DeForest Times-Tribune 06/19/2014
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June 19, 2014
DeForest Times-Tribune –
10
What’s a jackfruit? Unique fruit appearing in area grocery stores By Jake Kurtz Editor One of the world's most unique fruits is popping up on grocery store shelves in the Madison area. With its hard bark-like exterior and usual weight of 25 to 30 pounds, jackfruit is the largest known tree fruit in the world. It is usually imported from Vietnam and reportedly packed with protein, potassium and vitamin B. And although most in Dane County are likely to have never eaten a piece of actual jackfruit, chances are they're familiar with its taste. “The flavor profile of Juicy Fruit [chewing gum] is pulled from this fruit specifically,” explained John Lyles, an assistant produce manager with Hy-Vee. Lyles said his store on Madison's west side has been selling jackfruit for a few years, but popularity has begun to gain steam in the last year specifically. Hy-Vee charges a hefty $39.99 for one prickly jackfruit, but Lyles noted that each one yields around 10 pounds worth of food. Some jackfruits have been known to reach upwards of 100 pounds. “It's not that bad when you figure out the price per pound,” said Lyles, adding that farmers hang nets under trees to catch any fruit that falls off.
Photos by Jake Kur tz
The inside of a jackfruit contains dozens of yellow pockets of flesh. The bark-like exterior changes from light green to brown as it matures. The edible part of the jackfruit is the dozens of yellowish pockets of flesh found inside. Each of the edible flowers contains a large seed. Lyles said that as jackfruit matures its exterior color changes from light green to brown and the edible portion becomes orange. The fruit's distinctive smell—often likened to overripe fruit—also grows stronger with age. “The smell is kind of a sweet scent,” Lyles said. “There's nothing really like it that I've had.”
Assistant produce manager of Hy-Vee John Lyles slices open a jackfruit, which typically weighs 25 to 30 pounds.
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July 2, 2014 9:17 pm /