There's a monstera in my apartment.

[Justin Davis]

http://img128.imageshack.us/img128/1948/monsteranv2.jpg

According to the description that comes with it, "Monstera deliciosa has the flavor of banana, mango and pineapple. A rare treat indeed." Also, "The fruit may be ripened by cutting the fruit when the first scales begin to lift up and the fruit begins to exude a pungent odor, then wrapping in a paper bag and setting aside until the kernels begin popping off. The kernels are then brushed off; they fall away to reveal the edible flesh underneath. The custard-like flesh is then cut away from the core and eaten. It has a delicious fruity taste similar to jackfruit and pineapple. Unlike some other exotic fruits such as the Durian, there is no acquired taste and people enjoy it immediately."

That sounds delicious. However, "eating the immature fruit which has not matured and still has the kernels firmly attached, exposes the throat to the oxalic acid and is dangerous." If that wasn't intimidating enough, there's this additional info: "When it first flowers, the fruit contains so much oxalic acid that it is poisonous, causing immediate and painful blistering and irritation, swelling, itching, and loss of voice. It takes a year for the fruit to ripen, at which point it is safe to eat."

I bought this because I thought it looked neat and could taste really good. However, while the sticker on it mentioned the tiles on it falling way naturally to eat the "creamy white flesh inch by inch," it doesn't say anything about a poisonous acid that could cause "painful blistering and irritation, swelling, itching, and loss of voice."

Has anyone ever had one of these? How scared should I be to eat this? Is it so wonderful that I should risk blistering and loss of voice? Will I have to wait a year for this to ripen or is it considered mostly ripe by the time it reaches the grocery store? Does Wikipedia's entry on monstera fill me with an overblown sense of alarm for a potentially delicious treat?

[mattbib]

I bought this because I thought it looked neat and could taste really good.Sure you did...

[Justin Davis]

Sure you did...

That joke was too easy.

[SteelTownr]

It looks a bit like a penis!

Be Careful!

Mark B.

[Justin Davis]

It looks a bit like a penis!

Be Careful!

Be careful? What the hell do you think I'm going to do with it?

Or are you saying your penis could cause "immediate and painful blistering and irritation, swelling, itching, and loss of voice"?

[SteelTownr]

Be careful? What the hell do you think I'm going to do with it?

Or are you saying your penis could cause "immediate and painful blistering and irritation, swelling, itching, and loss of voice"?

Yes, if you stick it in your mouth, which is what I assume you are going to do to this thing!

Mark B.

[howyadoin]

Or are you saying your penis could cause "immediate and painful blistering and irritation, swelling, itching, and loss of voice"?They say he's left a woman or two speechless.

Not to mention itchy.

[SteelTownr]

They say he's left a woman or two speechless.

Not to mention itchy.

Thanks for having my Back!

Mark B.

[StoneGold]

http://img128.imageshack.us/img128/1948/monsteranv2.jpg


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/7/75/Mothra_Larva.jpg/200px-Mothra_Larva.jpg

[Gilda Dent]

It looks a bit like a penis!

I've used a variety of food products for things other than as a source of nutrients, but that thing wouldn't be coming anywhere near my nether regions.

Oh, and I liked a durian the first time I ate it. No need to aquire a taste.

Gilda

[Justin Davis]

I've used a variety of food products for things other than as a source of nutrients, but that thing wouldn't be coming anywhere near my nether regions.

Oh, and I liked a durian the first time I ate it. No need to aquire a taste.

Isn't a Durian an alien race introduced on Star Trek: Next Generation?

Actually, a durian is that stinky fruit with the prickly skin that's supposed to taste amazing, right?

[tricksterpup]

Actually, a durian is that stinky fruit with the prickly skin that's supposed to taste amazing, right?
Sure you can keep on believing that. make sure you dont have any allergies.

http://www.floridata.com/ref/M/mons_del.cfm
All parts of Monstera deliciosa are poisonous except the ripe fruits. The plant contains oxalic acid and even the ripe fruits may be an irritant to particularly sensitive people.

[Gilda Dent]

Isn't a Durian an alien race introduced on Star Trek: Next Generation?

Actually, a durian is that stinky fruit with the prickly skin that's supposed to taste amazing, right?

Yep. It looks kinda like a softball covered with spikes, stinks, is hard to peel and eat, and tastes amazing. Whenever we visit Thailand we make ourselves sick on the stuff.

Gilda

[Drew Van T.]

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/7/75/Mothra_Larva.jpg/200px-Mothra_Larva.jpg

A giant slug destroying the Eiffel Tower: poetic justice? La justice poétique?

[tricksterpup]

More info on this fruit
Ripen: The skin and the tiles (must) fall of by themselves indicating it is ripe to eat. This will take some time, so be patient. Keep it out on your counter at room temperature until all the tiles come loose or put it in a brown bag for a few days and check on it. It ripens as the skin fall off; the bottom will ripen first (it ripens unevenly) so take it off in sections and be sure to remove all the tiles from that section. The black specs in the fruit are part of the flavor, no need to discard those. Norman Van Aken continues, "You take a small sharp knife and cut into the fruit and scrape off the kernels into a bowl." Unripe will cause irritation to the throat and mouth because of the oxalic acid (as, you can imagine, they don't taste good unripe either) so be patient. Once ripe, you will be rewarded with a unique, custard texture, pale yellow color, and tropical flavor of the Monstera Deliciosa.

Use: Used to flavor drinks and ice cream or can be eaten as a fresh fruit once ripened. Norman Van Aken explains, "People ask me what I do with this fruit. One thing that is wonderful is enjoying it with your cereal in the morning. And the way it ripens a little bit at a time makes the morning thing work too. In my "Great Exotic Fruit Book" which features many fruits and fruit related recipes, I have a Halloween-inspired dish. It's called "West Indian Pumpkin Pound Cake with a Monstera Mash Anglaise" Someone said it's so good it's scary"

[Steven F.]

Ugh...double post....I get so impatient. Sorry! :(

[Steven F.]

I am so frightened by this fruit now. I have never heard of it, but it scares me.

I think I want to buy one though...I like living on the edge.

[howyadoin]

I am so frightened by this fruit now. I have never heard of it, but it scares me.

I think I want to buy one though...I like living on the edge.I wonder if it'd go well with blowfish.

[Callie]

I wouldn't have the patience to let something sit and ripen in a paper bag for several months.

Where the heck did you find that thing anyway? Fiesta?

[Nikita]

http://img128.imageshack.us/img128/1948/monsteranv2.jpg





That is the coolest dildo I've ever seen.

[howyadoin]

That is the coolest dildo I've ever seen.Careful. You could lose your voice.

[Nikita]

Careful. You could lose your voice.


LOL.

You must have one too....since your throat got sore and all. ;)

[Justin Davis]

I wouldn't have the patience to let something sit and ripen in a paper bag for several months.

I think it's mostly ripe by the time it gets to the store and putting it in a closed paper bag is supposed to speed the process some.

Where the heck did you find that thing anyway? Fiesta?

Nope. While I've seen it at Whole Foods before, I actually bought this one at the HEB near me. I've yet to visit Fiesta.

[Ghost]

On top of it all, it's called a "monstera." That's just about the scariest name on a fruit I've ever heard.

[Justin Davis]

It's beginning to shed.

A little while ago, I looked at it and just noticed a bunch of tiles at the top had fallen away. I scooped out some of the fruit with a spoon, and it's quite tasty. It really is like a combo of a banana and a pineapple, but more like a banana right now. I think I accidentally popped a few off before they should have fallen because I had the tiniest itch in my throat for a few seconds. It's sitting in a paper bag now and I'm willing to bet that a good many more of the tiles will have fallen off by tomorrow. I didn't take a picture of it though because, frankly, it didn't look all that appetizing. Kind of looked like some kind of insect thing. A tasty insect thing.

[DocAbsurd]

Wasn't Durian Durian a pop group in the 80s?

I really gotta stop being such a smart-arse this early in the morning . . .




Doc 'Grills on Film' Absurd

[Tadhg Adams]

That is way, way too much work for a piece of fruit. I'd rather just take a pineapple and a bananna and put it in a blender together.