The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-08-25
PASSION FRUIT.
An Australian DeIicacy That Appeals 70
All Visitors.

All visitors.
"Plums?" I asked as the steward handed
ms a dish heaped up with dark purple
globes. mo. sir. passion fruit, sir re-
Piled the steward. I glanced inquiringly
at my Sis-A-vis. an Australian girl. Don't
you know passion fruit?' she said. Then
this is one Of the great days Of your life"
How any passion fruit u I take to
make it really great'" l asked. well,
say half a dozen. and then the steward
had better put the plate out Of your reach.
for after you have tasted one you will want
to take all the rest"
So I helped myself to half q dozen, writes
a Sydney correspondent Of the London
Daily Telegraph. and found hat the dark
purple skin which had suggested plums
at first sight was in reality a hard rind.
Then. initiating my fair ~instructress, I
cut the top OF with a knife as II one were
performing d similar operation on an egg.
and I had in and a natural cup filed with
a greenish yellow pulp In which were a
number OF fattish circular seeds. And
now" l queried. We'll. there are lots
OF ways Of eating passion fruit. y she said.
but you had better. start with them au
naturel. just dip in POUR spoon and begin
and tell me what IL tastes like" With
something Of the emotion Of an explorer
entering upon q new country / put. the
luscious spoonful to my mouth. closed my
eyes. and tasted rapturously.
This Introduction TO passion fruit took
The question I Immediately put to myself
was, AWhy have We not this delicious fruit
in England2" made inquiries and l was
informed that il would not stand the sea
oyage I was further. told an anecdote
to the effect that Queen Victoria had q great
and that her wish had been gratified In re-
gard to all but the passion fruit. which IL
had been found impossible to convey home
in good condition. I am not at all pre-
pared to vouoh for the correctness OF this
assertion; on the contrary, l am much In
clined to question II. And In any case.
it seems likely that the street boy Of to-day
may be able to enjoy q luxury that. accord
ing to the story, was denied TO his sovereign,
for In the Orotava has been sent TO England
to testing the possibilities Of trade. And
II the venture proves satisfactory will
take upon myself to prophecy that In the
course OF o year or two the London public
will be readily able to procure this charming
aostsr an. md, that Ia .s IL q ys e from or tS Si. l Sst2 the
In Australia passion fruit 10 very cheap.
I have myself bought them at twelve q
penny, though these were rather poor in
quality. Nevertheless six q penny Ii q
common price. and at four a penny one
can buy first class passion fruit in most Of
the towns Of Australia. Now this 10 q trade
which has been very little worked up. II
there were q large export demand Il can
hardly be doubted that passion fruit could
be grown exceedingly cheaply.
In New South Wales passion fruit appears
to be obtainable all the year around, though
In the winter months they are less plentiful
and more expensive-up 70 Cd. a dozen.
The winter supply probably comes from
North Queensland or Fiji In summer OF
course, the fruit would be most welcome
in England. On a sultry day nothing could
be moro refreshing than some passion fruit.
Il has usually Q slightly acid taste, so that
most people prefer to eat II with powdered
sugar. Epioures say that II 10 best with a
little port wine put In the fruit before IL is
taken with the spoon out Of It's natural cup.
This 10 certainly q most seductive way Of
consuming II. Half q dozen passion fruit
emptied on q plate and mixed with sugar
and cream make u dish for u gourmet.