I just got back from the local night markets after purchasing some durian- that had the plastic wrap over it. I've just opened it up to eat some and its past its used by date. Its evidently quite old and must have been sitting around for days. 240 baht is big money for this crap. 

 

Last week it was a disgusting tasting watermelon. 

 

One of my favorite fruits is the custard apple. Its quite hard to pick the good ones from the bad. 

 

Dont get me started on buying fruits from the high end chain supermarkets. A few times I've had some apples that are not fresh and tasted mai aroi. 

 

The moral to the story is that one has to be really careful when selecting fruit. 

 

My whinge is over. 

It's the waste with a lot of the fruit. One kg in weight when you buy it, and 750g in the bin. Mangosteen is a particular pain in the backside. 

 

I just ate a Sharon fruit from South Africa. Very tasty and no waste whatsoever. If this would grow in the kingdom it would be a good option. 

I used to shop mostly at one stall and they would always recommend the good stuff. However, even in America, a lot of fruit is not that great. Much of it is picked green and never ripens properly and has the wrong texture or is not that sweet. 

Everything in Thailand is hit and miss.

Like the women again hit and miss

 

Some good some bad

Stopped buying just about everything in the popup day/night markets.  Last time the orange vendor had a nice shiny and juicy cut open orange on display.  So I bought one,  which he thought was a waste of his time. I peeled it open,  it was dried out and tasteless.  I told him, mai aroi.  He just smiled.  Could care less what he was selling.

 

 

Bought some pineapples from the market,large ones 3 for 50 THB,even given another

for free,they were really nice,also bought some oranges looked nice but were very sour.

there is a glut of Mangoes at the moment,plus lots of new varieties,some huge,got 

about 8 kgs for free off friend,so busy making Mango jam, next I will make Mango

chutney .

regards worgeordie

Maybe give the recipe for mango jam, sugar mango lemon juice boil guessing

I've taken to buying my mangoes when they look great (I like the super ripe ones, just before they go off).  Then I put them in the freezer and I always have a backup fruit for those days when I don't feel like chasing down the fresh stuff. Only works on the super ripe ones, though.

 

 

53 minutes ago, worgeordie said:

Bought some pineapples from the market,large ones 3 for 50 THB,even given another

for free,they were really nice,also bought some oranges looked nice but were very sour.

there is a glut of Mangoes at the moment,plus lots of new varieties,some huge,got 

about 8 kgs for free off friend,so busy making Mango jam, next I will make Mango

chutney .

regards worgeordie

please post your recipe for mango jam. thanks

54 minutes ago, worgeordie said:

Bought some pineapples from the market,large ones 3 for 50 THB,even given another

for free,they were really nice,also bought some oranges looked nice but were very sour.

there is a glut of Mangoes at the moment,plus lots of new varieties,some huge,got 

about 8 kgs for free off friend,so busy making Mango jam, next I will make Mango

chutney .

regards worgeordie

Every time there's a negative story on here some optimistic type has to come along and put a positive spin on it.

7 minutes ago, advancebooking said:

please post your recipe for mango jam. thanks

Add passionfruit for a real tangy mango jam. Really good.

 

Try a different market.

I used to get tomatoes and sliced pineapple at my local open-air Thai market, I was finding many bad tomatoes and the pineapple was turning brown and soft quickly.

I think the vendors are trying to sell them past their time, they are trying to make a hard living..

I now get both items at Tops supermarket. I am happy.

This is not the USA, I can't expect things to be always good or I can return them.

Anyway, to throw bad food out is not costly, but I would rather not.

Fruit and vegetables are cheap and I am happy.

57 minutes ago, advancebooking said:

please post your recipe for mango jam. thanks

For every Kg Mango,(peeled ,chopped up),add 1 Kg sugar, i make 3 Kg at time

add juice 3 lemons,plus add the skins, boil until mango has almost dissolved ,

near the end boil very hard,keep stirring so does not stick,take out lemon skins,

pot into sterilized jars,either in hot water or in oven,also sterilize the lids, job done.

regards worgeordie

My Thai ex-wife told me that the fruit at the outdoor markets was expensive compared to Big C. So now I buy all my fruit there, but the fruit cut and packaged by them.....best value for money and mostly tasty and fresh. Did buy two baskets of strawberries that turned out to be bad.....froze them and returned them for exchange next visit to Big C. A little talk with the manager sorted it out. Bought cut strawberries yesterday there for 55 baht.....that was a bargain.

Great idea re freezing the super-ripe mangoes. Makro had some perfect for such idea last week, will get some tomorrow.

45 minutes ago, Mansell said:

My Thai ex-wife told me that the fruit at the outdoor markets was expensive compared to Big C. So now I buy all my fruit there, but the fruit cut and packaged by them.....best value for money and mostly tasty and fresh

  

Cheap Charlie tip:  BigC at Rama 4 marks down the fresh cut fruit after about 6:00 PM.  Significant discount.

 

2 hours ago, whaleboneman said:

Every time there's a negative story on here some optimistic type has to come along and put a positive spin on it.

When life gives you lemons - make lemonade.

This thread is hit and miss 

My partner has always told me that the best fruits go for export and the remainder is sold here.

Regarding water melons, apparently they are better tasting in the dry months as in the wet season they take in too much water, hence the loss of taste

My diet is easily 80% fruit.  My historical success with picking fruit That is correct right messages about 90%. Been vegetarian for 43 years and I've lived in tropical climates my diet tends to be about 80% fruit.  It's true I hear a lot of people complaining about buying bad fruit.   I had a large produce business in New York City years ago both wholesale and retail.

 

I think a big part of my success with picking good fruit comes from those years of being in the fruit business in New York City. My favorite places to shop here in Pattaya  is the big market on Pattaya Thai Across from the temple. But that's only for veggies.

 

I only buy dragon fruit And watermelon at Big C Which has the consistent best quality and best prices.  All other fruits I buy mostly phone vendors either on the street or off trucks.  I've got Several of the best spots Mapped out for the best quality on the individual fruits.  Durian, mangoes, mangostein etc. Don't give up or get frustrated pay attention to what you're buying and eventually learn how to buy mostly good quality.

We grow our own:

 

Oranges

Mangoes

Coconut

Banana

Khanun

Champu

Lime

Gaton

Pineapple (yet to fruit)

Mangoteen

Noy nar

29 minutes ago, joeyg said:

My diet is easily 80% fruit.  My historical success with picking fruit That is correct right messages about 90%. Been vegetarian for 43 years and I've lived in tropical climates my diet tends to be about 80% fruit.  It's true I hear a lot of people complaining about buying bad fruit.   I had a large produce business in New York City years ago both wholesale and retail.

 

I think a big part of my success with picking good fruit comes from those years of being in the fruit business in New York City. My favorite places to shop here in Pattaya  is the big market on Pattaya Thai Across from the temple. But that's only for veggies.

 

I only buy dragon fruit And watermelon at Big C Which has the consistent best quality and best prices.  All other fruits I buy mostly phone vendors either on the street or off trucks.  I've got Several of the best spots Mapped out for the best quality on the individual fruits.  Durian, mangoes, mangostein etc. Don't give up or get frustrated pay attention to what you're buying and eventually learn how to buy mostly good quality.

its interesting you say that your diet is 80% fruit. At nighttime I'm probably the same to be honest. I dont like eating heavy meals in the evenings. I dont know if I could do the 80% rule on all 3 meals a day 7 days a week though....

Durian is a tricky fruit.Out of 10 durian one will be heavenly,2 good, another 2 edible, the rest inedible.What I do is always go to the same vendor, become a regular customer, who get the good ones , the bad ones -obviously he wants to sell them all- they he will palm off on what he perceives to be one-time buyers

9 hours ago, whaleboneman said:

Every time there's a negative story on here some optimistic type has to come along and put a positive spin on it.

 

 

5 hours ago, davidst01 said:

its interesting you say that your diet is 80% fruit. At nighttime I'm probably the same to be honest. I dont like eating heavy meals in the evenings. I dont know if I could do the 80% rule on all 3 meals a day 7 days a week though....

Yep it's not for everyone that's for sure.  I try not to eat after 5 PM.  If I do it's something light.

 

11 hours ago, worgeordie said:

Bought some pineapples from the market,large ones 3 for 50 THB,even given another

for free,they were really nice,also bought some oranges looked nice but were very sour.

there is a glut of Mangoes at the moment,plus lots of new varieties,some huge,got 

about 8 kgs for free off friend,so busy making Mango jam, next I will make Mango

chutney .

regards worgeordie

Add some chopped ginger to the jam.  I even add  a spoon of powdered ginger, some shredded raw ginger and also preserved ginger to my mango jam.  But not pickled ginger, that can go in the chutney.

Buying pineapples for weeks now at the local village market. A guy with a pickup sells them for 10B/ kg, fabulous.


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3 hours ago, thecyclist said:

Durian is a tricky fruit.Out of 10 durian one will be heavenly,2 good, another 2 edible, the rest inedible.What I do is always go to the same vendor, become a regular customer, who get the good ones , the bad ones -obviously he wants to sell them all- they he will palm off on what he perceives to be one-time buyers

My Thai lady loves Durian. But she makes them open the fruit to make sure it is good, and they seem to do it for her. If it isn't great she doesn't buy....and Durian is expensive.