For this week’s market madness, I bring you the taxo, also known as a banana passion fruit. However, I highly doubt that anyone knows what a banana passion fruit is either. Not to worry, I’ll tell you everything you need to know about this little gem found nearly year-round in markets throughout the Andes region.
Appearance: About 4-5 inches in length, the skin is yellow like a banana. Inside hundreds of small seeds can be found covered in a slimy dark orange fruit (similar to a passion fruit or last week’s granadilla)
Taste: Taxos have a tart, acidic taste that makes you pucker just a bit. I recommend eating taxo in the form of juice or ice cream and with lots of sugar. The seeds inside make the fruit a bit tedious to eat raw.
Cost: 3-4/50¢
Preparation: Scoop out the fruit and seeds from the skin, discard the skin.
Juice:
1. For one glass of juice, prepare 3 taxos, 1 cup of milk or water, and 1 tbsp of sugar.
2. In a blender, mix everything.
3. When well mixed, use a strainer to separate the seeds from the juice.
5. Pour into your favorite whiskey glass (just to really show your Ecuadorian-ness).
4. Buen provecho!
Depending on how sour/sweet you like your juice, you can add more/less sugar. If prepared with milk, its best not to leave it set for too long as the taxo is acidic and it will start to separate from the milk.