The Great Adventure?: "Apple" Season in Costa Rica

It’s Apple Season in Costa Rica!

Sort of.

Okay……not really.

Apples like this Michigan girl knows and remembers are not grown in Costa Rica. Apples that remind me of the fall seasons of my youth are imported and expensive here, and so far, there is not a Honey Crisp to be found.

But the Water Apple trees are full of fruit on the farm right now!

And their happy color gives me a hint of the feeling of fall.

What are water apples? Well, they are a fruit whose only resemblance to apples is the color. Other than that, everything is different. They are pear or plum shaped. The flesh/water ratio is similar to a watermelon. They do not taste like apples. The light-colored ones are very tart, but the ripe-red ones can be sweet and taste more like a pear or plum. They have a central seed that is surrounded by a mesh that resembles cotton candy. I can imagine it would be delicious to make a fruit pie or cobbler with them, or I could see slicing them up and sautéing them in butter.

There are several large water apple trees lining the lake just outside the cabin, and they are heavy with fruit. We have been hearing the splash of water apples falling into the water at a high rate during the last week or so. The horses love them, and can be found grazing around the lake or getting into the water to gorge upon the bounty throughout the day.