Tag: South Florida Tropicals

South Florida Tropicals: Avocado

Avocados growing on a tree. Avocado fruit. UF/IFAS Photo by Tyler Jones.

This 4-page fact sheet is a major revision that discusses the background, availability, selection, ripening, storage, uses, yield, nutritive value, and basic, safe preparation of the avocado. The document also contains several avocado-based recipes. Written by Linda B. Bobroff and Amy Simonne, and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, revised January 2018.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/he606

South Florida Tropicals: Carambola

The names carambola and mamey sapote may not be household words yet, but researchers at the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences say these tropical "designer" fruits may bring sweet success for South Florida growers who lost hundreds of acres of groves and farmland in Hurricane Andrew. Tropical fruit crops specialist Jonathan Crane, shown tasting a carambola or "star fruit" at UF/IFAS' Tropical Research and Education Center in Homestead, is working with farmers to establish the new crops in the area. UF/IFAS economists say the fruits, already popular in Asian and Hispanic cultures, could create valuable new markets for South Florida.The carambola or star fruit is native to Southeast Asia. It was introduced to Florida about 100 years ago. This 4-page fact sheet is a major revision that discusses availability, selection, uses, nutritive value, and food safety during preparation of carambola. This document also includes several recipes. Written by Amy Simonne and Linda B. Bobroff, and published by the UF Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, revised April 2017.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/he613