Dragon fruit

This bright pink, almost cerise, egg shaped fruit that looks as though it is covered in giant reptile scales is usually found on the top most supermarket or green grocers shelves … almost out of reach. Babies wriggle their fingers stretching towards it. Old people look at it oddly and then shuffle off over to the apples. People my age are haunted at the temptation of trying something new, a fruit that looks as though it could have come from an unknown galaxy … and surely must taste nice. I have over the last few years, looked at dragon fruits with a yearning to try something so exotic – like Eve temptation was just a small stretch away. Although I have been tempted this fruit has always been guarded by a serpent … the price. Each fruit has been on sale for approximately £1.79 and compared with 20 pence for an apply and 12 pence for a banana and even 99 pence for a pineapple … it has been marked up at a price that makes the average person wince.

Whilst shopping the other day I saw that five dragon fruits had been reduced to 40 pence each … my chance, at last, to try a new taste. Would it be sweet and juicy or sour like a gooseberry?

I split the fruit in half and like Eve I shared it with Adam. In other words I gave half to my husband. Was it a berry or a droop? All fruits containing all of their seeds on the inside are classified as berries whereas when each seed lies in a separate contained segment they are known as a droop. The flesh was white with little tiny black pips (a berry!). I pushed in a small teaspoon and pulled out an almost perfect sphere of the flesh … my mouth by this time was watering in expectation … I was so disappointed, the fruit was completely tasteless and the small pips lightly crunched on the teeth. At least I have tried it and no longer will I wonder what it tastes like and now it doesn’t hold any temptation over me.

Dragon fruit