The Fruits Of Our Labor
See this?
What is this?
Pinto, a world-travelling intern from Spain who’s been working here for approximately the past 5 years, always brings strange and wonderful fruits to work and offers to let us try them.
Meet Pinto.
Pinto is a wandering engineer who doesn’t believe in marriage and somehow always manages to get his food before anyone else when we go to our most frequented restaurant here in Bagaces.
And, like I said, Pinto is generous with fruit – fruit he buys from the local street vendors – fruit I’m always eager to try.
But I’ll admit – when I saw this sitting on my desk, I was a little skeptical. I mean – it looks more like a toy I’d buy for my dogs than something edible.
I had to look inside.
Oooh! What’s that? Some type of gummy, gooey, gelatinous substance. Like something out of Alien…
Costa Ricans call this a mamón chino, otherwise known as a rambutan (according to Wikipedia). This is the edible “meat” inside. Should I eat it?
Hells yeah I should. It was good. Tangy, sweet, and a really cool texture. The only thing I did not enjoy was the woody seed I managed to splinter in my mouth with my teeth – the seed I’m just now reading on Wikipedia is “mildly poisonous” when eaten raw.
Oops.
My mistake. This time. But next time? Next time I’ll be ready.
Comments
I ate a termite when I was in Costa Rica. Are you going to try that?
Hmm… possibly, if the opportunity presents itself. I’m assuming you mean it was cooked/prepared somehow? Or did you find it munching on a handrail and decide to give it a whirl?
Not familiar with mamon chino. I think you are more courageous than I am.
Well fruits are easy enough… just don’t ask me to try cow tongue or sheep brains. Actually, who am I kidding? I’d probably try those as well!
Hahaha, glad you finally got to sample one of these! I would describe them like a giant skinless grape. OR, an eyeball… if you paint a little circle in the middle. And did you make Pinto pose for that photo?
The skinless grape description is perfect. And the eyeball… well that would kinda be a neat Halloween prop! Nope – I totally took it when he wasn’t paying attention.
Actually we grow the rambutan in Sri Lanka. :-D Rambutan is what we call it.
Nice! I had never even heard of it before coming here. It’s a pretty groovy fruit!