Unique Fruits and Vegetables from Colombia

Call yourself an experienced South American traveler? Here’s a quick little quiz for you. Read the description, then try to guess the name of the fruit or vegetable described. You can check your answers later in the article.

Can You Guess The Names of These Strange Foods?

1. I’m long and yellow but I’m not a banana. You can boil me or roast me while I’m green or later when I’m sweet and yellow. Can you guess what I am? That’s right! __________ Enjoy me roasted plantain with cheese.

2. What’s red on the inside and the outside with spines all over on the outside? Even my juice is red. My juice is used in food coloring, body paint and makeup. Do you know what I am? Can you say __________?

3. Hey, I’ll bet you’ve eaten me many times before. I’m really hard and brown on the outside and have water inside of me. I have white meat and you can make “milk” from me too. What am I? Easy one! I’m a __________, of course. You often find vendors selling my milk by the glass in Quito, Ecuador. I sometimes have a rarely-seen seed which grows inside my hard shell and will cause it to sprout.

4. I grow on a vine in bunches but I’m not grapes because I’m orange with tiny little seeds inside of me. My leaves grow all around me and you need to peel them off before you eat me. What am I called? C’mon, take a guess… We’re __________!

5. If you like green peppers you should like me too. You can stuff me and bake me and I’m delicious. Do you know my name? I’m called __________ I am often stuffed and baked with meat, rice, vegetables and seasonings – Yum!

6. My orange shell is thick but easy to crack open. I have a texture like “jelly” inside with many small crunchy black seeds. Do you know what I am? A __________, that’s what

7. This is a tougher one to guess. What’s a tuber like carrots, but smaller, slightly curved and purple on the outside. No, I’m not sweet either, but you’ll like me cooked with milk and cheese. Did you guess __________? Great!

8. My name in English is “Dragon Fruit” but I more commonly known by another name. My thick creamy texture inside is filled with small, extremely hard black seeds. Don’t eat too many of me at one time though or I’ll give you “loose bowels”! Whether I’m small or large, I’m a delicious yellow exotic fruit. I’m a __________

9. My name means “happy apple” and I’m smooth and creamy inside with smooth, hard black seeds. I come in segments which make me easier to eat. Although I’m a strange looking, punk-rocker style fruit, you’ll just love my sweetness. What’s my name? I’m a _________. Enjoy my sweet, creamy smoothness.

10. Just imagine a giant string bean and you’ll have a close idea of what I look like outside. Inside, I have segments which each have a large black seed. My pulp looks like cotton and tastes sweet. What am I? Do you know? I’m a __________

11. I just bet at one time or another you laid under my branches at the beach. This swaying tree has me as its fruit. We grow in bunches of up to 500. To eat us you must boil us for a couple of hours, then peel us. We’re great with a little salt or dipped in honey. We’re very high in cholesterol so you shouldn’t eat too many of us or have us too frequently. Do you know what we are? That’s right, we’re __________

12. You probably have never seen any other fruit like me. I’m white, smooth and creamy on the inside and have spiky green skin on the outside. My thick meat is very sweet too. One great way to eat me is blended together with milk to make a wonderful, tasty smoothie. Often I’m so big and heavy you can’t use all of me at once. What am I? I’m a __________

How did you do at guessing the names of these exotic fruits and vegetables?

Now Check Your Answers

1. That’s right! “Plantain“

2. Can you say “Achiote“?

3. Easy one! “Coconut“, of course

4. C’mon, take a guess… We’re “Uchuvas“!

5. I’m called “Archucha“

6. A “Granadilla“, that’s what

7. Did you guess “Ullucos“? Great!

8. I’m a “Pitaya“

9. I’m a “Chirimoya“

10. I’m a “Guama“

11. That’s right, we’re “Chontaduros”.

12. I’m a “Guanabana“

Travel in Colombia and Ecuador

Among the joys and benefits of foreign travel is the opportunity to try out exotic fruits, vegetables and other local foods. When traveling in Colombia or Ecuador, you can sample these unique taste experiences for yourself. Bon Appetite!