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Chayote, choko, mirliton in the USA.
G'day G'day Folks,
In New Zealand it is the season where chokos are plentiful. Now these vegetables are excellent for T2 diabetics because they have such low levels of carbohydrate that they don't bump up blood glucose significantly. Truth to tell, I mentioned them on a diabetes support group. Now people are asking about them in the US and frankly I don't know where one can obtain them there. Can someone please help. If only 1% of American diabetics wanted to know that would be 160 000 people. Thanks, -- Quentin Grady ^ ^ / New Zealand, #,# [ / \ /\ "... and the blind dog was leading." http://homepages.paradise.net.nz/quentin |
Chayote, choko, mirliton in the USA.
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Chayote, choko, mirliton in the USA.
On Fri, 30 May 2003 18:57:40 +1200, Quentin Grady
wrote: G'day G'day Folks, In New Zealand it is the season where chokos are plentiful. Now these vegetables are excellent for T2 diabetics because they have such low levels of carbohydrate that they don't bump up blood glucose significantly. Truth to tell, I mentioned them on a diabetes support group. Now people are asking about them in the US and frankly I don't know where one can obtain them there. Can someone please help. If only 1% of American diabetics wanted to know that would be 160 000 people. We call them 'chayote', I've also seen them called 'mirliton' and 'vegetable pear'. We can obtain them in ordinary supermarkets (northeastern USA). I can get them from the two ordinary, fairly basic supermarkets in my very rural area of Pennsylvania. This makes me think that they are widely available. I could also buy them in Delaware, New Jersey, and Maryland when we lived there. Here's a page describing them from an American supermarket chain (Wegman's). http://www.wegmans.com/kitchen/ingre...es/chayote.asp Wegman's is a sophisticated (excellent!) supermarket, it is not one of the 'two ordinary, fairly basic' supermarkets in our town (referred to above). The fairly basic supermarkets also have them. Pat |
Chayote, choko, mirliton in the USA.
On Fri, 30 May 2003 18:57:40 +1200, Quentin Grady
wrote: G'day G'day Folks, In New Zealand it is the season where chokos are plentiful. Now these vegetables are excellent for T2 diabetics because they have such low levels of carbohydrate that they don't bump up blood glucose significantly. Truth to tell, I mentioned them on a diabetes support group. Now people are asking about them in the US and frankly I don't know where one can obtain them there. Can someone please help. If only 1% of American diabetics wanted to know that would be 160 000 people. Seeds available he http://themangrovetree.home.attbi.com/seeds.htm I've gotten the fruits at WalMart. |
Chayote, choko, mirliton in the USA.
I recently tried them; they're very good similar to a winter squash, and I'm
wondering if they're easy to grow or not; they're common in the stores here, not cheap tho'; the site shows they're selling an embryo; hard to tell if it's a tree fruit or a squash like plant; I think there's a seed in the middle of them; maybe I should buy another and try planting it. (I enjoyed drawing a face on mine and it looked like a little toothless face). ares "Pat Meadows" wrote in message ... On Fri, 30 May 2003 18:57:40 +1200, Quentin Grady wrote: G'day G'day Folks, In New Zealand it is the season where chokos are plentiful. Now these vegetables are excellent for T2 diabetics because they have such low levels of carbohydrate that they don't bump up blood glucose significantly. Truth to tell, I mentioned them on a diabetes support group. Now people are asking about them in the US and frankly I don't know where one can obtain them there. Can someone please help. If only 1% of American diabetics wanted to know that would be 160 000 people. We call them 'chayote', I've also seen them called 'mirliton' and 'vegetable pear'. We can obtain them in ordinary supermarkets (northeastern USA). I can get them from the two ordinary, fairly basic supermarkets in my very rural area of Pennsylvania. This makes me think that they are widely available. I could also buy them in Delaware, New Jersey, and Maryland when we lived there. Here's a page describing them from an American supermarket chain (Wegman's). http://www.wegmans.com/kitchen/ingre...es/chayote.asp Wegman's is a sophisticated (excellent!) supermarket, it is not one of the 'two ordinary, fairly basic' supermarkets in our town (referred to above). The fairly basic supermarkets also have them. Pat |
Chayote, choko, mirliton in the USA.
On Fri, 30 May 2003 13:48:30 GMT, "ares"
wrote: I recently tried them; they're very good similar to a winter squash, and I'm wondering if they're easy to grow or not; they're common in the stores here, not cheap tho'; the site shows they're selling an embryo; hard to tell if it's a tree fruit or a squash like plant; I think there's a seed in the middle of them; maybe I should buy another and try planting it. (I enjoyed drawing a face on mine and it looked like a little toothless face). They're in the gourd (and squash) family (Cucurbitae). IIRC, they need a really long growing season - as would be found in places like Florida, Louisiana, SoCal, southern Texas, but not in most of the USA. (I could find out for sure if our *&*!@% ISP had a decent connection to the WWW - currently, I cannot use the WWW.) Pat |
Chayote, choko, mirliton in the USA.
On Fri, 30 May 2003 13:48:30 GMT, "ares" wrote:
I recently tried them; they're very good similar to a winter squash, and I'm wondering if they're easy to grow or not; they're common in the stores here, not cheap tho'; the site shows they're selling an embryo; hard to tell if it's a tree fruit or a squash like plant; I think there's a seed in the middle of them; maybe I should buy another and try planting it. (I enjoyed drawing a face on mine and it looked like a little toothless face). ares There's one big seed in the middle. I just read about how to grow them. In the autumn, you put at least two (you need two plants for pollination) fruits in a dark place like a cupboard and let them sprout. Then you set the fruits sideways in some potting soil in a warmish place until it's warm enough to plant tender things outdoors. Take them outside and plant them near a big trellis or fence, fastening them to the trellis as they grow.. One thing I read said they need really rich, wonderful soil, and another said they do well in poor soil. Anyway, they make huge vining plants with up to 200 fruits per plant, but you have to get them started early if you're to get fruit in a short growing season. They're perennial in warm climates, and make tubers like dahlias which you can leave in the ground or eat. Maybe in colder climes you could lift the tubers and store them in the basement for the winter. --Rebecca |
Chayote, choko, mirliton in the USA.
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On Fri, 30 May 2003 00:54:59 -0700, Bill wrote: Around here in So. Cal. USA there easily found in supermarkets under the name chayote squash; probably due to our large Hispanic population. The wife and I both like them, they're a great addition to my matso ball soup. I imagine they'd be carried in stores catering to latin american patrons in other parts of the country. I've never seen the seeds for sale though; I would love trying to grow them. Bill G'day G'day Bill, Thanks. There is a good reason why you won't see seed. The seed quickly becomes non viable so the usual technique locally is to plant the whole chayote squash with the narrow end up. Best wishes, -- Quentin Grady ^ ^ / New Zealand, #,# [ / \ /\ "... and the blind dog was leading." http://homepages.paradise.net.nz/quentin |
Chayote, choko, mirliton in the USA.
This post not CC'd by email
On Fri, 30 May 2003 13:48:30 GMT, "ares" wrote: I recently tried them; they're very good similar to a winter squash, and I'm wondering if they're easy to grow or not; they're common in the stores here, not cheap tho'; the site shows they're selling an embryo; hard to tell if it's a tree fruit or a squash like plant; I think there's a seed in the middle of them; maybe I should buy another and try planting it. (I enjoyed drawing a face on mine and it looked like a little toothless face). ares G'day G'day Ares, I like the thought of the toothless face. There shape lends them to that ... once you think of it. Perhaps there could be competitions. The chayote vines grow rampantly. They are great if one wants to cover something unsightly but give them lots of room. Best wishes, -- Quentin Grady ^ ^ / New Zealand, #,# [ / \ /\ "... and the blind dog was leading." http://homepages.paradise.net.nz/quentin |
Chayote, choko, mirliton in the USA.
This post not CC'd by email
On Fri, 30 May 2003 19:13:16 GMT, rebecca wrote: On Fri, 30 May 2003 13:48:30 GMT, "ares" wrote: I recently tried them; they're very good similar to a winter squash, and I'm wondering if they're easy to grow or not; they're common in the stores here, not cheap tho'; the site shows they're selling an embryo; hard to tell if it's a tree fruit or a squash like plant; I think there's a seed in the middle of them; maybe I should buy another and try planting it. (I enjoyed drawing a face on mine and it looked like a little toothless face). ares There's one big seed in the middle. G'day G'day Rebecca, The seed is very soft. There is probably a knack of cutting around the seed to dice the flesh for stir fry but I haven't found it. I just read about how to grow them. In the autumn, you put at least two (you need two plants for pollination) fruits in a dark place like a cupboard and let them sprout. Hadn't heard about the pollination issue. Then you set the fruits sideways in some potting soil in a warmish place until it's warm enough to plant tender things outdoors. Take them outside and plant them near a big trellis or fence, fastening them to the trellis as they grow.. One thing I read said they need really rich, wonderful soil, and another said they do well in poor soil. Anyway, they make huge vining plants with up to 200 fruits per plant, but you have to get them started early if you're to get fruit in a short growing season. They're perennial in warm climates, and make tubers like dahlias which you can leave in the ground or eat. Maybe in colder climes you could lift the tubers and store them in the basement for the winter. --Rebecca Thanks Rebecca, I've also read about the tubers being edible but have never seen them for sale. Its rather exciting rediscovering this information. -- Quentin Grady ^ ^ / New Zealand, #,# [ / \ /\ "... and the blind dog was leading." http://homepages.paradise.net.nz/quentin |
Chayote, choko, mirliton in the USA.
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Chayote, choko, mirliton in the USA.
On Fri, 30 May 2003 13:48:30 GMT, "ares" wrote:
I recently tried them; they're very good similar to a winter squash, and I'm wondering if they're easy to grow or not; they're common in the stores here, not cheap tho'; the site shows they're selling an embryo; hard to tell if it's a tree fruit or a squash like plant; I think there's a seed in the middle of them; maybe I should buy another and try planting it. (I enjoyed drawing a face on mine and it looked like a little toothless face). You might enjoy the book "Play with your Food" by Saxton Freymann & Joost Elffers. It's a lovely photo book with veg and fruit treated to some alterations to make very interesing portraits. When I first heard of it, I thought it was about creative garnishing, which it kind of is, but more than that and a lot of fun to read. My library has it. |
Chayote, choko, mirliton in the USA.
IS this the same as a mirliton? i see it in the subject line, but
don't see a mention to it (mirliton) in any posts. the picture on the mangrove garden link looks like what we here in louisiana know as mirliton. if so, it is very popular here and grows rather easily. |
Chayote, choko, mirliton in the USA.
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