Week Twenty-Three – Chayote

This week’s food first comes fresh from Costa Rica via Morrison’s high carbon footprint international fruits and vegetables aisle.

I was staring at the scotch bonnet peppers from a respectful distance for the umpteenth consecutive week, mulling over whether or not to make this week the week I killed myself with a food that would certainly be way too hot for my constitution of an coeliac gerbil to cope with, when my eye was drawn towards a sizeable green food.  It looked a bit like a large pear with a bottom-like crease at one end.  As someone who is a little juvenile, I laughed at its resemblance to an arse and picked it up (careful not to slip a finger in the crevice).

I’d like to point out that both my eyes were drawn towards it – I am yet to master looking at things independently with each eye…  I’d also like to point out that I don’t, in any way, have any sort of bum fetish.

The number on the sticker coincidentally matches the number of weeks behind schedule I am at trying to eat a new food a week

The small handily-located info panel told me that the fruit I held in my hand was a Chayote.  It also informed me that it was a fruit (but, I have a sneaking suspicions that it’s one of those vegetables masquerading as a fruit – much like avocado) that had been transported in from Central America to a Surrey suburb at great cost to the environment (in air fares and the like) – Obviously, it didn’t actually say that…  As a small-scale eco-warrior in the making, I read between the lines and worked that out myself.  Ladies and gentleman, always try to eat locally-sourced food!

The information provided also told me I could eat it cooked or raw…  Raw is good – It means minimal food preparation effort for me.

Raw, the Chayote tastes far from fruity – Some of my research has suggested that it resembles cucumber.  I’d go more for runner beans.  It was resoundingly vegetably and definitely tasted like it should be cooked before consumption.  A few bites left me with an aftertaste in my mouth somewhat reminiscent of that experienced when plunging face-first into lush grass following a futile attempt to show some skill on the football pitch.  As a footballer whose brain is a far better player than his feet, it is a taste I’ll sadly admit I’m well acquainted with.

Fruit or vegetable? Or a bit of both?

I’m not a fan of runner beans, vegetables or falling on my face, so I would have to say that raw Chayote doesn’t get the seal of approval.

To cook it, I whacked the Chayote in a bowl (with a sprinkling of water) and popped it in the microwave for eight minutes.  I don’t know why I chose eight minutes, but it was bloody hot when it came out and, in my book, that means it’s cooked.

Microwaved to within an inch of its life – Perfect!

When cooked, it is supposed to be very similar to butternut squash in texture and taste – I have to say that that is pretty much spot on.  It was definitely more palatable when heated through.

Either way it is prepared, Chayote is a good source of Vitamin C, so I guess I’ve delayed the onset of scurvy for another week.  Bonus!

And so ends Week Twenty-Three of my food firsts challenge…  A week in which I found an excuse to not eat peppers and came up with an idea for a new cartoon series:  –

The Road Runner & Wile E. Coyote is brought to you in association with: –

• http://www.marketwallpapers.com/wallpapers/background-cartoon-humour-simple-things-wallpaper–189083.html for the background image to the Road Runner picture.
• http://looneytunes.wikia.com/wiki/Road_Runner/Gallery for the Road Runner image.
• www.thereallyoddthingsthatgothroughmymind.co.uk for everything else.

 

As always, please do suggest new things I can eat…  I’m just off to plant a tree to offset my Chayote-related carbon footprint.