The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-10-06
PAS SION FRUIT.
An Australian Delicaoy That Appeals
 to All Visitors.

"Plums?' I asked as the steward hand ed me dish heaped up with dark purple globes. No, sir; passion fruit. sir,' re- piled the stewart. I glanced inquiringly at my vis-a-vis, an Australian girl Don't you know passion frult?" she said Then this Is one of the great days of your life." How many passion fruit must I take to make it really great?" I asked. Well, say half dozen. and then the stewart had better put the plate out of your reach. for after you have tasted one you will want to take all the rest"
 So l helped myself to half dozen, writes Sydney correspondent of the London Telegraph, and found that the dark purple skin which had suggested plums at first sight was in reality a hard rind. Then, initiating my fair in- structress, I cut the top off with knife as if one were performing a similar oper- ation on an egg. and had in hand a nat ural cup filled with a greenish yellow pulp in which were a number of fiattish cir cIlar seeds. And now?" I queried. well, there arc lots of ways of eating passion fruit" she said but you had better start with them au naturel. Just dip in your spoon and begin and toll me what 1t tastes like" With something of the emotion of an explorer entering upon a new country I put the luscious spoon ful to my mouth, closed my eyes and tasted rapturously
 This introduction to passion fruit took place on a liner on the Australian coast The question I immediately put to myself was Why have we not this delicious fruit in England?9 I made inquiries, and l was informed that 1t would not stand the sea voyage. I was further told an anecdote to the effect that Queen Vic- toria had a great desire to taste all the fruits of her empire and that her wish had been gratifed In regard to all but the passion fruit, which 1t had been found impossible to convey home in good con- dition. I am not at all prepared to vouch for the correctness of this assertion. On the contrary, I am much inclined to question 1t. And in any case it seems likely that the street boy of today may be able to enjoy luxury that, according to the story, was denied to his sovereign, for in the Orotava has been sent to Eng land a consignment of passion fruit with view to testing the possibilities of trade. And If the venture proves satisfactory will take upon myself to prophecy that In the course of a year or two the Lon don public will be readily able to procure this charming fruit and that in a year or two longer the coster will be selling 1t from his barrow.
 In Australia passion fruit s very cheap. I have myself bought them at twelve a penny, though these were very poor in quality Nevertheless six a penny is a common price, and at four a penny one can buy first class passion fruit in most of the towns of Australia. Now, this Is trade which has been very little worked up If there were . large export de- mand, 1t can hardly be doubted that pas sion fruit could be grown exceedingly cheap.
 In New South Wales passion fruit ap- pears to be obtainable all the year round, though in the winter months they are less plentiful and more expensive-up to sixpence a dozen. The winter supply probably comes from North Queensland or Fill In summer of course the fruit would be most welcome in England On sultry day nothing could be more re- freshing than some passion fruit. It has usually slightly acid taste, so that most people prefer to eat it with powdered sugar. Epicures say that 1t is best with A little port wine put in the fruit before 1t is taken with the spoon out of It's nat ural acup. This is certainly a most se- ductive way of consuming t. Half q dozen passion fruit emptled on 8 plate and mixed with sugar and cream make dish for gourmet.