Sugar Apple
Sugar apples (Annona squamosa) are the fruit of one of the
most commonly grown Annona trees.
The Sugar Apple has a thick scaly rind with a creamy,
sweet pulp which comes apart in segments
each containing a shiny black seed.
It is similar in sweetness to atemoya, but has a different flavor.
This fruits is very rare in availability and go by several names
like sweetsop, custard apple, and apropos.
The fruit of the sugar apple tree is eaten out of hand,
separating the fleshy segments from the outer peel and spitting the seeds out.
The Sugar Apple is available mid-summer into fall.
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Tomatillos
Tomatillo is a round, green fruit produced inside a papery husk,
which also earns it the name husk tomato.
The papery husk is removed before eating.
The fruit is used while it is still a green color.
If you open the husk and it has begun to turn yellow,
it is actually past its prime.
Tomatillos have a slightly more acidic,
slightly less sweet flavor than ripe and unripe tomatoes.
Overall, the flavor is more vegetal and bright,
and the exteriot texture is denser and less watery.
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Mamey
Mamey is a unique, tropical tree fruit with an interior texture
that is both creamy and sweet, the vibrant salmon-colored flesh
of the ‘Pantin’ mamey sapote is unlike anything most people have ever tasted.
The flavor is a combination of sweet potato and pumpkin with
undertones of almond, chocolate, honey, and vanilla.
The ovoid, medium-large fruit has a large center pit, similar to an avocado.
The skin is generally scored at its apex end and peeled in strips.
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Longan
Longan is the fruit of the longan tree
(which is scientifically known as  Dimocarpus longan).
It looks like a berry or a grape and tastes mildly juicy and sweet.
Longan is classified within the larger group of soapberries,
which is composed of other exotic fruits, such as lychee, ackee, salt lime,
and guarana, among others. It is commonly called the dragon’s eye fruit
because the flesh of the fruit is pale white with a black seed right in the middle.
There are several ways to open a longan:You can take a light bite on the fruit,
just enough so the shell cracks open (almost in half).
Then squeeze the fruit out of its shell.
You can dig your fingernail
(or the tip of a vegetable knife)
next to the stem and peel off the skin.
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Yuca
Yuca is the root of the Cassava plant.
Use it fried, boiled, or mashed,
yuca is a nutty-flavored starch tuber
native to South America that is also found in Asia and parts of Africa.
You can prepare it in the same way you would a baked potato,
though it’s important to remove the skin first.
Yuca have a high starch content,
which makes them rather dry.
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Jack Fruit
Jackfruit is a species of tree in the fig, mulberry, and breadfruit family.
When eaten ripe and raw, the taste of jack fruit is sweet and similar to
pineapple, mango, and banana. When it’s unripe, the jack fruit has more
of a neutral flavor, like a potato, and works well in savory dishes.
How to Eat It: Jackfruit is very versatile and can be eaten raw or cooked.
To prepare it, you will first want to slice it in half and remove the yellow fruit pods
and seeds from the skin and core. You can do this with a knife or your hands.
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Turmeric
Turmeric is a spice that comes from the turmeric plant.
It has a warm, bitter taste and is frequently used to flavor
or color curry powders, mustard, butters, and cheeses.
But the root of turmeric is also used widely to make medicine.
It contains a yellow-colored chemical called curcumin,
which is often used to color foods and cosmetics.
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Quenepas
Most commonly known as the Spanish lime, quenepas is the tree in the
soapberry family with the scientific name Melicoccus bijugatus.
Quenepas is like a cross between a lime and a lychee,
with a sweet and tangy taste.
After removing the skin, the creamy, soft pulp is revealed,
which is packed with various minerals and vitamins
that can be very beneficial for human health.
Inside the fruit is a large seed,
so most people eat this fruit by sucking,
on the pulp until only the seed is left.
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Rambutan
The rambutan, Nephelium lappaceum,
is a fruit considered exotic to people outside of its native range.
The word “rambut” in the fruit name ‘rambutan’ is Malay for ‘hairy,’
and this refers to the spiky rind.
Indeed, without the soft spines on the rind,
the rambutan would resemble the lychee which is in the same botanical family.
The opening of the rambutan can be accomplished
by either cutting part way into the rind or, if fresh,
biting into it as the spines are quite soft and pose no threat.
Once the rind is cut part way around the equator of the fruit it can be pried open.
There may be some juice if the rambutan is really fresh
that you should try to catch before it drips.
It will be as sweet as the fruit you are about to enjoy.
The rambutan can now be removed from the rind by squeezing until it pops out.
There is one seed in the center which you discard as it is bitter.
The rest of the fruit is yours
to enjoy and it is quite refreshing.
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Avocado
Avocados: a luscious and delicious superfood sometimes called the
“alligator pear”. Often confused for a vegetable,
avocados are actually a fruit (technically a berry)
high in monounsaturated fats, which helps to lower LDL cholesterol.
Though the bumpy-skinned deep purple/dark green Hass avocado
is the most popular variety,
avocados come in many different shapes, sizes, textures, and colors;
sometimes changing properties once they ripen.
Varieties of Avocado: Bacon, Fuerte, Gwen, Hass,
Lamb Hass, Pinkerton, Reed, Zutano
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Pineapple
The pineapple (Ananas comosus) is a tropical plant with an edible fruit,
also called pineapples,
and the most economically significant plant in the family Bromeliaceae.
Pineapple is a delicious tropical fruit that
you can eat raw, grill, bake into tasty desserts,
or turn into yummy drinks and smoothies.
But if you’ve never eaten a pineapple before,
it can be somewhat intimidating.
Pineapples are covered in a thick and somewhat prickly skin,
and they have a large leafy stem on top too.
Luckily, peeling, cutting, and eating pineapple is quite simple,
and all you have to do is remove the top
and bottom stems, the skin, and the core.
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Malanga
Malanga is a root vegetable that’s commonly used in South America,
Africa, and some tropical regions. It has a texture similar to potatoes
and is often milled into flour that can be used for cooking.
The taste of the malanga is similar to a potato in texture,
malanga has a woodsy taste with a hint of black walnut.
How do you eat Malanga? Malanga can only be eaten cooked,
but are fortunately very simple to prepare.
Start by cleaning the root with a brush under running water,
trim the ends and remove the skin.
Rinse each piece after peeling and cover in cold water.
When it comes to cooking them try them boiled, mashed or deep fried into chips.
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Monstera
This vine is the only edible fruit-producing member of the philodendron family.
This fruit is available between June and September and is hard to come by.
It’s very unusual… it can be up to a foot long, is green, sort of shaped like a cucumber
and is covered in hexagonal tiles or scales.
As the fruit ripens, these scales or platelets fall off the fruit,
releasing a strong and sweet scent.
The smell has been compared to a combination of pineapples and bananas.
The fruit is edible and safe for humans
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Dragon Fruit
Dragon fruit, also known as pitahaya or strawberry pear,
is a tropical fruit known for its vibrant red skin and sweet, seed-speckled pulp.
Its unique look and acclaimed super food powers,
have made it popular among foodies and the health conscious.
While dragon fruit’s thick, leathery skin can be intimidating,
eating this fruit is quite simple. The trick is finding one that is perfectly ripe.
An unripe dragon fruit will be green. Look for one that is bright red.
Some spots are normal,
but too many bruise-like splotches can indicate that it’s overripe.
Like avocado and kiwi, a ripe dragon fruit should be soft but not mushy.
Here’s how to eat a fresh dragon fruit: Using a sharp knife, cut it in half lengthwise.
Scoop out the fruit with a spoon or cut it into cubes,
by cutting vertical and horizontal lines into the pulp without cutting into the peel.
Push on the back of the skin to expose the cubes and
remove them with a spoon or your fingers.
To enjoy, add it to salads, smoothies and yogurt, or simply snack on it by itself.
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Passion Fruit
Passion fruit is a nutritious tropical fruit that is gaining popularity,
especially among health-conscious people.
Despite its small size, it’s rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and plant compounds
that could benefit your health.
To eat this tropical fruit, you need to slice or rip open the rind
to expose the colorful, juicy flesh and seeds.
The seeds are edible, so you can eat them together with the flesh and juice.
The white film separating the rind from the flesh is edible as well,
but most people don’t eat it, as it’s very bitter.
Passion fruit is highly versatile and can be used in many ways.
A lot of people enjoy the fruit raw and eat it straight out of the rind.
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Star Fruit
Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables can get repetitive if you don’t try different things.
Luckily, there are many delicious fruits and vegetables to add variety to your diet.
One unusual fruit that is getting increasingly popular is star fruit.
Star fruit – or carambola – is a sweet and sour fruit
that has the shape of a five-point star.
The skin is edible, and the flesh has a mild, sour flavor
that makes it popular in several dishes.
The star fruit is yellow or green in color.
It comes in two main types: a smaller, sour variety and a larger, sweeter one.
Here’s a simple way to prepare and eat star fruit:
1. Make sure it’s ripe – a ripe star fruit should be primarily yellow
with only hints of green.
2. Rinse the fruit under water.
3. Cut off the ends.
4. Slice it.
5. Remove the seeds and enjoy.
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Cacao
The shell of the cocoa fruit feels leathery and is as hard as a nut.
During the maturation process, the skin becomes wrinkled and changes color
from green to yellowy brown before developing a reddish tinge.
The seeds, in other words the actual cocoa beans,
are surrounded by a thin, slimy, whitish fruit flesh.
As the fruit matures, the flesh contracts and the beans begin to hang loose in the pod.
Both the flesh and the beans of the cocoa pods can be eaten raw.
The flesh can be sucked away from the beans
and has a slightly citrus taste when unripe.
In a ripe condition, by contrast, it is sweet and very tasty.
The raw cocoa beans are comparable with soft nuts
and taste strongly of dark chocolate.
How to cut a Cacao fruit? Cut the cacao fruit lengthwise.
Use a spoon to scoop out the pulp.
You can use the cacao beans straight away or use them in a recipe.
By letting the pulp dry, the cacao beans will easily appear.
You can dry, roast or grind the cacao beans to make cacao powder.
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Watermelon
Watermelon is a delicious and refreshing fruit that’s also good for you.
Drinking water is an important way to keep your body hydrated.
However, eating foods that have a high water content can also help.
Interestingly, watermelon is 92% water.
What’s more, a high water content is one of the reasons
why fruits and vegetables help you feel full.
The combination of water and fiber
means you’re eating a good volume of food without a lot of calories.
Would it even be summer
without the sweet and sticky juice of watermelon running down your face?!
Nope.
But when faced with cutting a giant watermelon, it can be hard to know where to start.
These four easy steps will have you eating the fruit in no time.
1. Cut off the ends.
Lay the watermelon on a cutting board
and trim both ends with a sharp (or serrated) knife.
2. Slice in half.
Stand up the watermelon and slice down the middle to create two big halves.
3. Quarter.
Lay each half flesh side-down and cut in half again. You’ll have a total of 4 long pieces.
4. Make triangles.
Turn each quartered piece horizontal and slice into 1″ strips to create triangles.
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Lychee
The lychee is a small tropical fruit from the soapberry family.
Known for their sweet and flowery flavor,
they’re typically eaten fresh and sometimes used in ice creams
or processed into juice, wine, sherbert, and jelly.
They’re a good source of several vitamins, minerals, and healthy antioxidants.
Lychees have an inedible, pink-red, leathery skin,
which is removed before consumption.
The flesh is white and surrounds a dark seed in the center.
Here’s how you eat a Lychee:
1) Find the stem.
2) Use your fingernail to puncture the peel at the stem to start the peeling process.
3) Peel the peel away from the pale white fruit inside.
4) Keep peeling until you’ve got the fruit completely out of the peel.
5) There is a big pit inside. Eat the fruit around the pit.
Or just tear the fruit off the pit and eat. That’ll get messy though!
Discard the peel and pit.
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Lime
Limes are sour, round, and bright green citrus fruits.
They’re nutritional powerhouses – high in vitamin C, antioxidants, and other nutrients.
Because limes are loaded with nutrients, they may help boost your immunity,
reduce heart disease risk factors, prevent kidney stones,
aid iron absorption, and promote healthy skin!
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Papaya
Papayas come in various shapes and sizes.
All types are delicious, brimming with vitamin C, other nutrients, and antioxidants.
Papaya is especially wonderful for anyone with a sensitive stomach,
irritable bowel syndrome, or poor digestion.
Papaya contains a special digestive enzyme called papain,
which is why the fruit is revered as a powerful digestive aid.
It’s recommended that you pick local fruit.
As with all fruit, papaya is the best when locally grown and picked.
If it is available in your area, pick or purchase it for the best taste.
Papayas are very soft and can be cut with a spoon,
but for a smooth edge use a paring knife.
Scoop out and discard the black seeds at the center with a spoon.
Rinse inside and it’s ready to be delighted!
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Banana
Bananas are one of the most widely consumed fruits in the world for good reason.
Eating them could help lower blood pressure
and reduce the risks of cancer and asthma.
Fresh bananas are available year-round.
Unlike other fruits, the ripening process of bananas
does not slow down after they are picked.
Bananas should be stored at room temperature.
The warmer the temperature, the faster bananas will ripen.
However, to slow ripening, bananas should be refrigerated.
The outer peel of the banana will darken but the banana itself will stay intact longer.
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Aloe Vera
Aloe vera gel is widely known to relieve sunburn and help heal wounds.
But did you know that your favorite potted plant
can be used for much more than sunburn relief and household décor?
The succulent has a long history of being used for medicinal purposes,
dating back to ancient Egypt. Today, aloe vera is grown in tropical climates worldwide.
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White Guava
White Guava has more sugar, starch, Vitamin C and more seed than pink guava.
It is sweeter than pink guava but has less water content and more fiber.
When choosing white guavas,
look for fruits that are free of blemishes and mushy spots,
and store them at room temperature. They may be eaten skin, flesh, seeds and all,
although some prefer to juice the fruit and strain out the pips.
Firm white guavas are delicious out of hand or sliced into a salad,
while the juice of softer, sweeter ones
is delicious in mixed drinks, sorbets, preserves, and more.
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Ginger
Ginger is among the healthiest (and most delicious) spices on the planet.
It is loaded with nutrients and bio active compounds
that have powerful benefits for your body and brain.
Whenever possible, choose fresh ginger over the dried form of the spice
since it is not only superior in flavor but contains higher levels of gingerol
as well as ginger’s active protease (it’s anti-inflammatory compound).
When purchasing fresh ginger root, make sure it is firm, smooth and free of mold.
Ginger is generally available in two forms, either young or mature.
Mature ginger, the more widely available type, has a tough skin that requires peeling
while young ginger does not need to be peeled.
To remove the skin from fresh mature ginger, peel with a paring knife.
The ginger can then be sliced, minced or julienned.
The taste that ginger imparts to a dish depends upon
when it is added during the cooking process.
Added at the beginning, it will lend a subtler flavor
while added near the end, it will deliver a more pungent taste.
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Soursop
Also called graviola, soursop is a large, spiny, green tropical fruit
with a sweet flesh that is the basis for several beverages, ice creams
and other sweet foods popular in South America.
Beyond its usefulness as a food, however, soursop also contains natural compounds
with medicinal properties, making it potentially beneficial for your health.
It tastes like a pineapple and goes by a variety of names,
including custard apple, graviola, and guanabana.
To enjoy a soursop fruit,
peel away the tough outer skin and remove the toxic inner seeds.
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ANHINGA
WHITE IBIS
WHITE IBIS
WOOD STORK 
WOOD STORK
RED-WINGED BLACK BIRD
BLACK BIRD
BLACK BIRD
Sign by the entrance to the Wetlands
Iguana
Great Blue Heron & White Ibis in the background
White Ibis 
Gray-headed Swamphen
Great Blue Heron
White Ibis
Great Blue Heron & White Ibis in the background
Great Blue Heron and White Ibis in the background
Alligator
Gray-headed Swamphen
Iguana
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