"Jugo de maracuya" read
the unassuming carton of juice my mom brought home from the
grocery store. A non-identifiable line drawing decorated the
sides. One small juice glass of it and I was hooked. The flavor
was intense, sweet, tart, and for me, completely addictive.
Maracuya was also available as an ice cream flavor, and only
through great amounts of self-restraint did I manage to leave
any of the half-gallon for the rest of the family. I didn't
learn the English name for the fruit (too lazy to use a dictionary?).
I wasn't even sure it had an English name; many of the new
fruits to which I was introduced in Panama didn't, or if they
did, still left me mystified--ginnups and rose apples being
two other mysteries. So when I moved to Austin , I went back
to orange juice and raspberry sherbet. Then one afternoon, I
went to a local ice cream boutique, where the owners hand mixed
twenty different flavors and gave them catchy names like "orange
crush." I asked for a taste of "grand passion." "Maracuya, "I
shouted at my startled companion. "This is maracuya!!" "What
is this made of, " I demanded of the nonplussed cashier. He
disappeared into the back. "It's passionfruit," he told me.
Mystery solved!
In other parts of the Spanish speaking Americas, maracuya
is parcha or chinola. Buying it fresh, at least in my part of
the U.S., is incredibly expensive; I priced the fruit at $4.19
each at a local grocer. According to an article about passionfruit
in the June/July issue of "Fine Cooking," it takes about 12
fruit to make 1 cup of pulp. Unless you have a trust fund, or
the fruit is much less expensive in your area, I recommend using
frozen puree.
I buy Goya brand; I've also bought more expensive "gourmet"
brands, but Goya tastes as good. I've also used passionfruit
juice concentrate. The brand available to me is Caribik Sun.
If you can afford fresh fruit, look for fruits that feel heavy
for their size. Don't be alarmed by a wrinkled skin; that indicates
a mature fruit, not a shrivelled one. Do avoid fruit with soft
spots or mold.
Incidentally, the passion in passionfruit refers not to the
emotions it inspires in its devotees, but to Christ's Passion,
and first referred to the flower, not the fruit, of the passion
vine. In Spanish, this is still true, as I have not found any
use of "fruta de pasion," though people do say "flor de pasion."
Maracuya Mousse
Combine the puree and the sugar to taste. Sprinkle the gelatin
on the cold water. When it has softened for about a minute,
stir in the hot water until the gelatin dissolves completely.
Let it cool, then add to the fruit puree. Whip the cream until
it holds soft peaks. Fold the cream into the fruit. Pour into
one large, or several individual, serving dishes. Refrigerate
until set, approximately two to three hours. Serves 6-8. |
