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| Candied fruit from Tere's Latin Market |
I actually returned to the Mexican market on Rte 40 because of a comment about candied fruit by Blith on a former post. I miss the fruit that I used to buy at the shuttered Estrellita's in Elkridge. So I snapped up candied limes and figs near the cash register.
The candied lime is exquisite. The figs taste incredibly sweet. Great if you want the rush, and somehow calling me to chop them as an ingredient for Christmas cookies. But the lime is something special. The flesh has dried, so slices of citrus rind cut off come tart and slightly sweet. The rind has a pleasant, chewy texture like dried fruit.
I have been slicing pieces of lime as a treat. They last for months. (I think.) But the candied limes are so valuable because, like sausages and good pickles, they're convenience food for us because someone already invested time to make them. In 60 seconds, I could quarter them to jazz up a dessert plate. They'd go great with chocolate. I have been trying to think of a well-paired cheese for an offbeat cheese plate. They could certainly be diced or sliced as a topping on sugar cookies -- a variation on the candied orange here.
Whatever you do, the limes and Tere's tacos make many reasons to stop by the market.
The one down side of candied fruit is that it kills my enthusiasm for our beloved Mike and Ikes. The complex mix of bitter, sour and sweet just make fake fruit flavors seem wrong, at least temporarily. When I visited, Tere's only had figs and limes. Has anyone seem broader selections either at Tere's or somewhere else that sells candied fruit?
I need to try Tere's. I enjoy R&R and their variety, but I far prefer Melita's Taco truck in Elkridge. Carne Asada, Al Pastor, Chicken, Shrimp, Lengua--all have much more flavor than R&R and with a lot more meat.
ReplyDeleteI still try and get R&R for breakfast when I can though--chilaquiles con huevo are fantastic :)
These candied fruits (whole limes, whole oranges, whole figs, etc) are available at my local mexican grocer here in Kennesaw, GA - But I want to try to make them myself. I have seen many recipes for candied fruit rinds, but never for whole fruits like this - Does anyone have a recipie for these kind of whole candied/dried/partially hollowed out fruits?
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