Fruits Of Madeira

Fruits are nutritious foods that are consumed, usually in addition to the meals and provide raw material for many products, such as juices, nectars , fruit jellies, jams, compotes, salads, among others that are the basis for healthy eating and balanced.

In recent decades , the fruit has been recognized worldwide and, consequently, has become of great economic and social importance for some countries.

Particularly in the context of production in the Autonomous Region of Madeira, met various fruits that differ by presenting special characteristics due to its origin and the particular mode of production. Stand out, especially the Mediterranean and tropical fruits, because the island avantajar a mild climate and tropical favors the cultivation of these products.

Thus, it will be noted, then , that some of these products sub- part of the Madeira gastronomy there are already many years.

Avocado

The avocado is one of the many foods that Central America has offered to the world and originates from the upper and lower regions of Guatemala, the Antilles and Mexico. Due to its origin adapts well to subtropical climates .

Thus was introduced in Madeira in the eighteenth century as ornamental tree, but its fruit was ignored for many years on the island. However, it was also the third most exported fruit in Madeira, then banana and soursop. Its flowering season is between October and December.

The avocado tree belongs to the family of laureáceas and its scientific name Persea americana Mill. This fruit is also known as abacado, pear – de- avogado and Madeira by Avocado, it is shaped like a pear, with rough bark green or violet, a pulp containing thick and creamy, with characteristic taste and delicate and one big lump and smooth.

There are over five hundred varieties of avocado, which explains the many types of avocado, different in shape, size and color, we found on the island of Madeira.

The avocado is a nutritious fruit used mainly in cooking , for starters , side dishes and desserts , as well as in health, because their leaves and flowers have diuretic properties. It also contains vitamins A and B and some minerals like iron, calcium and phosphorus.

Anona

The soursop , whose scientific name is Annona cherimola Mill is originally from Peru and Colombia. It is a fruit tree that is cultivated since ancient times in many locations on the south coast of Madeira. The culture of the island anona can go up to 550 m altitude in the south coast and up to 280 m on the north coast, with its flowering season between November and January.

It is a subtropical fruit, exotic, produced in Madeira, distinctive flavor and very nice, much appreciated by the local population and all who visit the island.

In Madeira there are two varieties, easily distinguishable by the bark, Anona Lisa, the more appreciated because the shell is thinner, with few seeds, fruit pulp and sweet, common in dry lands, and Anona Scaly, which as its name implies has a thick rind, with many scales, creamy flesh full of seeds, not as sweet as smooth, but the same delicious, lying on dry land irrigation or less.

The flesh is white, creamy, juicy and high nutritional value. According to Sting, this fruit ode be consumed with meals as a dessert or any other time of day. It is also used in the manufacture of liqueurs and sweets.

Fruits of Madeira – Banana

Banana is a fruit of the banana plant, a herbaceous plant of the family Musaceae. The banana is a plant from the lowlands of the humid tropics, particularly in Southeast Asia.
In the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, Portuguese colonists started banana plantation system of the Atlantic islands, Brazil and the West African coast. But bananas remained for a long time, unknown to the majority of the European population.
According to the author, bananas are the third and first fruit food product produced in Madeira for export and consumption of residents and meet throughout the year on the island.
These are formed in clusters, varying in form and variety. Wood found in various types of banana, such as banana silver, dwarf banana , plantain and banana – apple land born of a true underground stem that lasts for 15 years.
In the kitchen, the banana is mainly used in desserts and also as an accompaniment to main dishes and is essential in fruit salads.

Chestnut

The chestnut is one of the products, fresh or dried , was at the root of food medieval Europe, and for centuries of scarcity, which helped people living in villages and places have food.
This fruit is from Asia Minor, the Balkans and Caucasus, being implemented in Portugal since a few centuries, is of great socio-economic interest, because replacing the lack of bread in ancient times.
In Madeira, one can find chestnuts , essentially, the Nun’s Valley and is a fruit characteristic of autumn and winter, and can be eaten raw, roasted and boiled.

Delicious fruit

The delicious fruit , as it is known in Madeira , belongs to the family Araceae, and originating in Central America, specifically Mexico , but as the island is characterized by a subtropical climate, the cultivation of this fruit in the region is already done for some time.
The Adam’s rib, as it is also known, and whose scientific name is Monstera deliciosa Liebm is normally grown in shady areas along the walls or poles, with a vine that can reach 3 feet tall.
In our region, this fruit is consumed more by tourists than properly by residents and their flowering season is between June and September. Typically , the fruit is eaten 3 to 4 days to ripen in that gradually.
The delicious fruit is compared by some with a banana – pineapple, because it has some similarities with these two fruits because its elongated shape resembles the banana peel and consists of hexagons that resemble small pineapples.

Guava

Guava ( Psidium Pyriferum ) is a tropical fruit brought from Brazil and that ambientou and the island of Madeira. Its cultivation is done on the south coast of Madeira, especially in the municipalities of Funchal, Câmara de Lobos and Ribeira Brava.
The fruit of a rounded or oval, with smooth bark and slightly wrinkled and the color varies from green, white or yellow, is usually eaten between October and February. With this result one can make sweet, puddings, smoothies, fruit juice, liquor and even cakes.

Orange

According to Sting, the Orange is a fruit native to Asia, today’s widespread and cultivated by all tropical regions. This fruit is part of the group of citrus, and within this are lemon, lime, citron, tangerine and others. The orange has a rounded shape, bark fibrous and juicy pulp. In Madeira, the predominant height of eating oranges is in December.
It is important to note, too, that the Portuguese were to introduce orange in Europe, thanks to the Discoveries.

Sleeve

The mango ( Mangifera ) originates from India and its cultivation in Madeira due to its high commercial value. The corral gives its fruits between November and May, with fruits bulky, with green, yellow or orange that have a juicy pulp and a large seed inside.
In the kitchen, we use the mango sauces, canned or as an accompaniment to exotic dishes.

Passion fruit

The Passionflower ( Passiflora edulis Sims ), is also known as the fruit – of – passion and belongs to the family Passifloraceae, and originating from tropical America.
Speaking a bit about the history of the Passion was Monardis who, in 1569, described the first species of passion, with the name of Granadilla. “This plant , considered extraordinary by the conformation of its crimson flowers, was sent as a gift to Pope Paul V (1605-1621), who had to cultivate it with great affection in Rome and spread it represented a divine revelation. Due to beauty and physical characteristic of the flowers, the plant was related to ” Passion of Christ”.
This relationship between the fruit and the “Passion of Christ” is due to the fact that the fruit is round and characterize the world that Christ came to redeem and the flower represent the image of the crown of thorns with which Christ was crucified, the three stigmas of the flower began to be the three nails that held him to the cross and the five anthers appear the five wounds of Christ.
The cultivation of this fruit in Madeira is very sharp due to the subtropical climate that characterizes the region and, for this reason, its development time is between April and November.

Medlar

The Medlar ( Eriobotyra japonica ) was introduced on the island of Madeira in 1846 , but it was already cultivated in southeastern China, with its notorious fruit in the months of February to June.
Your tree is small, reaching typically the 4 feet tall, and the fruit itself , yellow and oval.
The Loquat is predominant in the southern part of the island, more specifically in the municipalities of Funchal, Câmara de Lobos and Santa Cruz.
Regionally, this fruit is used in making cakes, sweets, liqueurs, fruit salads and other desserts.

Fruits of Madeira – Cherry

The cherry ( Eugenia uniflora ) is originally from South America and was cultivated in Madeira, for many years, on farms and in home gardens, because it does not require great care and be used for fruit salads, jams, ice creams sweets, cakes, liqueurs and juices.
Their trunks, being high strength are used to make tool handles and other farm implements.
On the island of Madeira are pitangueiras in the area of Funchal, is bearing fruit throughout the year.

Fruits of Madeira – Tabaibos

The tabaibos, whose scientific name is Opuntia tuna, are originally from Jamaica and is therefore also known as figs – India. This fruit is found in dry, especially in the southern peaks of Madeira, being predominant in the height of summer, especially from May to September.
The tabaibos are green or yellowish, juicy and thorny. In Madeira, call ” Saruga » the thorns covering this species.

Fruits of Madeira – Uveira Sierra

The uveira the mountain ( Vaccinium padifolium ) belongs to the Ericaceae family, which is endemic to the island of Madeira, more specifically the Laurel forest. However, this species can also be observed in Puerto de la Cruz, in the Well of Snow and the Levada do Barreiro.
Second Hand, the fruit is in the form of a berry, and when mature, have a blue-black coloration. This product can be eaten and is normally used in the manufacture of jams. Its flowering season is between the months of May and August and its fruit appears in the following months.

Fruits Of Madeira