Passion Fruits:
- Curuba
- Banana passion fruit

Home / Origin:

The curuba grows in the cooler frost-free heights of the Columbian Andes at height of 2000-3000m, or in similar heights in Venezuela and Peru.

Description:

The curuba is the berry fruit of an evergreen vine plant. The fruit is similar to a straight banana, oblong oval, approx. 10cm long, 3-4cm thick and with a round cross section. The skin has fine hairs and changes its colour during ripening, from green to pale yellow, however a variety exists that changes to red. When ripening, a leathery fruit wall builds underneath the skin where, as the edible part, many seed kernels are protected by an orange-coloured juicy arillus (the seed sac) which supplies the real pulp. The curuba has a pleasing smell, its taste is fruity and acidic aromatic. High content of provitamin A.

Marketing :

Curubas are harvested when the green skin brightens to yellow and becomes softer and they are packaged in single layers. They will keep for 10-14 days at 10- 11° C and 85- 95% humidity, and 4 weeks at 7- 8° C. Curubas are offered year round.

Use:

For fresh eating, the fruit is halved lengthwise and spooned out, however it is very sour. When sugared, it can be used in milkshakes, yogurt, syrup, jelly, cold soups, sorbets, creams, desserts, ice cream and as topping for cakes and gateaux. To extract the juice, the seeds are separated from the pulp at the lowest level of the mixer and passed through.