Re: Monstera Fruit

Okay, the fruit began to show loosening scales yesterday evening (Sunday, 
July 11), along with an exquisite fragrance reminiscent of carambola.  After 
I went to bed that night, I could hear scales dropping off in small groups.  
This morning (July 12), the fruit was about one-third peeled, revealing a 
mealy-looking white surface beneath the scales.  Since I live within easy 
walking distance of my workplace, I checked it again at noon today, finding 
it about half peeled.  When I returned home in the afternoon, the fruit had 
shed about two-thirds of its scales, and its fragrance filled my entire 
bedroom.  I write this about 10:30 at night, after having just eaten the 
now-completely ripened fruit for dessert.  Once all the scales were gone, 
there was  what looked a bit like a white ear of corn, but very easily 
bruised by the touch.  It was eaten like corn on the cob--I bit off the outer 
layer, apparently an aggregate of fruitlets, revealing a hard, woody "cob" in 
the center.  Mixed in with the yellowish-white flesh were some strange, 
blackish flakes, which I ignored.  The fruit was exquisitely sweet, with an 
exotic flavor I cannot describe in words.  Truly, my years of longing have 
not been disappointed!!

Jason Hernandez
Naturalist-at-Large
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index