Tasty Island Food

The Chontaduro or Peach Palm comes from the Palm Tree family and is very popular throughout Colombia, especially in the city of Cali.

This fruit looks like really small coconuts, but the Chontaduro has a red and or bright burnt orange color.

Countries such as Colombia, Brasil, Peru and Costa Rica are the largest producers of the Chontaduro. Additionally, the Chontaduro is eaten here in Colombia as an Aphrodisiac and is very popular among the men.

However, research shows that in some of the other countries it is mainly used to feed animals and fish.

Treasures of Colombia: Chontaduro (Colombian Street Food).

BY: STACEY -ANN SMITH

This fruit can be found on almost every street corner especially in the Centre (Downtown). I couldn’t resist the urge to stop and buy a cup filled with this brightly colored fruit that looks like a very ripe mango when peeled and cut up into bite sizes.

The vendor also made juice from this fruit…I just had to have a taste!

So, I stopped and bought the brightly colored fruit that was signaling me from across the street and in my opinion, it has the taste of a really dry pumpkin.

It was definitely not my favorite!

Others say that it tastes like a very dry sweet potato.

After buying the fruit the vendor then spread honey and a pinch of salt on it to enhance and elevate the taste, however, in my opinion, did not make a difference. In other countries, it is also eaten with mayonnaise or cheese dip.

I also bought the juice which, apart from being a bit acidic didn’t have any real flavor.

The process is quite simple, after picking the fruit; it is boiled in salt water for about three (3) to (5) hours overnight and peeled then the seed is removed.

As I mentioned before, salt and honey are added to bite-sized pieces then sold economically. I paid two thousand pesos (2000 COP) which is equal to eighty Jamaican Dollars (80 JMD).

So, if you are ever in South or Central America and you are in an urgent need of an Aphrodisiac or something to boost your energy, go in search of this brightly colored fruit!

Chontaduro (Spanish) – Peach palm (English)

 

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About the writer: Stacey Ann Smith is from Kingston, Jamaica.  She is an alumna of Camperdown High School and she graduated from The Shortwood Teachers’ College having earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Modern Languages, Spanish and French. Presently, Stacey is an English teacher at a University in Colombia.  She describes herself as a vivacious and loving person who also has a passion for traveling, taking pictures, her son Nicholas and Ashley, her adorable feline.

Copyright © 2019, Denise N. Fyffe, The Island Journal.