On my walk yesterday I noticed something that wasn't there before. On the ground, next to the sidewalk were tiny yellow and orange fruits that had fallen that morning. I looked up and saw a thick-trunked, feathery-topped palm tree. Hmmm.... I did not know palm trees made fruit other than date palms. I went back today to study the situation and took a bag with me to gather some of the fruit. It was very fragrant, almost like a persimmon.
As I studied the palm I noticed the thin stick-like branches the fruit had fallen from and where some still remained. I touched the fruit left on the branches and they were still very hard. On the other side of the tree more branches had what look like black fruit on them.
I brought the bags and home, washed the fruit well and took photos of my findings. I googled the fruit and found out I possibly have a Pindo or Jelly Palm Tree (Butia capitata) around the corner from me. The tree originated in southern central Brazil, Uraguay or Argentina and loves warm, tropical climates. According to at least one source this tree fruits twice a year.
Upon finally venturing to taste the sidewalk fruit and deciding I 'probably' wouldn't die from it, here are the findings. It smells so like a nectarine and has some similar flavors to one that's not quite ripe. It is tart and sweet, the yellow flesh is fibrous and spongy and the seed inside is quite large. The flesh clings to the seed which makes cooking with them a challenge but at least they are very easy to peel! Most excitedly, after going through my flavor memories, this fruit's taste most reminds me of quince which we cooked with in the south. Quince tarts, quince jelly, oh my! I am going to cook down the fruit of the jelly palm that I already have and try to harvest some more from sidewalks nearby to see if I can make something amazing. Stay tuned!
Update: Well I'd read in a few sources about making jelly from the jelly palm fruit and two people compared it to making plum jelly for which I do have an excellent recipe i will share soon when my sister and I embark on our yearly plum jelly making adventure.
Meanwhile, I finally acquired two bags of jelly palm fruit and washed them well and put them in a pot with a small amount of water. I put a lid on the pot and let them fruit simmer for about 10 minutes. At first the flavor was divine and I felt very hopeful but when checked on them the fruit was still quite firm and not ready to burst like plums do. So I let them simmer long and longer. Finally after about 30 minutes on the stove I put them in a colander over a bowl and burst the fruit and lightly pressed it to try to yield juice like I do with plums. Out of 1 1/2 plastic grocery store bags full of jelly fruit I got perhaps 4 tablespoons of liquid. And the liquid was quite sour, almost inedible.
Maybe it's the texture of the fruit -- that spongy texture or perhaps that its seeds are so large. Next time I work with them I will try to do so without cooking them first and see if I get anywhere. I will add updates as is appropriate!
