I gotta give it to mulberries, don’t get enough attention!

The buds of the flower Bauhinia variegata are both cooked amd used for pickles, spectacular stuff.

  • wrath-sedan@kbin.social
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    1 year ago

    Someone else mentioned pawpaws but i just want to emphasize pawpaws are the shit. Plus if you live in the Eastern US especially the Midwest pawpaw season is HERE. You have no excuse not to leave your house this moment and find your nearest pawpaw grove.

    Not convinced? Congrats you have subscribed to pawpaw facts:

    • they are related to the custard apple and were brought this far north in the shit of prehistoric giant sloths
    • they taste like somewhere between a mango and a banana, and so our ancestors in all their wisdom gave them names like Indiana banana, Ohio banana, \ banana
    • they are a CAPITALIST NIGHTMARE as they have terrible shelf life so can really only be eaten fresh or bought from a farmers market
    • foraging for pawpaws is super fun as they grow in groves, have super skinny trunks and branches with large long leaves and surprisingly big fruit. To harvest pawpaws you give the trees a gentle shake and ripe fruit will just fall off. Don’t shake too hard or you might knock down fruit that isn’t ripe! Not cool!
    • to enjoy just shake em down, cut it open and eat the fresh fruit inside (not the skin). Do not eat the big ass seeds leave them where you found em so that out beautiful native pawpaw groves FLOURISH

    All in all pawpaws are 10/10 if you want to feel like a literal Animal Crossing character shaking down trees for sustenance and having a great time eating fresh fruit outdoors

    • theragu40@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      You seem like you know about pawpaws. I’ve always been curious. I’m in southern Wisconsin, are they this far north or do I need to travel somewhere?

      • wrath-sedan@kbin.social
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        1 year ago

        Looking at a map of their range they might be in the very southernmost part maybe near Madison, but just barely. You’d probably had to head towards Illinois or Indiana for a better chance of finding them.

        If you use the app iNaturalist you can also find geotagged groves. Taking a quick peek there’s a handful in southern WI like I said, but they really pick up once you move south.

  • pH3ra@lemmy.ml
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    1 year ago

    In Italy we have the chinotto, which is a fruit from the Citrus family that is too bitter to be eaten by itself, but we make a soft drink out of it that is simply perfect.

  • Remy Rose@lemmy.one
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    1 year ago

    Where i live, mayapple! But you can’t buy them anywhere, you have to just pick them. Luckily they’re all over the place lol

  • BananaPeal@sh.itjust.works
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    1 year ago

    Wild blueberries. They’re smaller, sweeter, and grow on a low bush. The bigger, high bush blueberries may as well be a different fruit.

    • Dem Bosain@midwest.social
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      1 year ago

      My parents back yard is just covered in wild blueberry. They used to have a dog that would eat them right off the bush. Man, that was a stupid dog…

  • morganth@discuss.tchncs.de
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    1 year ago

    Concord grapes. You all know the flavor, because it’s the flavor that artificial grape flavor is based on, but I’ve only seen the real things in farmers’ markets in the Northeast US. They’re only available for a short period, and they’re amazing. A blend of intensely sweet and intensely tart.

  • toaster@reddthat.com
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    1 year ago

    Do thimbleberries count? Not sure how local they are to me, but they’re so tasty. Think a sweeter, more fragile raspberry. They make an excellent jam! my only complaint I have is how fragile they are, they only last a day or two in the fridge

  • Hegar@kbin.social
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    1 year ago

    Loquats are sweet, lightly tart and deliciously juicy. A bit like a very firm peach or plum.

    Longyan (dragon eyes) are like lychees but smaller and yellow. They’re less sweet than lychees (which tbh I often find a little cloying) and maybe a little more flavourful.

      • Mr_Buscemi@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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        1 year ago

        I’ve been so unlucky finding them. Each time I go to an Asian market they never have any Longan or lychee available lol.

        Hopefully I can find some this week

  • CookieMonsterDebate@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Pakay! Also called ice cream bean. It’s a giant bean, inside there’s big seeds surrounded in white solid-fluffy stuff. You eat the white stuff. It’s sweet without being overpowering and the consistency is interesting. Delicious

  • dogebread@lemm.ee
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    1 year ago

    I don’t see it mentioned so maybe it’s not lesser known, but jackfruit is amazing. SEA like most amazing fruit but have seen it more often in North America. Fresh, not the prepped and sauced vegan style.