Sunday Snapshots: Fresh Inca Berry and Minions
The fruits of spring are slowly making their way to my green grocers. This little orange fruit is called Inca Berry. It is also known as cape gooseberry (South Africa), Aztec berry, golden berry, giant ground cherry, Peruvian groundcherry, Peruvian cherry (U.S.), poha (Hawaii), ras bhari (India), aguaymanto (Peru), uvilla (Ecuador), uchuva (Colombia) or by its latin name Physalis peruviana∗. They are the same size as cherries and incased in husks, just like its relative the tomatillo. This fruit was originally cultivated in Columbia, Ecuador and Peru. Now it is also grown in England and South Africa.
Inca berries must first be peeled or removed from the husks before eating. Once removed the husk reveals and orange semi-firm and squishy fruit. The small fruit is a bit sticky and has a very mildly sweet, almost undetectable, smell. Run the peeled fruits over water to remove some of the outer stickiness. When cut open little seeds are revealed, these seeds make it resemble a tomatillo and a tomato. (As a matter of fact both the tomatillo and physalis are in the nightshade family just like a tomato. ) Each small bite has a mildly sweet taste with slight tart after tones. The flavor is quite unique and hard to describe, it tastes a little like a sweet tomato but at the same time the flavor is like that of a tropical fruit. Though hard to describe the taste is quite pleasant.
I was first introduced to this orange fruit when it was served as decoration on chocolate cake. Though I have mostly seen it used as decoration or garnish for desserts, it can also be used as a baking ingredient, in preserves, and as part of fruit salads. Of course it can also be enjoyed on its own like any other fruit. Inca berry is a good source of phosphorus, beta carotene, vitamin C, vitamin P and it is an anti-inflamatory and a natural blood thinner.
Have you ever tried Inca berries? If so did you like them? .
About the Minions, these are them. I am trying to get them used to the shutter sound of my camera, as well as the sight of a lens in their dominium, so they don’t try flying away every time I want to snap a photo. They are curious and we are making progress, lol.
This is Chachi, he’ll be one in May, his favorite foods are cornflakes, corn tortillas, flour tortillas…and just about anything you put in front of him.
This is Joanie, she’ll be one in May, her favorite foods are spinach, rice, corn tortillas, bread…and she’s curious about all food you put in front of her.
They are our daily dose of smiles and laughter. I hope they brought a smile to your face this Sunday. Feliz domingo y hasta mañana! (happy Sunday and until tomorrow)
All previous Sunday Snapshots can be found here.
Lovely! Joanie is so sweet and photogenic.
Cheers,
Rosa
Thanks Rosa! They are both really sweet but Joanie seems to be more curious about the camera:)
Happy Sunday sweetie!
Beautiful birds – they remind me of the cockatoos that inhabit the park at the end of our street. Also, thanks for introducing me to the inca berry. Looks divine!
Hi Yasmeen,
Thank you. I hope you can try them very soon.
I had never heard of Inca berries before this. They looks lovely. Chachi and joanie are so cute. Loved the way they have posed :)
Too bad, I hope that you run across them sometime. Thanks :)
I am sure I have seen this berry before or a similiar fruit. I think so it was in the caribians, not sure though. Gorgeou photos Nancy, I wouldnt expect less from u anyway. Your birdies r adorable, They r smiling in the pictures!! I could watch these animals forever.
Hi Helene,
You probably did see it in the Caribbean, it is near the area where they are commonly grown. Thanks, they are pretty entertaining :)
Beautiful photos… your feathery friends are wonderful. :)
Thank you Ramona:)
Chachi and joanie are so cute!!!!! Never heard of Inca berries, but these look delicious!! Would love to try them..
Thanks Ambika! I hope you can try them soon.
Absolutely beautiful photos. I’ve got a Cockatiel named Mango. She’s pretty picky with food. Maybe I’ll try some of the things you feed your two. And nope, never had inca berries.
Hi Lea Ann,
Mango, I love her name :) Ours used to be picky also but you just have to keep trying. Thanks!
Oh, your minions are just stunning! And I love the personalities showing with just a few shots. I’ve never heard of Inca berries…but they’re gorgeous! Fabulous photos :)
Hi Liz,
Hehe, thanks I think the minions will start getting a big head now :)
Lovely post. I have only eaten gooseberries in England–nowhere else. I’ve never seen them in Mexico, though they so resemble their cousins, the tomatillo. Gorgeous birds as well! You can almost see their personalities in the photos.
Hi Victoria,
That is strange that you haven’t seen them in Mexico. They export them all the way to Europe so wonder why not closer to Mexico. Thank you :)
They might be in other places, but in 25 years, I’ve never seen them here. Actually, I have traveled extensively all over Mexico, always going to markets along the way, and now that I think of it, I don’t remember seeing them anywhere. Might not have been on radar somehow, if you know what I mean. Or maybe I mistook them, without thinking, for tomatillos. Is that possible?
I’m not sure Victoria. I just figured if they are shipped here, why not in Mexico ? :) Next time I’m there I’ll take a look. But if you haven’t found them in 25 years, they probably aren’t.
My kids want to have a “pet bird” (that’s how they call it). Your birds are very pretty. And the pictures of inca berries… STUNNING! Very dramatic and beautiful.
Hi Nami,
That is so cute, “pet bird”. Thank you sweetie!
I really enjoy your photography the contrast of light and dark is eye appealing to me. I haven’t had a gooseberry and they do look like yellow tomatoes. Now for the cute feathered friends, they are pretty adorable :) I am a animal lover but these cuties wouldn’t like my house since I have 3 cats not inside mostly out but none the less.
Hi Suzanne,
The Inca berries do look like little tomatoes. Hehe, yeah they probably wouldn’t want to be chased around by 3 cats :) Thanks!
I used to have physalis in my garden so of course I love them :). Your Chachi and Joanie have become such professional posers, and they look so good in the photos! They’re such heart-stealers, those two!
How am I not surprised you had them in your garden? Hehe:) Thanks Maya! They are just silly so it is easy to capture their personalities.
We had these berries while in Italy, served candied, and we loved them. You are right, the flavor is hard to describe, yet they reminded me of loquats, but not quite. Until now, we couldn’t figure out what they were, thank you for uncovering the mystery.
Hi Judy,
Candied sounds delicious. Glad I could help :)
Oh, Nancy, your birds are so adorable! Is it just me or do these pictures capture a bit personality in both Chachi and Joanie? :) I bet they do make you smile. When I was a child, my parents bought two pairs of parakeets and they built an enclosure around a tree (about 8ft x 8 ft) with actual little bird houses. In no time we had dozens of birds in all different colors. Your images just brought back some great memories. :)
PS: Thanks for the education about inca berries. Lovely images, too. :)
PPS: So you were a Happy Days fan? :)
Thank you Jean :) Yes, their personalities did manage to show through on the photos. Oh, wow! That was great of your parents to do that. I can imagine how peaceful it was to go watch all of your birdies.
Yes, I love Happy Days :) lol!
Your babies are so adorable and sounds like they have pretty good taste in snack foods :)
I have had inca berries a few times, I see them occasionally at some of the specialty stores. I did enjoy them on salads a few times, I found them rather mild with a tomato like texture. Lovely photos!
Thanks Alisha!
I have tried them before and I like them. Must go to my market and see if they are around. The birds are so beautiful and look forward to seeing may more pictures of them.
Glad to hear you’ve tried them. Thank you, I’ll share more photos soon.
I have indeed had gooseberries before – but I never knew how many other names they go by! They’ve got a lovely fresh bite to them – very much like those beautiful photos you took!
They really do have so many names. Thanks!