Just back [details coming later in the week] and I find that Sicily can still surprise me, for I had never seen these on sale before:
Come to think of it, I had never seen them anywhere and I wasn't the only one, as even elderly Sicilians were asking the greengrocer what they were. Sorbe is the answer and I gather they are related to rowans and are the fruit of this tree. They seem to be a largely forgotten fruit and these come from the Etna area. The greengrocer said they can be eaten when they turn brown and I can tell you that they have a pleasant, peary taste.
Più si vive, più s'impara - you live and learn.
5 comments:
We ate fruit that looked rather like that in Malta and they were a kind of pear - they were hard but with a pear taste. I don't think I tried them when brown or soft.
I've seen that tree in Ingegnoli's (vivaio in Milan) catalog. Curious to see what you think of it.
How interesting to find new fruits, hope they taste good too. take care Anne x
I'd not heard of them before so I did some research on them, as well.
http://www.natoora.co.uk/shop/fruit/apples-and-pears/italian-sorbe/prod16700.html
http://www.bravoitalygourmet.it/uk/dett_prodotto/MjY5LTlmZWQ3ZA,,/sorb_fruit_jam.html
They sound interesting. At first when I looked at the picture you posted I thought they were loquats, but then realised they weren't. Loquats are a bit larger. It looks like they all could be related somewhere in their pasts! :)
Hi, Jenny. Interesting you may have eaten them in Malta. They were very soft when I ate some!
Hello, rowena. I thought they had quite a pleasant taste. Hi, Anne. Yes, they did taste rather good. You take care too. x Hi, Lee. Thanks for the links. Yes, probably all related!
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