Fruits of the Dominican Republic, their names and tips for choosing
When visiting an exotic country, it is very important to take into account its climate, cultural traditions, as well as the cuisine and types of edible fruits that grow in this area. The Dominican Republic is famous for its variety of traditional and exotic crops and fruits, so it is important to have the most complete understanding of most of them.
local fruits
This hot country is known for its fruit variety. Among the available range of fruit crops growing in the Dominican Republic, you can find pineapples or bananas already familiar to everyone, as well as quite rare and amazing specimens for a European.
Such a rich selection of tropical fruits is due to the unique climate that favors the growth of various crops, in addition, the area is very fertile soil. All of the above factors allow the indigenous population and numerous tourists to enjoy delicious fruits throughout the year, so there is something to try for the guests of this country at any time.
Among the large number of fruits, it is worth highlighting the most popular.
Bananas
Such fruits are presented in the markets and in supermarkets in the largest volume, since the banana is the cheapest and most popular fruit. But along with yellow fruits familiar to Russians, Dominican fruits are also represented by other types of culture, so guests can try red and green specimens.The latter cannot be eaten raw, but they are quite successfully used as an ingredient in traditional first courses and side dishes. Often, plane trees are fried and fruit puree is prepared from them with the addition of onions. You can always buy bananas.
pineapples
These fruits are also all-season, so the tourist will have time to try the Dominican pineapple at any time. They are famous for their incredible sweetness and juiciness, so the pulp of the fruit practically melts in your mouth. In addition to high taste, the popularity of pineapples provides their unique chemical composition, which is enriched with a large number of vitamins. Similar features of the fruit are actively used in the complex treatment of various diseases, in addition, they are recommended as a component of weight loss diets.
Papaya
This fruit has several names in the Dominican Republic. Some residents call it in the Spanish manner - "lechosa", which can be translated as "milk". This name was not given to the fruit by chance, but due to the fact that there is white juice inside the fruit, which has a visual resemblance to a dairy product. The fruit is considered very useful because it contributes to the natural cleansing of the body, the removal of harmful compounds and the normalization of digestive function. In addition, meat is often marinated in papaya for subsequent cooking.
Mango
This fruit is represented in the republic by a wide variety of species, even in comparison with such a popular fruit as a banana. More than four dozen different types of fruit are actively grown in the Dominican Republic. However, it is this fruit that can not always be tasted in the country, since the culture bears fruit from the beginning of spring, from about April, and finishes producing fruit closer to September.It is during this interval that you can enjoy fresh Dominican mango.
The fruit is not devoid of useful properties, so its use is recommended to strengthen the immune system.
Tomarillo
Such tropical fruits have an outward resemblance to tomatoes familiar to our eyes. They can be found in different colors, ranging from the usual red to orange. But there are also fundamental differences - after all, tomatoes are vegetables in our country, and in the Dominican Republic, fruits are classified as fruits, therefore they are used as raw materials for making delicious and fragrant jams. The fruit is also eaten fresh, but its peel is very bitter, so it should not be eaten.
Ceres
You can meet another very interesting culture in the country, which has an external resemblance to the usual cherries and cherries for us. Ceres can be eaten fresh, in addition, drinks and various meat dressings are made from it.
passion fruit
There is another local name for an exotic fruit - "chinola" or granadilla. The fruiting crop is a vine that can grow up to ten meters in length, and the flowers that later become delicious fruits are recognized as some of the most beautiful ever found in the wild.
The fruit itself is not endowed with great attractiveness, but inside the unsightly green-yellow peel contains a very tasty and fragrant pulp, which is rich in vitamins, in addition, the fruits are used to treat asthma. Another reason why the chinola has earned its popularity is that the fruit's properties are thought to act as a natural aphrodisiac.
Avocado
Dominican fruits stand out for their large size and tender flesh.The benefits that the fetus has on the human body are invaluable. First of all, avocado has a rejuvenating effect due to the content of vitamin E, in addition, the inclusion of fruit in the diet helps to normalize blood pressure and strengthen blood vessels. And as a dietary fruit, avocados are recommended due to the absence of sugars and fats in the composition.
coconuts
It's hard to imagine a tropical country where you can't taste coconut milk. The Dominican Republic is no exception. This drink, in addition to taste, is famous for its unique beneficial properties, as well as the ability to quench thirst.
Tamarid
An interesting leguminous fruit of the legume family. Such a plant is both a spice and a fruit crop at the same time. The ripe fruit contains a large number of seeds, initially sour, but during ripening acquires a sweet taste. The use of tamarid has a positive effect on digestion, lowering cholesterol levels in the blood, and the fetus is also recommended for strengthening women's health. Unripe tamarid acts as a component of dressings and sauces, drinks and desserts are prepared from a ripe fruit, it is also dried and frozen.
In addition to the well-known Dominican tropical fruits, in the republic you can find rare fruits that are grown only in this area.
Pitahaya
The fruits of this culture are red, the pulp is considered edible. The culture bears fruit all year round, so there is no need to plan a trip by months to taste an exotic and rare fruit.
Zapote
Large fruit with brownish velvety skin and orange flesh inside. By taste, the fruits resemble a ripe persimmon.Such a tropical fruit can be stored for quite a long time, so it will be a godsend for a tourist who plans to bring an exotic delicacy from a trip as a present.
Guanabana
Such fruit is sometimes referred to as a "cream apple". Guanabana is a large green fruit, the shell of which contains many thorns. The pulp of the culture is very pleasant and sweet. The use of a tropical fruit allows you to quickly quench your thirst, in addition, its chemical composition has a beneficial effect on the human body.
Nispero
Low-calorie exotic fruit containing many vital trace elements and vitamins. High taste qualities determine the popularity of nispero. In addition, it is effective as a component of a weight loss diet. The culture has a seasonal type of fruiting, the peak of which occurs in March.
Guava
The fruits of this culture have outstanding organoleptic properties. The fruit is rich in ascorbic acid. Ripe guava is usually harvested in the spring. The fruit can be eaten fresh or used to make juices, marmalade or even ice cream.
carambola
The name translates as "star fruit". It is due to the similarity of the fetus in shape with a five-pointed star. The fruit has a sweet and sour taste, the fruiting season falls in August.
Morinda
In some cases, the tropical fruit is called "noni". The popularity of the rare fruit is due to its properties to act as a natural antioxidant. As for taste, the culture has a rather specific smell and a bitter taste, so the preparation of medicines based on it is carried out by canning fruit juice.Fruiting occurs all year round.
Is it possible to export?
It is quite a natural desire for most travelers visiting the Dominican Republic to bring some piece of tropical bliss home with them. Therefore, in addition to buying traditional souvenirs, the question arises regarding the purchase of tropical fruits in order to take them out of the country.
In this situation, you can safely buy your favorite or the most exotic tropical fruit before leaving, since the customs service of the republic does not impose any restrictions on the export of crops. This also applies to the laws of the Russian Federation regarding the importation of fruits into the country.
But, despite the favorable trend on the part of the authorities of both countries, there are a number of natural difficulties in this matter that any tourist and traveler is guaranteed to face. This applies to the length of the return journey from the country, during which not every fruit is able to maintain its original freshness.
In order for the implementation of the plan to be successful, it is worth taking care of the proper packaging of delicious presents. For example, hard exotic fruits can be carefully wrapped and folded into the main luggage, but more tender and softer crops should be taken home as hand luggage. This applies to tamarid, passion fruit and bananas.
To help tourists at airports or supermarkets in the country, you can purchase special containers and plastic bags that are designed specifically for transporting fruits, so you can return home even in November with delicious and tropical fruits that will remind you of the hot Dominican Republic.
Selection Tips
For tourists who travel to this country for the first time, there are a lot of recommendations and life hacks that will help you see the most interesting places during your visit to the tropics, as well as try local fruits. But the main thing is to choose them correctly in markets or supermarkets, since the language barrier and the desire of local residents to get the most out of unenlightened tourists and travelers can turn into trouble.
When choosing carambola on the shelves, it is worth considering that the ripened fruit should not be green, but yellow. By purchasing an unripe fruit, there is a risk of being disappointed in the taste of the fruit or harming health. Such a delicacy has a long shelf life in a refrigerator, so carambola can be purchased as a present for relatives and friends.
Pitahaya will be quite problematic to find in local supermarkets, so you should go to the markets in search of an exotic fruit. But when choosing it, you should know that the fruit is presented in the Dominican Republic in two forms - with white or pink pulp, this can correctly select the copy you like.
Since passion fruit is a seasonal fruit, closer to autumn, prices for fruits will rise significantly, in addition, the assortment and choice of fresh passion fruit on the shelves will be significantly reduced.
When buying papaya, you should pay attention to the color of the peel - ripe fruit should be necessarily bright orange. At the most affordable cost, the fruits are sold in spring and closer to summer.
As for the choice of pineapples, preference should be given to the smallest Dominican fruits. Their taste qualities will be the highest, in addition, the fruit perfectly tolerates transportation, so you can buy it green.
For information on what fruits to bring from the Dominican Republic, see the following video.