I’ve decided to write more about the various food items one might encounter in China. So, when the fancy strikes me, I shall cast my spotlight upon whatever I find worthy of such attention.
This evening, I am inspired by the loquat. In Chinese, that would be 枇杷 (pi2 pa). They seem to be in season around this time of year, so you will see street vendors and market stalls stocked with twigs bearing a multitude of these smallish, oblong orange fruit. The texture reminds me somewhat of a very ripe nectarine or apricot, maybe, and the ones I am eating are very mild and sweet, with just a touch of acidity. Inside you will find a cluster of large seeds (I think 4-6 of them), which are very bitter and contain a bit of hydrogen cyanide. This is important to remember because some people use the seeds for various purposes, and consuming too much of that will kill you. But hey, what’s life without a few risks?
Anyway, there were some loquats in the fridge, and now there aren’t so many. They’re said by some to have a mild sedative effect when eaten in quantity, so we’ll see if I sleep any better tonight.
I remembered to take a picture of one of the last ones as an afterthought. They’re just so tasty!
