazatlan, they sell "Nanchis". They are also little yellow and about the size of a dime and look a little like a small plum. And like Esperanza said about changungas, with Nanchis, you definitely have to acquire a taste for them. To me, they taste a little like, and I know you'll find this weird, cheese. I don't like the smell either. They are in season now and many street carts have them.

esperanza

Mar 18, 2004, 12:56 PM

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Re: [Esteban] What are these two fruits?

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Nanches and changungas are exactly the same fruit.

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sfmacaws

Mar 18, 2004, 7:10 PM

Post #6 of 7 (1349 views)

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Re: [esperanza] What are these two fruits?

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Ewwww! I know nanches. One year we were driving around Chiapas for a couple weeks and we saw these fruits everywhere. They must have been in season. Every market had big displays of them and they were being sold from carts in the plaza, it just looked like everyone was enjoying them. So, we were stopped at the market in a small town and I bought some. They look delicious, sort of like faded cherries. I popped one in my mouth and almost threw up out the window. To me, they taste like boiled egg. Perhaps boiled egg that is a little old. When we got to the next town, there were kids begging at the tope so I gave them the nanches, they seemed quite pleased.

Jonna - Mérida, Yucatán

Biggles

Mar 19, 2004, 6:07 PM

Post #7 of 7 (1399 views)

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Re: [Esteban] What are these two fruits?

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LOL, Esteban! Definitely one fruit that I'll take a pass on!

Cheri