Some of the fruit in Thailand is hit and miss

[rickudon]

My experience in Udon is that you cannot rely on most vendors - including the supermarkets - to not sell you rotten fruit. As for our Big C, their cut fruit is ok, all other fruit and veg is expensive and anything discounted usually rotten. You have to hand pick most fruit. Oranges/tangerines the worst - rarely get good ones unless imported, Thais do not know what a good one tastes like, I stick to Orange juice in cartons. Generally try to buy from wholesale fruit and veg markets if Thai grown, all imported stuff from supermarket or Makro. Occasionally the local market will have local fruit and veg in season at good prices.

 

One problem is that at the ambient temperatures fruit goes overripe and rotten very quickly. cannot store for long unless in the fridge.

[worgeordie]

2 hours ago, lungbing said:

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.

Yes I put ginger in the Rhubarb jam,actually was thinking about adding some to the mango, or shredded Almonds should also work.

regards Worgeordie

[Craig krup]

15 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,

 

You can feel your teeth falling out with the pineapples. It's just a block of sugar with a load of papain digestive enzyme thrown in. The farmers seem to lift them when they're turning from a bit starchy to totally dripping like syrup. Tasty, but what it would do if eaten regularly I wouldn't want to think about. 

[Craig krup]

2 hours ago, rickudon said:

My experience in Udon is that you cannot rely on most vendors - including the supermarkets - to not sell you rotten fruit.

The little market at the south side of the concrete foot bridge just east of UD Town is quite good for veg, I think. But fruit isn't as cheap as you'd expect in what is a farming region. Full size bananas are cheaper - much - in the UK. You won't get a kg of full size bananas for 31 baht, that's for sure. Six tasteless little apples, with a load of wasteful packaging, in Big C are about 40 baht (IIRC). Efficiency matters. Western workers get paid more money, but the cost per piece of fruit is a fraction of a penny, and efficient farming, harvesting, storage and transport means that I bought five peaches in the UK for 21 baht (49p) this week. 

[Craig krup]

4 hours ago, tartempion said:

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


Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect

 

Just think how much nicer they'd be with some sharp natural yogurt on top. Mmmm. The lack of cheap dairy is one of the downsides of SE Asia and general lactose intolerance. A load of fruit with some oats is no fun at all without dairy, and the price of Dutch Mill is horrific.  

[rtr4]

12 hours ago, grollies said:

We grow our own:

 

Oranges

Mangoes

Coconut

Banana

Khanun

Champu

Lime

Gaton

Pineapple (yet to fruit)

Mangoteen

Noy nar

Great and so what? Should we envy you or what was the purpose of that post? We should stop by?

[impulse]

6 hours ago, Craig krup said:

 

Just think how much nicer they'd be with some sharp natural yogurt on top. Mmmm. The lack of cheap dairy is one of the downsides of SE Asia and general lactose intolerance. A load of fruit with some oats is no fun at all without dairy, and the price of Dutch Mill is horrific.  

 

Stay away from the imports and there are several brands of plain yogurt that aren't that unreasonable. Not as cheap as "back home" but certainly not punitive.

 

Meiji is one brand that comes to mind, and there's another that I can't recall (old timer's brain fart), both around 50-60 baht for a pint.  The import brands are outrageous here at 150-200 baht a pint.  And I'm not even sure they're imported- they may be locally made with just a high markup.

 

I put a chunk of cut pineapple on a stick, dip it into the yogurt (with a little cinnamon) and forget all about the high price of the yogurt.

 

[grollies]

5 hours ago, rtr4 said:

Great and so what? Should we envy you or what was the purpose of that post? We should stop by?

I forgot, papaya as well.

[joeyg]

10 hours ago, Craig krup said:

 

You can feel your teeth falling out with the pineapples. It's just a block of sugar with a load of papain digestive enzyme thrown in. The farmers seem to lift them when they're turning from a bit starchy to totally dripping like syrup. Tasty, but what it would do if eaten regularly I wouldn't want to think about. 

Hummm.  Fruit that is too sweet.  Hard to get my head around that.  Oh and FYI papain is found in papayas.  The valuable enzyme in pineapples is bromaline.  Also most pineapples do not contain any starch.  "The average amount of Starch contained in 100g of pineapple, based on the list below is 0.00 g of Starch.
Read more at http://www.dietandfitnesstoday.com/starch-in-pineapple.php#fqgREV2VklTsxTzs.99"    http://www.dietandfitnesstoday.com/starch-in-pineapple.php

Been eating and blending Thai pineapples for over 40 years. My teeth are in pretty good shape for almost 65. Makes you wonder huh.

Edited June 29, 2017 by joeyg

[joeyg]

4 hours ago, impulse said:

 

Stay away from the imports and there are several brands of plain yogurt that aren't that unreasonable. Not as cheap as "back home" but certainly not punitive.

 

Meiji is one brand that comes to mind, and there's another that I can't recall (old timer's brain fart), both around 50-60 baht for a pint.  The import brands are outrageous here at 150-200 baht a pint.  And I'm not even sure they're imported- they may be locally made with just a high markup.

 

I put a chunk of cut pineapple on a stick, dip it into the yogurt (with a little cinnamon) and forget all about the high price of the yogurt.

 

 I'm almost completely off dairy  now. For a while though I was making half gallons of yogurt out of fresh milk here using the Bulgaria blue label yogurt from 7/11.Just the half container of the Bulgaria yogurt used as a starter culture.

 

Edited June 29, 2017 by joeyg

[joeyg]

I've lived all over the world and tropical climates. The produce in Thailand is out of this world actually by comparison. In my opinion I think the best. Certainly the fruits I post and a blog  about the fruits and Thailand from time to time.

Edited June 29, 2017 by joeyg

[SooKee]

I find most of the natural yogurts here too sweet, same as in Malaysia, I've tried numerous different brands and pretty much gave up, I recall one of the local brands being less sweet than others but can't recall which now, but still too sweet.  About the only one I found I could use was the Farmers Union Greek which is OK, if somewhat pricey.

[joeyg]

Just now, SooKee said:

I find most of the natural yogurts here too sweet, same as in Malaysia, I've tried numerous different brands and pretty much gave up, I recall one of the local brands being less sweet than others but can't recall which now, but still too sweet.  About the only one I found I could use was the Farmers Union Greek which is OK, if somewhat pricey.

You can get the unsweetened Bulgaria blue label yogurt at 7/11 or big C. Just warm up a half gallon of milk And stir in Half the container of the Bulgaria blue label yogurt. I put the cover on the pot. I store it in the microwave, while it's not on of course, and in 24 hours you will have a half gallon of excellent homemade yogurt.  No need to boil the milk just warm it up a little. I usually dilute the half container of yogurt with a little bit of milk in a bowl That I have ladled out of the pot maybe a half a cup.  I mix it around a little bit so that it gets in solution better. If you want some insurance you can use the whole container but it's not necessary. It's the blue unsweetened Bulgaria yogurt I think 39 bhat or 49 per container. Really comes out very good it's a no-brainer. Enjoy if you like good yogurt You're in for a real treat.

[grollies]

43 minutes ago, joeyg said:

Hummm.  Fruit that is too sweet.  Hard to get my head around that.  Oh and FYI papain is found in papayas.  The valuable enzyme in pineapples is bromaline.  Also most pineapples do not contain any starch.  "The average amount of Starch contained in 100g of pineapple, based on the list below is 0.00 g of Starch.
Read more at http://www.dietandfitnesstoday.com/starch-in-pineapple.php#fqgREV2VklTsxTzs.99"    http://www.dietandfitnesstoday.com/starch-in-pineapple.php

Been eating and blending Thai pineapples for over 40 years. My Thai are in pretty good shape for almost 65. Makes you wonder huh.

One of my favorite fruit. Just chop the head off and plant out.

 

Every time I eat one I plant out. Hoping for first fruit in sround 12 months. Chemical-free.

28 minutes ago, joeyg said:

You can get the unsweetened Bulgaria blue label yogurt at 7/11 or big C. Just warm up a half gallon of milk And stir in Half the container of the Bulgaria blue label yogurt. I put the cover on the pot. I store it in the microwave, while it's not on of course, and in 24 hours you will have a half gallon of excellent homemade yogurt.  No need to boil the milk just warm it up a little. I usually dilute the half container of yogurt with a little bit of milk in a bowl That I have ladled out of the pot maybe a half a cup.  I mix it around a little bit so that it gets in solution better. If you want some insurance you can use the whole container but it's not necessary. It's the blue unsweetened Bulgaria yogurt I think 39 bhat or 49 per container. Really comes out very good it's a no-brainer. Enjoy if you like good yogurt You're in for a real treat.

Sounds good, might try that. Pineapple youghurt, hhmmmm......Does it set much or stay runny?

[joeyg]

9 minutes ago, grollies said:

One of my favorite fruit. Just chop the head off and plant out.

 

Every time I eat one I plant out. Hoping for first fruit in sround 12 months. Chemical-free.

Sounds good, might try that. Pineapple youghurt, hhmmmm......Does it set much or stay runny?

It sets pretty well.  Usually slightly more Runny than the original but still an excellent yogurt.  I think mabey using the whole container instead of half like I've been doing, might come out slightly thicker.  As I started making it I increased culturing time from 12 hours to 24 hours.  That made a better finished product.  More tart and firmer.

[billd766]

On 28/06/2017 at 8:25 AM, 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 stop being positive as you know how much it upsets many posters on TVF.

[joeyg]

There has been a glut of Durian as well.  The lowest price I saw was 70 bhat on a truck recently 100 bhat pretty standard now.  And yes mangoes are good and cheap now.  Have bought good ones for 50 bhat a kilo.  over all one of the best fruit seasons in a long time!

[Craig krup]

10 hours ago, joeyg said:

Hummm.  Fruit that is too sweet....  Also most pineapples do not contain any starch.  "

 

Well, yes, and that's the point. You eat a decent apple and it's a pleasant blend of sugar and sharpness. But the pineapples in Thailand are absolutely dripping with sugar. If I buy a pineapple in the UK it tastes of pineapple and I can eat a load of it. In Thailand they can hardly get it in the bag because it's running like golden syrup. They've got their local market sussed: pre-diabetic folk who buy without getting off the scooter.  

[joeyg]

On 6/29/2017 at 9:26 PM, Craig krup said:

 

Well, yes, and that's the point. You eat a decent apple and it's a pleasant blend of sugar and sharpness. But the pineapples in Thailand are absolutely dripping with sugar. If I buy a pineapple in the UK it tastes of pineapple and I can eat a load of it. In Thailand they can hardly get it in the bag because it's running like golden syrup. They've got their local market sussed: pre-diabetic folk who buy without getting off the scooter.  

Gee thanks that clears it up.