The Lemon Plum

I have always complained about the lack of a convenient market in Madison, but recently one opened, bringing with it a slew of produce and dry goods.


Peeking out from among the plums and mangoes was this sexy and mysterious fruit that they dubbed the "Lemon Plum." They claim it to be some sort of gourmet plum that Harrod's sells...But I certainly haven't found any information about that...Or the fruit at all, for that matter. Does anyone know the origin of this fruit?


Either way, lemon plums are indeed delicious. Every one that I have experienced so far has lacked the pithy texture that accompanies most grocery store plums. Instead this plum has soft, sweet, and juicy flesh surrounded with a tart skin that pops with the first bite. In other words, these lemon plums are the epitome of what a good plum should be, despite their having been grown in Ecuador.

Delectable nature aside, I rather liked their aesthetic appearance: The shape is delightfully breast-like; pert and inviting, while the bright yellow color with a hint of red blushing ripeness is more than appealing.

Yum.

Durian

It's official. I am addicted to durian.

Prior to trying the fruit I did a lot of research...That is to say, I read the wikipedia article and watched some youtube videos.

Let me tell you that Andrew Zimmern is not only a baby, but he doesn't know a thing about taste.

Initially the durian smells like overripe fruit and onions. Once you get past that and bite into the delicious custardy flesh you realize that the flavor is far more complex than that....And it varies from person to person.

For me durian tastes like a slightly oniony nutty version of a coconut, banana, watermelon, and avocado all combined. In short, it's like nature's icecream

Other people have told me they think it tastes like burnt pizza bites, gyoza, sweet onions, and coconut.

Either way this mysterious fruit is delicious and I would highly recommend it. It's a great dairy substitute and texture booster in things like frosting and smoothies.

Here's a little recipe for a durian banana smoothie:

2 1/2 large bananas
1/4 durian fruit (about 3 seeds worth)
soy milk for texture