fruit hunters

The Market that I decided to take a journey to was the St. Jacobs Farmers Market. While I was exploring the market, there were a lot of choices of fruit to choose from there was around like 5 different vendors selling fruit. Most of the fruit that I explore at the first 4 vendors selling fruit were fruit I was really familiar with. I choose to go to this market because it’s most well-known market around Guelph it like 30 minute drive. I was really please with market layout while I was there exploring. I explore market for like an hour before I made my decision on what fruit I bought. When I got to last fruit vendor I saw while exploring the whole market I bought Cactus Pear and. Here is a link to St. Jacobs Farmers Market if anyone reading my blogs wants to check out their website www.stjacobs.com

I made my decision to buy these 2 kinds of fruit because the fruit that I was seeing before I notice the following that I bought were that I had those other fruits before so I didn’t want to get something I had before. So it was really easy choice for me to go with the following fruits Cactus Pear and the Papaya.

  

The photo I got for the Cactus Pear came from the following website www.foodtrients.com

 type in cactus pear in the search bar. The second photo came from the following website www.specialtyproduce.com

The summary of history of the Cactus Pear it comes from a plant called the Opuntia plant, other names to describe this plant are, barbary fig, prickly pear or opuntia ficus indica. A little history of this plant imported to Americans in the 16th century but in Morocco they have been doing it for centuries.

The geographical locations for the Cactus Pear are kind of vague it is believed to be that South American country of Mexico the origin place of the Cactus pear. As time when on its been grown in a lot of countries across the globe. Some of these places are the following areas Africa, South Asia, South America, Australia, southern Europe and islands that have temperature climate. The botanical family of the cactus pear is Cactaceae. The Global Market Price for Cactus Pear is $1.32 USD per kg.

 The information that helps me get this information was the following websites were. The first website is for market pricing was www.tridge.com/intelligences/prickly-pear. The website I use for history and origin is www.opuntia-company.com. The seasonality of cactus pear is late summer through early winter, September to December in the northern hemisphere. I found this by the following website www.harvesttotable.com

 type cactus pear

The sensory evaluation for this fruit when I try it. I really enjoy eating this food it was nice and sweet, had a great aroma. I didn’t know before trying this fruit after trying it taste like I was eating a watermelon or honeydew. I was surprise by the taste and the aromas of the cactus pear. I wish it had taste a lot differently because I wanted to try a fruit that was completely different. It was fresh fruity on flavor treasures from week 3 tastes and sensory evaluation sheet.

I couldn’t think of a recipe for the following dish so I did some research on the recipes for cactus pear I found this I like.

The cooking method I would use if was cooking with this fruit I don’t couldn’t really think of way but if I had too probably make into a sauce then marinate with a protein like chicken then grill the protein.

I learn from this experience it a lot of fun trying new fruit and learn about the history of the fruit I choose. I would defiantly be a lot more different shopper when it comes to buying fruit and so on. It was so much fun to go and explore the St. Jacobs Market . If you haven’t been there it’s a great market to explore.

Prickly Pear Grill Sauce

Author: Kristen Coffield

Ingredients

1/2 C Prickly Pear Puree – 3 prickly pears halved and strained

1/2 C unfiltered cider vinegar

1/4 C Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 stalks celery chopped

1 large shallot or small onion chopped

1 clove smashed garlic

Squit of lemon juice

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Add all ingredients except pear puree, lemon and salt and pepper to a small sauce pan and simmer over medium heat for 10-15 minutes or until vegetables are soft.

Remove from heat and let rest 10 minutes.

Puree in food processor and return to sauce pan. Add puree and simmer 5 minutes.

Add squirt of lemon and salt & pepper to taste.

The website I found this recipe was the following www.theculinarycure.com

Type in prickly-pear-grill-sauce-2.found

I found this recipe for this fruit on following website if I couldn’t think of how I would have cooked with this fruit so I did some research on recipes this one was my favorite. The website is www.specialtyfood.com/chicken-thighs

Chicken Thighs with Spicy Prickly Pear Glaze

Author: Joanna Pruess

 Ingredients

2 ounces canola oil

3 pounds sliced or chopped red onions

3 ounces seeded and chopped serrano Chile

1 ounce garlic, chopped

2 tablespoons ground cumin

1 tablespoon ground coriander

¾ cup fresh lime juice plus

3 teaspoons grated lime zest

1 cup white Worcestershire sauce

1½ cups bourbon

3 cups prickly pear purée

2 tablespoon salt

3 ounces unsalted butter

24 (6-ounce) skinless chicken thighs, fat removed

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Chopped cilantro, to garnish

Method

1. For the sauce: In a large pot, heat the oil. Add onion and sauté over medium heat until wilted and lightly browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Add serrano Chile and garlic and continue cooking until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in cumin and coriander, cook 2 minutes, then add lime juice and zest, Worcestershire sauce and bourbon and bring to a boil. Cook 5 minutes longer, then transfer mixture to an electric blender and purée until smooth. Return to the pot, add prickly pear purée and salt and boil to reduce by one-third. Swirl in butter and set aside.

2. In large resealable plastic bags, combine the thighs with one third of the sauce. Toss to cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

3. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly oil a jellyroll pan. 4. Season thighs with salt and pepper and lay them flesh side down in the pan. Brush with half of the remaining sauce and bake for 25 minutes. Turn and brush on remaining sauce. Return pan to the oven for 25 minutes more, placing it under the broiler and cooking until the flesh is lightly browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove and garnish with cilantro.

Nutritional Data (per portion): Calories: 470; Cholesterol: 170 mg; Sodium: 850 mg; Fat: 24 g; Dietary fiber: 2 g

Ingredient Cost Sheet

Ingredients         Cost

2 ounces canola oil          $.05-.09

3 pounds sliced or chopped red onions  $1.45-2.42

3 ounces seeded and chopped Serrano Chile      $.43-.72

1 ounce garlic, chopped                $.07-.12

2 tablespoons ground cumin       $.85-1.42

1 tablespoon ground coriander  $.45-.76

¾ cup fresh lime juice + 3 teaspoons grated lemon zest $.86-1.44

1 cup white Worcestershire sauce            $1.53-2.55

1 ½ cups bourbon            $2.83- 4.72

3 cups prickly pear puree              $19.99

2 tablespoons salt           

3 ounces unsalted butter             $.45-.75

24 (6-ounce) skinless chicken thighs, fat removed            $12.91-21.57

Salt and freshly ground black pepper     

Chopped cilantro, to garnish       $.18-1.30