pink dragon fruit (pataya)

Yesterday I was browsing the produce the dept. of the supermarket and saw this this amazing looking item that looked like flames from a "rock-a-billy" event. The sign said it was a "Dragon Fruit". How come I never heard of such a fruit? So I turned to ask the produce manager what it was, where it came from and what it taste like. 

The manager said the "dragon fruit" comes from Hawaii Island. It is a seasonal fruit that grows only 3 months out of the year. This particular "dragon fruit" is pink on the inside and looks and taste like kiwi. The manager said he would be right back with a sample to taste. So off he went and quickly returned with a freshly cut slice. So while he went to the back, I checked the fruit itself. The fruit was somewhat firm, but not hard on the outside. I thought it would have the hardness of a melon or artichoke with prickly tips. It wasn't the case. I could feel it had a softness to it. The sizes varied, which you could grab with the palm of your hand. It weighed about a pound. 

The manager comes back with a slice of the fruit so I can have a taste. The layer closest to the skin is a beautiful dark red color and the flesh itself looks like a fuschia kiwi fruit with tiny black seeds. It didn't have a taste at all, even though it's suppose to have a taste similar to that of a kiwi.

So with the nudging of my "hubby" to buy it and try, I did. Not the most cost effective, as it was $6.99 a pound. So in all it cost a little over $7. What the heck, you only live twice! So I went home and did my own taste test and a little bit of research.

The fruit was very easy to slice and the fruit comes away from the inner skin without any trouble. The taste of the fruit is really nothing that special. I thought it would have a unique flavor for such a beautiful fruit. It didn't taste like kiwi or any other fruit I could think of. It certainly is an aesthetically pleasing fruit, if you have the budget. 

The pataya is known to be grown in the regions of Southeast Asia, the Philippines, Mexico, South America, Australia, S. China and even Okinawa. It is the fruit of several species of cactus and can also been seen with a yellow exterior with white flesh on the inside. The red-skinned dragon fruit is a good source of vitamin C, rich in minerals, antioxidants, lowers cholesterol and blood suger. However, the down side is that it does have laxative properties which may upset the stomach.

I would love buy a couple hundred of these pink dragon fruits and build myself a Christmas tree. Nothing like having a a cool rockin' flaming tree for the holidays!