The Cape Tribulation Exotic Fruit Farm presents a delicious way to sample unusual exotic tropical fruits.
There are about 20 of us gathered under the timber rotunda on Alison and Digby Gotts’ tropical fruit farm.
In the centre of the open air room, a long table is laden with large, unusual looking fruit.
There’s chilled water with cut Tahitian limes and everyone is encouraged to help themselves to a refreshing glass before Alison begins her presentation.
She starts with a good introduction – what defines a fruit? She says it’s something with seeds – something that can reproduce.
The tropical fruit she begins to show us are all exotic and not native to Cape Tribulation, but they grow well in the high 4.5m per annum rainfall here.
The Gotts began their farm with a commercial mangosteen orchard of 450 trees. These purple globes, often called the Rolls Royce of fruit, sell at southern markets for around $10 a kg.
Alison’s next fruit sample is straight from the oven and hot and salty. Really? Yes, she has produced breadfruit chips and this yummy tropical potato is an instant hit with the audience who take two at a time from the passing plate.
With a flourish of showmanship, Alison opens the next surprise – a jackfruit.
Its creamy texture reminds me of banana flavoured bubblegum somehow.
It is the perfect accompaniment to the next sample – the ice cream bean which reminds me of sweet, wet cotton wool.
We try star apples, with their strange latex and longans (dragon’s eye balls, Alison teases).
The rich orange inside of a mamey sapote is a contrast to its drab exterior and Alison tells us this makes an excellent fruit salad addition.
It makes me think of a pumpkin in its texture but tastes surprisingly sweet.
The next fruit is the only one which is being commercially produced. The atemoya or custard apple is a hit with all the audience and its cousin fruit, the rollinia, has the cameras coming out.
It has a firm, yellow exterior with black spots and is certainly as exotic looking as its name.
Alison tells us it’s sometimes called the lemon meringue pie fruit and we nod – it sure tastes like one.
Finally comes the soursop – my personal childhood favourite. Its piquant, milky white flesh makes the most amazing sorbet.
We are all encouraged to re-sample the fruits we have tried as they are lined up and cut up on plates on the long table.
Some of the guests buy the soursop and jaboticaba jams which Alison sells and then we head off on a walking tour through the orchard for around 20 minutes to meet the trees these strange and delightful fruits fall from.
The Gotts also operate a B&B on the farm in Cape Tribulation, with two attractive timber chalets available for sleepover guests.
FACT FINDER
WHAT: Exotic Fruit Tasting and Farm Tour
WHEN: Daily at 2pm. Bookings are essential
WHERE: Lot 5, Nicole Drive, Cape Tribulation,
PH: +61 7 4098 0057
COST: $12 per person
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