Quenepas

Normally I wouldn't highlight a singular ingredient, but certain foods are due their five minutes of fame.

Yesterday, my MIL left me a message that my FIL picked up a ton of quenepas from the market. The Mr. could barely contain his excitement when I told him. You might be wondering what quenepas are and to that, all I can say is: YOU ARE MISSING OUT. 

Most likely you've never seen this Caribbean treat before, let alone tasted the sweet flesh while it's in season. Quenepas are a small, green fruit that slightly resemble miniature limes. The skin is crisp, almost brittle, with a thin layer of pulpy flesh surrounding a relatively large pit. They taste tart and sweet all at once. While it is juicy and delicious, you have to put in a lot of work to enjoy each small fruit. For that I'm grateful because it forces me to take my time and savor the flavor rather than mindlessly eat.

I wanted to find a few recipes that would utilize the quenepas in all of their glory but aside from soaking the fruit in rum (YUM!), there was nothing else that came up. I guess I'll just have to enjoy them as is... what a shame.

As you can see, they are about the size of a ping pong ball. Not too small, but definitely not big enough in my book.

When the fruit is ripe, you just bite into the skip and it'll split from the pressure. At this point you can easily remove the skin to enjoy the fruit inside.

If you have a Latin market nearby, I suggest taking a trip and picking up a few to taste for yourself. While you're at it, try something new!

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