The REAL Sweet 16: Passionate for Passion Fruit

June 19th, 2013

It’s day two of the REAL Sweet 16 tournament, and today’s contestants are four fruits from the passion fruit family. However, their outward appearances are very different, as are the flavors on the inside, which range from tangy, to sweet, to savory.

Below are descriptions of each fruit; the winner of this category will go on to compete against the three winners of the other categories.  Vote for your favorite, give us your reasons in the comments, and keep the conversation going on facebook and twitter.  May the best fruit win!

Granadilla

Sometimes called “alien” or “booger fruit” by our guests, Granadillas certainly have an odd, slimy texture. But don’t let that stop you from trying it! The eggshell-like exterior gives way to seed pods that closely resemble fish eyes, and a sweet flavor that has made it a crowd favorite. The protective shell makes this fruit ideal for tossing in your backpack for an easy, mess-free snack, not to mention healthy as they contain vitamins A, C, K, phosphorus,iron, and calcium. Granadillas grow between northern Argentina and Mexico, as well as parts of Africa and Australia. Most of our guests from around the world have never seen them despite supposedly being exported to North America, Belgium, Netherlands, Switzerland and Spain.

Maracuyá

Used in juice and desserts, Maracuyá is considered to be one of Colombia’s most important fruits. Yellow on the outside with neon orange pulp on the inside, the tangy flavor also goes great in a cocktail. All over the world it is used in ice creams, yoghurts, soft drinks, wine, and even as a mild sedative in Brazil! Passion fruit grows on a vine and gets its name from the flower that grows on the vine, Passion Flower. Here’s a tip for trivia night: the passion flower is Paraguay’s national flower.

Curuba Larga

This member of the passion fruit family has a bit of an identity crisis. In South America alone it has no fewer than 13 names: curuba, curuba de Castilla, curuba sabanera blanca, taxo, tacso, tagso, tauso, parcha, tumbo, tumbo del norte, trompos, tintin and purpur. It is more commonly known in English speaking countries as banana passion fruit, which only refers to its shape and color, not to the flavor. Unlike its cousins, Curuba Larga is almost savory rather than tangy or sweet. It is a popular juice when mixed with milk, giving it a flavor strikingly similar to cold cream of mushroom soup.

Curuba Purpura

Also known as curuba redonda (round), this purple passion fruit is very similar in taste to maracuya, but is preferred in particular by the Aussies and those with more refined palates. Less acidic than maracuyá, curuba purpura is eaten rather than juiced. Some of our guests have been known to cut off the top of the curuba, pour in a shot of Colombia’s national liquor, Aguardiente, and shoot it. It is time to update its wikipedia entry with its new use: nature’s shot glass.

So which fruit has your vote? Vote here, on facebook, or tweet us your pick! And don’t forget to vote in yesterday’s contest, “Playing Hard to Get” if you haven’t already.

Online Poll @ FluidSurveys.com…

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And for your viewing pleasure, a bonus picture of passion flowers because they are insanely cool looking, like something out of Avatar.  Click on the picture to see even more!