Dragon Fruits at 168 Market - Very Inexpensive

[liu]

This past weekend, 168 Market had a bin of dragon fruits for $1.99/lb.
They were ripe, but not mushy, and I purchased a pretty large one for just over $2.00. I have never seen them at this price.

However, I do not understand their appeal. They are a gorgeous red color. When cut, the red skin against the speckled white interior is breathtakingly beautiful...but they have very little flavor.

What am I missing?

[ipsedixit]

Even when properly ripened, dragon fruit is not going to be overpoweringly sweet or flavorful. It's best described as understated sweetness -- sort of like an unripe bosc pear, or maybe grassjelly.

[liu]

"...unripe Bosc pear" is pretty accurate for texture, but surely mine did not have the floral tones of a pear. I was expecting something more distinct; I was expecting something that I could describe.

[huaqiao]

The ones I've had in Asia(both red and white flesh) just tasted like kiwis without the tang.

[liu]

Hi, huaqiao.
The one I just ate had no tang; it also had no flavor.
I did, however, enjoy the crunchiness of the black seeds.

[Sgee]

What you find in the supermarkets are not properly ripened when they are picked. Had the same impression as you until I tried one fully ripe just picked from the tree. Very sweet with a floral undertone.

[liu]

Sgee, I think you are correct.
I have been to the tropics, and some of those fruits can not be duplicated here in the States.
For example, I have never found a plantain here in California to match those of my memory from Central America.
I wanted to blame the market, but I think certain fruits just don't import well.

[raytamsgv]

Very true. The ones I've grown taste much better than those in supermarkets. But that's probably true for most fruits.