PASSION FRUIT, SOMETHING TO BE PASSIONATE ABOUT

Passion Fruit is a vine native to the tri-border area of Paraguay, Brazil and Argentina. Today it is commercially cultivated in all tropical zones of the world. The passion fruit is round to oval, yellow or dark purple at maturity, with a soft to firm, juicy interior filled with numerous seeds. The fruit can be grown to eat or for its juice, which is often added to other fruit juices to enhance the aroma. Mature fruits are for juicing and culinary use. For eating right out of the fruit, allow the fruit to wrinkle for a few days to raise the sugar levels and enhance the flavor.

The passion fruit has had a religious association as reflected by the name ""passion"" given to it by Catholic missionaries who thought that certain parts of the fruit bore some religious connections. These missionaries saw a way of illustrating the Crucifixion:
- The three stigmas were to reflect the three nails in Jesus's hands and feet.
- The threads of the passion flower were believed to be a symbol of the Crown of Thorns.
- The vine's tendrils were likened to the whips.
- The five anthers represented the five wounds.
- The ten petals and sepals regarded to resemble the Apostles (excluding Judas and Peter).

Passion Fruits are available year round throughout tropical Latin America, they are very easy to grow from seed all you have to do is dry the seeds, place them in a pot with soil to germinate and then transplant them to a sunny location next to a fence or other structure to which the vine can attach. The flowers are very decorative and provide food for humming birds. The fruits are harvested when they fall from the vine or come off with a little shaking. The vine will produce fruits in the first year and will continuously produce for at least 3 years.

Passion Fruit has many culinary applications in drinks, appetizers, main dishes and desserts. It is an excellent flavoring agent for fish or pork, it makes delicious dressings for salads, and its strong sweet sour taste produces scrumptious desserts.

Passion fruit are found in 3 colors, yellow (most common, most sour), purple (less common, less sour) and orange (least common, but sweetest). They are ripe when the color is fully developed and are slightly wrinkled. They all start green an as they ripen develop the final color. Green Passion Fruits are too sour and are not usable.

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Passiflora edulis


ENGLISH NAME: Passion Fruit

LOCAL NAMES: Maracuya, Parchita (venezuela), Parcha (Puerto Rico), Maracuja (Brazil), Pasionaria (Paraguay), Granadilla

PRODUCTS: Juice concentrate, Syrups, Wine, Jellys, bottled sauces.

NUTRIENTS: Fresh passion fruit is high in beta carotene, potassium, and dietary fiber. Passion fruit juice is a good source of ascorbic acid (vitamin C), and good for people who have High blood pressure.

PROCESSING: Passion fruit are usually cut in half and the fleshy pulp is scooped out for preparation, the empty half shells are sometimes given a small cut at the bottom to produce a flat surface so that the half shells can stand and be stuffed. The pulp of Passion fruit is rather sour and has a very strong flavor that can easily mix with other ingredients and still retain the taste.


STORING: Passions fruits keeps well at room temperature, they will over ripen when they start wrinkling at this time you can scoop out the pulp, put it in a bag and freeze it, frozen it will last a long time without altering its qualities.

PASSION FRUIT REFRESHMENT: This is the simplest use of the fruit, often at fruit stands and mom and pop restaurants throughout Latin America they will offer you Passion Fruit juice (jugo de Maracuya, jugo de parcha, suco de maracuja). To make it take 1 cup of pulp with seeds, blend it well with 1 cup of water and strain to get rid of the seed particles. Place in a jar and add sugar and water to taste, chill or serve with ice cubes. It is a very tasty refreshment for a hot day.

PASSION FRUIT SHERBET: A very simple and elegant dessert. First make a sugar syrup with 1 cup each of water and sugar, boil to reduce to about 3/4 of its original volume, until you have rather thick syrup, let cool completely. Blend 1 cup of fruit pulp with 1 cup of water, strain to eliminate seed sediment; mixed well with sugar syrup and freeze; once frozen scrape with a fork to produce ice shavings; refreeze and repeat procedure until all mixture has the consistency of ice balls; cut the empty half shells of the fruit into quarters place a ball of the Passion fruit ice on each quarter and decorate with a mint leaf; serve quickly.

PASSION FRUIT MOUSSE: This is probably the most famous dessert made with the fruit. In a bowl place 1 can of sweetened condensed milk, add the same volume of strained Passion fruit pulp or concentrate, this you make by blending about 1.5 cup of pulp with seeds adding a little water to blend if necessary and then strain it ; mix well condensed milk and pulp; prepare 1 envelope of no flavor gelatin in half cup of warm water, stir to dissolve and let cool; beat 3 egg white with 2 tablespoons of sugar until very stiff; mix fruit mixture with gelatin and mix well; slowly fold the egg white into the mixture to retain foamy texture; place mixture into wet coffee cups or other mold, chill well until it is firm. You may unmold or serve in the mold, to decorate prepare a syrup with 1/2 cup of pulp with seeds and 2 tablespoon of sugar, stir until sugar dissolves completely and pour over each portion.

PASSION FRUIT VINAIGRETTE: in a bowl place 1 teaspoon of mustard, add 2 tablespoons of sugar or honey and mix well; slowly add 3/4 cup of vegetable oil while stirring to form a thick liquid; add 1/4 cup of Passion fruit pulp or concentrate and 2 tablespoons of white vinegar, mix well; add a pinch of salt and pepper. This vinaigrette is particular good with green salads that include fruits such as apple, avocado, mango or papaya.

PASSION FRUIT CEVICHE: In this preparation fish is cooked in an acid medium and seasonings are added for extra flavor, passion fruit adds a delicious flavor. In a bowl place 0.5 Kg (1 Lb) of a firm white fish such as bass (corvina) grouper (mero) or red snapper (pargo) cut in cubes; cover with lime juice and chill; after 1 hour add 1 each: small red pepper, 1 small red onion, 1 hot chili without seeds, 1 clove of garlic all finely chopped; beat 1/4 cup of passion fruit pulp without seeds into a liquid and add to the marinade stirring; add chopped cilantro, salt and pepper to taste. Serve with crispy plantain.