Following up on my guavadilla post, here is how to set about exploiting the fruit. A pointy teaspoon is ideal for scooping away from the sides to extract pulp and pips without disturbing the spiky pith (which is still OK to eat, but I prefer not to include it). Then all one has to do is mix in the condensed milk to one’s taste, and you have as delicious a dish as you could wish.
It has also worked well with heating a cup of it mixed with a cup of sugar, and straining off. This gives a syrup which, with water added, gives a surprising number of glasses of a delightfully refreshing drink.
We have, perhaps, some further competition for the fruit apart from the monkeys, who have had some good feeds. I discovered this specimen of a Dot-underwing or Fruit-piercing moth (Eudocima materna) near the vine, and it is possible that guavadillas have become some of the fruit they are dotting underwing and piercing. Wiki shows these moths pictured on marula fruit, so it is entirely likely.
(I stopped this to add one of my photos to the Wiki article, to reflect the presence of the Dot-underwing moth in this part of the world. I also had to amplify the preamble, which made no mention of Africa.)
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I was sitting here thinking, ‘That looks like passion fruit pulp,’ and sure enough, now I see they’re related. We’re only allowed the purple ones here. There used to be a yellow tear-drop shaped variety that we called banana passion fruit, but it’s now regarded as a noxious weed. I had a vine growing in my garden and was told to get rid of it by the Regional Council! Sad. I like the pulp mixed with cream and a little sugar – it makes a nice sauce for fruit salads.
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It can’t be regarded as a noxious weed, because it isn’t at all noxious. Birds and animals love the fruit; humans like that and the flowers as well. Invasive, they mean? I’m all in favour of invaders that feed me with great generosity.
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Yes, I enjoyed the fruit while I had the vine. They do mean invasive – apparently the vines can spread into native bush and choke it. But I wish the Regional Council were half as good at looking after their own tract of land near me as they are at snooping in my garden.
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Never seen this moth. I shall be on the lookout and if it turns up here I shall let you know.
Well done for the capture, Mister N.
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Thanks. I didn’t remember it being in your ever-expanding collection. Perhaps it prefers regions nearer the coast, although it. seems widespread in India.
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Could not survive without condensed milk LordBeariOfBow-presently have some fudge left (surprisingly) made with condensed milk, white chocolate and lemon juice-luscious! Also regularly make biscuits, ice-cream and of course “Railway Coffee” (which uses condensed milk instead of milk and sugar)
Back to “guavadillas”-have never seen them Les, They sound wonderful!
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My father’s classic fudge recipe featured condensed milk, butter and cream. Oh, wow! If you can get hold of a guavadilla plant or slip, grab! They grow remarkably easily, and start yeilding very soon.
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People still using condensed milk?
How strange; I wonder why?
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Bee cause it is sweeter than honey and dee licious. I am a sucker for it with two holes punched in the can!
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Next thing you’ll be telling me, is that you attach a teet to the can, and suck it out! 😦
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Love it!!
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