Mamon...What is that?

"Venture into the unknow with an open mind and dare to explore life's mysterious wonders..."

Have you ever discovered an item, fruit, or have experienced a belwildered moment?

QUENEPAS/MANONCILLOS/MAMONES

The Heck? Right? What am I talking about? It's a fruit, a tropical fruit that grows on trees.  It's rather a comical looking fruit.  If ever you came across such tree you would think twice about trying this fruit, because you may not know what it is.

Oh, this brings back such memories, the many times as a kid I choked with the seeds.  The many times my mother stuck her finger in everyone's throat to pull out the seed. Forget the hamlock manuever, mom went stright in and pulled it out! hahahaha! (sigh - boy am I greatful we didn't die). 

Mamones as we call them, are these small round fruit: the outer shell is green, once your teeth generate the perfect amount of pressure the shell burts and reveals such an inviting tangy, pulpy, almost bitter but sweet fruit.  Once you place it in your mouth your teeth, tongue and jaw muscles must do the work: suck on the seed until you leave the bare naked seed exposed from it's pulpy layers.

It doesn't matter how you eat it, once you start there is no going back.  They grow only in tropical areas and their season is sometime around August. Although they are not found in this country (USA), if ever you travel abroad, taste some of these or other exotic fruits, you'll open up a whole new world of explorations and adventures!

As kids, we would buy bunches and bunches of these.  Sit out side under the shade of trees and eat away.  Although the the juice of this fruit stained our clothes, we managed to eat away without causing much damage.  It was the perfect fruit for hot days especially if we went to the river.  These and Mangoes were one excellent combination. 

If you are someone who diets a lot or is worried about whether it will be good for you or not, think about it, you eat everything else that isn't good...why not eat a fruit that makes your jaw work, has vitamins (because of the acid...it almost tastes like some kind of citrus acid).  Many parts in Florida sell these, more so in farmer markets.   They almost look like grapes, however, the skin is harder and much bigger.  You have to get creative and allow your brain  and your taste buds to accept this new discovery into you. 

WOW! I am in heaven, thanks to my brother-in-law and his wife, my sister-in-law who brought these straight from Puerto Rico.  These brought me back in time and as I savour their sweetness away, I travel back to those moments of purity, of joy, and of the simple days of living...

One seed after I have eaten it up

The fruit in the inside - the pulp is what you suck on.

"And thus, the mouth experienced an explossion of flavor, confusion, and outmost bewilderment.  Caught in the struggle of distiction and satisfaction..."