Help finding Loquat in Bay Area

[busyx2]

Hi,
I am trying to buy loquat as I was told it could help with my daughter's (2 yrs old) persistent coughing (flu was gone, but still coughing for the last 3 weeks), since small kid is

It's not commonly sold in regular grocery or fruit places. If you know of any place, please let me know.

[wolfe]

Should be coming into season now. Try farmers market, neighbors yards and asian stores.
http://www.thelocaldish.com/san-francisco/find-it-san-francisco/loco-for-local-loquats.html
http://gardenofeatingblog.blogspot.co...

[Robert Lauriston]

Some past sightings:

http://www.chow.com/search?query=loqu...=

Foraging is currently prohibited in most of the Bay Area due to the light brown apple moth quarantine.

[chocolatetartguy]

I have seen them in the past at Monterrey Market. I can think of at least 3 public locations where there are trees, although can vouch for neither their flavor, nor their safety.

[oldunc]

Loquats, unfortunately, deteriorate in quality at a precipitate rate immediately after picking, so have never caught on as a retail item. Monterey used to have them occasionally, with big hunks of stem attached- maybe that helped. A bit late for your daughter, perhaps, but they are quite easily grown in the Bay Area, and are a nice landscape tree- look for them in places where there are a lot of Portuguese people (my grandfather always kept us supplied).

[...tm...]

They are extremely perishible, as I've found from having a giant tree in my backyard. Any loquat off the stem goes brown at the top withing hours. Also, as a note on when the season might be, there is one bunch on my tree just starting to ripen, so it will probably be a couple more weeks until they are prevalent in the area.

[yimster]

A little too early but it should around in June and July. Asian markets has a syrup made from loquat leaves with honey which I have use for cough and it not as good as some Western cough syrups but easier on the system.

[RWCFoodie]

Organic loquats at this last Saturday's Redwood City Farmers market...

I love loquats and keep trying to work up the courage to go up and ring the doorbell to ask if I can pick some when I see them growing in someone's yard.

Hint to those who say they brown at the stem end shortly after being picked: cut them with a tiny bit of stem still attached rather than just pulling them off the branch.

[Ruth Lafler]

Do it, RWCFoodie! I am sure they will be thrilled to have someone take some of them off your hands. Most people don't eat them, and even the ones who do have more than they know what to do with.

[RWCFoodie]

Of course, you're right Ruth! I'm such a wuss about these things... Off topic: there's a house a couple of blocks from my house that has a large vegetable garden planted in the front yard. I don't know if these folks just planted a bunch of things and then found out they don't like them or what - there are huge Swiss Chard plants, artichokes, etc. growing that they don't seem to pick at all - what a waste!

[Joel]

The recommendation for cough treatment sounds to me for loquat SYRUP, not the fruit. The syrup contains many herbs besides loquat.
Here's a link:
http://health.howstuffworks.com/welln...

You can get this syrup at many Chinese or other Asian stores. There is also a cough-drop form.

Try searching for loquat cough syrup.

(on editing, I see that the original post was several weeks ago -- hope the cough has receded)

[Windy]

The syrup is also delicious. Much better than cherry cough syrup. No idea whether it works, but I don't mind a spoonful.

Doesn't have a noticeable loquat flavor though.

[yimster]

Windy they are made from the leaves of the tree not from the fruit itself. Mixed with herbs and honey which makes it tasty. As for working they do help a cough. I have one now and am taking cough syrup the Doctor give me as well as the loquat syrup with is better tasting and seem to work.

[Windy]

"a loquat a day..."

[yimster]

In the past I have only tasted loquat grown by someone. But yesterday I had some that were wild. Much smaller and not as sweet but had strong flavor and too much work for what I got. Think I will stick with the farmer ones.

[Keesey]

I love the syrup too! My grandma would give it to me in a soup spoon. I handed it back to her clean! Really delicious!

It soothes a dry throat more than it suppresses coughs.