Unexpected treats

Both Barry and I enjoy cooking and love to eat.  Who doesn't, right?  Since moving to Belize, we have had fun learning about some new taste treats.  For instance, we researched online to learn about Yampi Root, which we'd never even heard of, until Maria gifted us with a couple of them recently.  I was surprised to find very good information on Yampi on Livestrong.com as well as a soup recipe I used them in.  It was delicious and very rich (a little bowl goes a long way) and would be good made with white potatoes as well.

Those little brown tubers in front are yampi. Who knew? I surely didn't!

We had also never heard of Sapodilla fruit until we ate lunch with Ruthie and Chunky recently.  I can't even recall how the topic came up, but Ruthie asked if we'd ever tried them.  When she described their appearance, I realized that we had seen them at Maria's fruit and vegetable stand that very morning and wondered what they were.  They look amazingly like a russet potato.

According to Wikipedia, the flesh of this tropical fruit ripens only after it is picked and, when ripe, has an "exceptionally sweet and malty" flesh (the peel is not eaten), and many liken its flavor to "caramel, or a pear candied with brown sugar".  Well, yum indeed!  With that in mind, I could hardly wait to give it a try and picked up a couple at today's market run (actually, bike ride). 

Nope, not potatoes, not kiwi, either. Amazing, huh?

One of the two we bought was soft to the touch, indicating that it was ripe enough to eat.  So, with only a little fear and trepidation, we cut it open and tried it out.

No, that's not a cockroach, just the (inedible) seed!

Hmmm, not bad!  Very sweet, a little grainy; I can see how it could be likened to pears with brown sugar.  However, I prefer my fruit with a bit more tarty tang, so I am wondering if a squeeze of lime juice might have improved it just a bit?  I bet it would be an interesting baking ingredient -- maybe a sapodilla coffee cake?

Another taste treat I recently discovered is that Belikin's holiday brew, Sorrel Stout, with its cherry-like taste, is an absolutely perfect pairing with Barry's dark chocolate bark.  Score!  I've enjoyed his chocolate with red wine in the past, but since I'm too frugal to buy wine here (it's price-y!), I haven't had the pleasure of this tasty combo since leaving the US.  Now I've found my substitute.  I sure wish Belikin would see fit to keep Sorrel Stout available year-round! 

And last but not least, I tried a new fish recipe tonight -- coconut crusted fish fillets with mango salsa.  But mangoes aren't in season right now, so I made it with fresh pineapple instead.  It was messy to cook (I sauteed it in extra virgin Belizean coconut oil - yum!), but delish in the belly!  Oh, and I should mention that I made the coconut coating with one Barry cracked open and grated awhile back.  We'd been saving the grated flakes in the freezer.  Again, yum, and more local eating!

Accompanying our meal was this amazingly delicious garlic bread that Ruthie bought us from Casa Pan Dulce.  I stuck it into the freezer until we had an appropriate meal.  This stuff is seriously dangerous and addictive.  It positively melts in your mouth.  It's so good we almost killed the entire loaf!  No wonder I'm gaining weight down here, despite running and riding my bike like a fiend!

Thank you, Ruthie (I think!!!) Yum yum yum!