"bread and chocolate" of Mauritius. What is the national cuisine, traditional dishes and food in Mauritius? Sweet potato pie

Of course, in a tropical country like Mauritius, you can find a variety of tropical fruits. Thus, you can find on the island not only coconuts, mangoes, lychees, papayas, pineapples and bananas, but also much more exotic fruits that may be unknown to you.
You may have heard that, due to the risk of illness, it is imperative to rinse fruits in Mauritius and try to consume only fresh fruits. But still, it is imperative to eat fruit while relaxing!
Below are some descriptions of tropical fruits and various vegetables that can be found in Mauritius.

Fruit in Mauritius:

Longan.
This fruit, originally from Asia, spread over time to Mauritius. It can be compared in many ways with lychee, since it grows, for example, in the same way as lychee (on trees about 20 meters in height). The longan fruit itself is somewhat smaller in size and has a brownish inedible hard shell. If you remove it, you will see a whitish sweet and aromatic flesh. Longan can be consumed with food or eaten fresh. The season for this fruit begins in Mauritius in mid-January.

Tamarind.
Tamarind in Mauritius is called Tamarin. Fruit pods form on the tamarind tree. They are about 10 cm long and have inner cores that are surrounded by a highly acidic pulp. You can open the pods and take out the cores. But be careful as they are really very sour. Tamarin is mainly used to make juices, sauces, or in a sweetened form as a syrup.

Breadfruit.
The round fruits of this tree have a diameter of about 12 cm. The peel of the fruit is initially green, and it turns yellow gradually, reaching a brownish color during the ripening process. This fruit tastes best when you soak it in boiling water for about 20 minutes. The taste of a breadfruit can be compared to that of soft boiled potatoes or even bread. Cooked fruits can be seasoned with oil, salt and honey.

Jackfruit.
This fruit hangs on a 10-meter tree and bears some resemblance to a breadfruit. Jackfruit, however, is much larger, since it has a diameter of about 20-25 cm. The shell of this fruit is uneven or warty. If you cut the fruit, you will smell an unpleasant smell. Therefore, jackfruit is also known as a smelly fruit. The pulp tastes great despite the unpleasant odor. This taste can be compared to that of a banana. The consistencies, however, are completely different.

Vegetables in Mauritius:

A large number of vegetables are used in Mauritius cuisine. In addition to the tomatoes, carrots, zucchini, eggplants and other vegetables we know, in Mauritius, in markets, supermarkets and even in small grocery stores, you will find many unknown vegetables.

Chuchu.
Chuchu or chayote is a plant of the pumpkin family. The fruits are about 8 cm long and oval in shape. The shell is provided with rough hairs. There is a flat core inside. The flavor of this vegetable can be defined as a mixture of potatoes and kohlrabi.

Concombre.
This vegetable is also called Lebanese cucumber. It is much lighter in color than the cucumber we know and differs in that it has a smooth surface and a larger diameter. It contains many small kernels inside, but these can be easily removed. Concombre tastes very much like our cucumber.

Arriving in a warm country, you come across an abundance of exotic fruits, the name of which I heard for the first time. Let's figure it out, with these "overseas fruits", a complete overview of the tropical fruits of the world of warm countries that you need to try. For each tropical fruit, below is a description, flavor, ripening seasons, and how to cut and consume it.

Round red fruit, up to 4 cm in diameter. Wonderful, delicious fruit. It has one bone in the middle. It is similar to Longon in shape, texture and bone, but with a richer taste and aroma. Very juicy, sweet, sometimes sour. The peel is easily separated from the white-transparent flesh.

Unfortunately, fresh Lychee can not be consumed all year round: the Lychee harvest season begins in May and lasts until the end of July. The rest of the year, it is almost impossible to find.

In the off-season in Asia, you can purchase canned Lychee in cans or plastic bags in your own juice or coconut milk.

Ripe fruits can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. Peeled fruits can be frozen and stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Lychee contains a lot of proteins, pectin, potassium, magnesium and vitamin C. A very high content of niacin - vitamin PP, which actively prevents the development of atherosclerosis. The widespread prevalence of Lychee in the countries of Southeast Asia (Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand) is the reason for the low level of atherosclerosis in this region.

Rambutan (Rambutan, Ngo, "hairy fruit from Thailand").

Round fruits of red color, up to 5 cm in diameter, covered with soft processes like thorns. The pulp that covers the stone is a transparent-white elastic mass with a pleasant sweet taste, sometimes with a sour tint. The bone is quite tightly connected to the pulp, and is edible.

Contains carbohydrates, protein, calcium, phosphorus, iron, niacin and vitamin C. The fruits have a short shelf life - up to 7 days in the refrigerator.

Harvesting season: May to October.

Peel by cutting the peel with a knife, or without using a knife, as if twisting the fruit in the middle.

Rambutan is eaten fresh, jams and jellies are made, and canned.

Mangosteen (Mangosteen, mangosteen, mangosteen, garcinia, mancut).

Fruits are about the size of a small dark purple apple. Beneath the thick, inedible skin is the edible pulp in the form of cloves of garlic. The pulp is sweet with sourness, very tasty, unlike anything else. Generally seedless, although some fruits contain small soft bones that can be eaten.

Sometimes there are diseased Mangosteen fruits, with a dark creamy, sticky and unpleasant-tasting pulp. Such fruits cannot be identified until you peel them.

The harvest season is from April to September.

Natural biologically active substances contained in mangosteen reduce inflammatory reactions: swelling, soreness, redness, high fever.

Dragon Eye (pitahaya, pitaya, lun yang, dragon fruit, pitaya).

These are the fruits of a cactus. Dragon's eye is the Russian version of the name of this fruit. International name - Dragon Fruit or Pitahaya.

Quite large, oblong fruits (palm-sized) red, pink or yellow on the outside. Inside, the flesh is white or red, dotted with small black seeds. The pulp is very tender, juicy, slightly sweet, with an unexpressed taste. It is convenient to eat with a spoon, scooping out the pulp from the fruit cut in half.

The dragon eye is useful for stomach pains, diabetes mellitus or other endocrine diseases.

Harvesting seasons are all year round.

Durian

The king of fruits. Very large fruits: up to 8 kilograms.

A fruit famous all over the world for its smell. Almost everyone has heard of it, some have smelled it, and very few have tasted it. Its scent is reminiscent of onions, garlic and used socks. With this fruit, because of its smell, it is even forbidden to enter hotels, transport and other public places. As a reminder of the ban in Thailand, for example, they hang out signs with a crossed-out image of a fruit.

The sweet pulp of the fruit has a very delicate consistency, and does not correspond to the unpleasant smell at all. You should try this fruit at least for the reason that many have heard of it, but few dare to try it. But in vain. The taste is very pleasant, and the fruit itself is considered the most valuable fruit in Asia (Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia). It is very high in calories and healthy. Durian also has a reputation for being the strongest aphrodisiac.

Sold cut (into slices) and packed in polyethylene. In supermarkets you can find very interesting sweets with the taste and smell of Durian.

Sala (herring, rakum, snake fruit, sala)

Small oblong or round fruits (about 5 cm long), red (Rakum) or brown (Salak), covered with dense small spines.

Fruit with a very unusual, bright sweet-sour taste. Someone resembles a persimmon, someone a pear. It is worth trying at least once, and then, as you like ...

You should be careful when peeling the fruit: the thorns are very dense and dig into the skin. Better to use a knife.

The season is from April to June.

Carambola (Starfruit, Kamrak, Ma Fyak, Carambola, Star-fruit).

"Star of the Tropics" - in the context of the shape, we represent an asterisk.

The fruit with edible peel is eaten whole (there are small seeds inside). The main advantage is a pleasant smell and juiciness. The taste is not particularly distinguished by anything - slightly sweet or sour-sweet, somewhat reminiscent of the taste of an apple. Sufficiently juicy fruit and excellent thirst quencher.

Sold all year round.

It is not recommended to consume Carambola for people with severe kidney problems.

Longan (Lam-yi, Dragon's Eye).

Small fruits, similar to small potatoes, covered with a thin inedible skin and one inedible bone inside.

Longan pulp is very juicy, has a sweet, very aromatic, taste with a peculiar touch.

The season is from July to September.

Longkong (Longan, Longcon, Langsat, Lonngkong, Langsat).

Longkong fruits, like Longan, are similar to small potatoes, but are slightly larger in size and have a yellowish tinge. You can distinguish it from Longan if you peel the fruit off: peeled, it looks like garlic in appearance.

They have a sweet and sour interesting taste. The fruit is rich in calcium, phosphorus, carbohydrates and vitamin C. The burnt skin of Long Kong gives off a fragrant scent that is not only pleasant, but healthy as it serves as an excellent repellent.

Fresh fruit can be stored in the refrigerator for no more than 4-5 days. The skin of a ripe fruit should be firm, without cracks, otherwise the fruit will quickly deteriorate.

The season is from April to June.

Sometimes a variety is also sold - Langsat, which outwardly does not differ in anything, but has a slightly bitter taste.

Jackfruit (Eve, Khanoon, Jackfruit, Nangka, Indian breadfruit).

Jackfruit fruits are the largest fruits growing on trees: their weight reaches 34 kg. The inside of the fruit contains several large sweet-yellow slices of edible pulp. These slices are sold already peeled, because you yourself cannot cope with this giant.

The pulp has a sugary sweet taste, reminiscent of melon and marshmallow. They are very nutritious: they contain about 40% carbohydrates (starch) - more than in bread.

The season is from January to August.

You can take the risk of bringing such a monster home entirely, it can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 months. But it is better to buy cut and packaged slices of pulp.

Important! Some people, after eating Jackfruit, have an unhealthy reaction in the throat - cramping, it becomes difficult to swallow. Everything usually goes away in an hour or two. Perhaps this is an allergic reaction. Be careful.

Pineapple (Pineapple).

Pineapple fruit needs no special comment.

It should only be noted that Pineapples bought in Asia and Pineapples bought in Russia are completely different things. Pineapples in Russia are a miserable likeness of real Pineapples that you can taste in their homeland.

Separately, it should be said about Thai Pineapple - it is considered the most delicious in the world. You should definitely try and bring home with you to pamper your family. For local consumption, it is better to buy already peeled.

Pineapple Season - all year round

Mango (Mango).

By some estimates, Mango is considered the most delicious fruit in the world.

Mango is quite widely known and sold in Russia. However, the taste and aroma of Mango in its homeland is very different from what is sold in our stores. In Asia, its fruits are much more aromatic, juicier, and the taste is richer. Indeed, when you eat fresh, ripe mango grown, for example, in Thailand, it seems that nothing tastes better.

The fruit is covered with an inedible skin that does not separate from the pulp: it must be cut off in a thin layer with a knife. Inside the fruit there is a rather large, flat bone, from which the flesh also does not set, and it must be separated from the bone with a knife, or simply eaten.

The color of Mango, depending on the degree of maturity, varies from green to yellow (sometimes to yellow-orange or red). For local consumption, it is better to buy the most ripe - yellow or orange fruits. Without a refrigerator, such fruits can be stored for up to 5 days, in the refrigerator for up to 30 days, unless of course they have been stored somewhere else before.

If you want to bring some fruits home, then you can buy fruits of medium ripeness, greenish color. They keep well and ripen on the road or at home.

Noina (Sugar apple, Annona scaly, sugar-apple, sweetsop, noi-na).

Another unusual fruit that has no analogues and does not look like any of the fruits we are used to. Neina's fruits are the size of a large apple, green in color, and bumpy.

The inside of the fruit is very pleasant to the taste, sweet aromatic flesh and many hard seeds the size of beans. An unripe fruit is hard in texture and not tasty at all, it looks like a pumpkin. Therefore, having bought an unripe fruit on the market and having tried it, many tourists refuse to eat it further, immediately disliking it. But if you let it lie down for a day or two, it ripens and becomes very tasty.

The peel is inedible, it is very inconvenient to peel because of the bumpy skin. If the fruit is ripe, then the pulp can be eaten with a spoon, after cutting the fruit in half. The most ripe or slightly overripe fruits literally fall apart in the hands.

To choose a ripe tasty Noina, you must first of all focus on its softness (soft fruits are more mature), but you need to be careful, because if you press a little harder on a ripe fruit, it will simply fall apart in your hands while still on the counter.

The fruit is rich in vitamin C, amino acids and calcium.

The season is from June to September.

Sweet Tamarind (Indian date).

Tamarind is considered a spice of the legume family, but it is also used as an ordinary fruit. Fruits up to 15 centimeters long have an irregular curved shape. There is also a variety of Tamarind - the green Tamarind.

Under the hard brown peel, resembling a shell, there is a brown sweet-sour pulp with a tart taste. Be careful - there are large hard bones inside the Tamarind.

Juice is obtained by soaking the tamarind in water and grinding through a sieve. Ripe dried tamarind is used to make sweets. You can buy in the store and bring home wonderful tamarind sauce for meat and sweet tamarind syrup (for making cocktails.

This fruit is rich in vitamin A, organic acids and complex sugars. Tamarind is also used as a laxative.

The season is from October to February.

American Mammea (Mammea americana).

Also known as American Apricot and Antilles Apricot, this fruit is native to South America, although it can now be found in almost all tropical countries.

This fruit, which is actually a berry, is quite large, growing up to 20 centimeters in diameter. Inside there is one large or several (up to four) smaller bones. The pulp is very tasty and aromatic, and, in accordance with its second name, tastes and smells like apricot and mango.

The ripening season differs depending on the region, but mainly from May to August.

Cherimoya (Annona cherimola).

Cherimoya is also known as Cream Apple and Ice Cream Tree. In some countries, the fruit is known in general under completely different names: in Brazil - Graviola, in Mexico - Poox, in Guatemala - Pac or Tzumux, in El Salvador - Anona poshte, in Belize - Tukib, in Haiti - Cachiman la Chine, in the Philippines - Atis , on Cook Island - Sasalapa. The homeland of the fruit is South America, but it can be found in the warm all year round countries of Asia and South Africa, as well as in Australia, Spain, Israel, Portugal, Italy, Egypt, Libya and Algeria. However, fruit is rare in these countries. It is most common, however, on the American continent.

It is quite difficult to recognize the fruit of Cherimoya from the first inexperienced glance, since there are several species with different surfaces (lumpy, smooth or mixed). One of the lumpy varieties, including, is Noina (see above), which is widespread in the countries of Southeast Asia. The size of the fruit is 10-20 centimeters in diameter and the cut fruit resembles a heart in shape. The pulp resembles an orange in consistency and is usually eaten with a spoon, is very tasty and tastes like banana and passionfruit, papaya and pineapple, and strawberries with cream. There are very hard pea-sized bones in the pulp, so be careful or you might end up missing a tooth. It is usually sold a little unripe and firm and must lie down (2-3 days) before acquiring its real amazing taste and texture.

The ripening season is usually from February to April.

Noni (Noni, Morinda citrifolia).

This fruit is also known as Big Moringa, Indian Mulberry, Useful Tree, Cheese Fruit, Nonu, Nono. The fruit is native to Southeast Asia, but now it grows in all tropical countries.

The noni fruit resembles large potatoes in shape and size. Noni cannot be called very tasty and aromatic, and, apparently, that is why tourists very rarely come across it. Ripe fruits have an unpleasant odor (reminiscent of moldy cheese) and a bitter taste, but are considered very healthy. In some regions, Noni is the staple food of the poor. It is usually consumed with salt. Noni juice is also popular.

Noni bears fruit all year round. But you can find it not in every fruit market, but, as a rule, in markets for local residents.

Marula (Marula, Sclerocarya birrea).

This fruit grows exclusively on the African continent. And it is not easy to find it on sale fresh in other regions. The thing is that after ripening, the fruits almost immediately begin to ferment inside, turning into a low-alcohol drink. This property of the marula is happily used not only by the inhabitants of Africa, but also by animals. After eating marula fruits that have fallen to the ground, they are often "tipsy".

Ripe Marula fruits are yellow. The size of the fruit is about 4 cm in diameter, and inside is white flesh and a hard stone. Marula does not have an outstanding taste, but its flesh is very juicy and has a pleasant aroma until it begins to ferment. Also, the pulp contains a huge amount of vitamin C.

The harvest season for Marula is March-April.

Platonia insignis

Platonia grows only in the countries of South America. It is impossible to find it in the countries of Southeast Asia.

Platonia fruits are up to 12 centimeters in size, with a large, thick skin. Under the peel there is a white, tender pulp with a sweet and sour taste and several large seeds.

Kumquat

Kumquat is also known as Fortunella, Kinkan, Japanese oranges. It is a citrus plant. It grows in the south of China, but is widespread in other tropical countries. Kumquat fruits can also be found on the shelves of our stores, but to taste it is not at all what you can taste in your homeland in the freshest form.

Kumquat fruits are small (from 2 to 4 centimeters), similar to small oblong oranges or tangerines. The outside is covered with a very thin edible crust, the inside is almost the same in structure and taste as an orange, except that it is slightly sour and bitter. Eaten whole (except for seeds).

Ripening season from May to June, you can buy it all year round.

Guajava

Guava (Guajava), Guiava or Guayava is found in almost all tropical and subtropical countries. Despite the fact that the fruit is considered exotic, you should not expect an exotic taste from it: a rather mediocre, slightly sweet taste, reminiscent of a pear. It may be worth trying once, but you are unlikely to become a fan of it. The aroma is another matter: it is quite pleasant and very strong. In addition, the fruit is very useful, rich in vitamin C and perfectly raises the general tone of the body and strengthens health.

Fruits come in various sizes (from 4 to 15 centimeters), round, oblong and pear-shaped. The skin, bones and pulp are all edible.

In Asia, a green, slightly unripe Guava, they like to consume by dipping pieces of fruit in a mixture of salt and pepper. From the outside it may seem unusual, but if you try, the taste turns out to be quite interesting and invigorating.

Passion fruit / Fruit of passion

This exotic fruit is also called Passion Fruit, Passiflora, Edible Passionflower, Granadilla. Homeland is South America, but can be found in most tropical countries, including in Southeast Asia. It got its second name "Fruit of Passion" because it is credited with the properties of a strong aphrodisiac.

Passion fruit fruits have a smooth, slightly elongated rounded shape, up to 8 centimeters in diameter. Ripe fruits have a very bright juicy color and can be yellow, purple, pink or red. The yellow fruits are less sweet than others. The pulp also comes in a variety of colors. Under the inedible rind is a jelly-like sweet and sour pulp with seeds. You can't call it especially tasty, juices, jellies, etc. made from it are much tastier.

When consumed, it is most convenient to cut the fruit in half and eat the pulp with a spoon. The seeds in the pulp are also edible, but they cause drowsiness, so it is better not to abuse them. Passion fruit juice, by the way, also has a calming effect and causes drowsiness. The most ripe and tasty fruits are those whose skin is not perfectly smooth, but covered with "wrinkles" or small "dents" (these are the ripe fruits).

Ripening season from May to August. Passion fruit can be stored in the refrigerator for one week.

Avocado

Avocado is also called American Perseus and Alligator pear. It is generally accepted that Avocado is a fruit. Perhaps scientifically it is, but it tastes more like a vegetable.

The fruit is a pear-shaped avocado, up to 20 centimeters long. Covered with a tasteless and inedible rind. Inside there is a dense pear-like pulp and one large bone. The pulp tastes like an unripe pear or pumpkin and is nothing special. But when the avocado is well ripe, its flesh becomes softer, more oily, and tastier.

Avocados are more commonly used in cooking than eaten raw. So do not rush to try this fruit without fail. But dishes cooked with Avocado can greatly diversify the festive table. On the Internet you can find many recipes for avocado dishes, including salads, soups, main courses, but on vacation you are unlikely to need all of this, so you can not look too much at Avocados.

Breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis, breadfruit, pana)

Do not confuse breadfruit with Jackfruit. Jackfruit, although known as the Indian breadfruit, is actually a completely different fruit.

Breadfruit can be found in all tropical regions, but mainly in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Due to the very high yield of the Breadfruit, its fruits in some countries are the main product of kicking, like our potatoes, for example.

The fruits of the Breadfruit are round, very large, can reach 30 centimeters in diameter and four kilograms in weight. Ripe fruits are consumed raw, like fruit, and unripe fruits are used as vegetables for cooking. It is better to buy ripe fruits on vacation, and even better already cut into portions, because you can hardly cut and eat the whole fruit. When ripe, the pulp becomes soft and slightly sweet, tastes like banana and potatoes. Not to say that the taste is outstanding, and therefore breadfruit is not often found in tourist fruit markets. The taste of bread can only be felt when preparing an unripe fruit.

Ripening season of the Breadfruit, 9 months of the year. You can buy fresh fruits all year round.

Jabuticaba

Jaboticaba (Jaboticaba) is also known as the Brazilian grape tree. It can be found mainly in the countries of South America, but sometimes it is found in the countries of Southeast Asia.

It is a very interesting, tasty and rare exotic fruit. If you can find it and try it, consider yourself lucky. The fact is that the Jaboticaba tree grows very slowly, which is why it is practically not cultivated.

The way the fruits grow is also interesting: they grow right on the trunk, and not on the branches of a tree. Fruits are small (up to 4 cm in diameter), dark purple in color. Under a thin, dense skin (inedible) there is a soft, jelly-like and very tasty pulp with several seeds.

The tree bears fruit almost all year round.

Kiwano / Horned Melon

Kiwano Melon is also known as Horned Melon, African Cucumber, Antillean Cucumber, Horned Cucumber, Anguria. Kiwano really looks like a large cucumber in section. Although it is a fruit, it is still a question. The fact is that Kiwano fruits grow on a liana. It is cultivated mainly in Africa, New Zealand, and the American continent.

Kiwano fruits are oblong, up to 12 centimeters in length. The color is yellow, orange and red, depending on the degree of ripeness. Under the dense skin, the flesh is green, the taste is somewhat reminiscent of cucumber, banana and melon. The fruit is not peeled, but cut into slices or halves (like a regular melon), and then the pulp is eaten. In its raw form, both unripe and unripe fruits are consumed. Unripe fruits can be eaten with the seeds as they are soft. Also used with salt.

Miracle fruit

The magic fruit is native to West Africa. It does not have an outstanding exotic taste, but it is known and interesting for the fact that after you eat it, all products will seem sweet to you for about an hour. The fact is that the Magic Fruit contains a certain protein that blocks the taste buds on the tongue for some time, which are responsible for the sour taste. So you can eat lemon, and it tastes sweet to you. True, only fresh plucked fruits have such a property, and during storage they quickly lose it. So don't be surprised if the "trick" doesn't work on purchased fruits.

The fruit grows on small trees or shrubs, has a rounded oblong shape, 2-3 centimeters long, red, with a hard stone inside.

The magic fruit bears fruit almost all year round.

Bael (Bael, Wood apple, wood apple)

It is also known under other names: Aegle marmelos, stone apple, limonia acidissima, feronia elephantum, feronia limonia, hesperethusa crenulata, elephant apple, monkey fruit, curd fruit. It is very widespread in the countries of Southeast Asia (India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Indonesia, Thailand).

This fruit grows on a tree and reaches 5-20 cm in diameter. The fruit is gray-green (unripe) to yellow or brown (ripe) with a very dense, rough skin resembling a nut shell. The pulp of the unripe fruit is orange, divided into segments with white seeds. A ripe fruit has a mushy brown flesh, sticky, it can taste sour or sweet.

Baile fruits are not so easy to find in fruit markets as a whole. And even if you meet him, you yourself will not cope with him. The fact is that its rind is hard as stone, and it is impossible to get to the pulp without a hammer or hatchet.

If you don't manage to try it fresh (which, in general, you shouldn't worry about), you can buy tea from the fruits of Baile, called Matoom tea. It consists of dried orange-brown circles, divided into several segments. It is believed to be very effective in the treatment of gastrointestinal, colds, bronchial and asthmatic diseases. It is also used in cooking (tea, drinks, preserves, jams, salads) and cosmetology (soap, aromatic oil).

Ripening season from November to December.

Buddha's hand

The Buddha's hand is a kind of Citron. It is also called the Fingers of Buddha and Finger Citron.

We decided to mention this very exotic fruit so that you do not try it during your holiday in a tropical paradise. This is not the kind of fruit you enjoy. Undoubtedly, the fruit is very interesting and healthy, and when you see it, you will most likely have a desire to try it. But don't rush. It is widely used in cooking, but you are not likely to eat it. The fruit of the Buddha's Hand is almost entirely composed of a peel (inedible pulp), which is similar to lemon peel in taste (bitter-sour taste) and violet in smell.

The fruit is very interesting in shape and looks like a palm with a large number of fingers reaching 40 centimeters in length. You can buy it only in order to bring it home with you as a souvenir, and already at home make various dishes with citrus flavor (compote, jelly, candied fruit) from it.

Banana (Banana, Musa)

Well, in general, everyone already knows about bananas. We accidentally thought about banana so that you can vote for them if they are your favorite. By the way, it is worth mentioning that bananas in exotic countries taste much better than those sold at home, so be sure to try bananas on vacation, you may like them even more than before.

Papaya (Papaya, Melon tree, Breadfruit)

The birthplace of Papaya is South America, but now it is found in almost all tropical countries. Papaya fruits grow on trees, have a cylindrical oblong shape up to 20 centimeters in length.

Many who have tried Papaya say that it is more a vegetable than a fruit. But that's because they were eating unripe Papaya. Unripe Papaya is really very widely used in cooking, salads are made from it (be sure to try the spicy Thai Papaya salad called Som Tam), meat is stewed with it and simply fried.

But ripe Papaya raw is really delicious and sweet. In texture, it resembles a dense melon, and the taste is a cross between a pumpkin and a melon. On sale there are both whole green fruits (not yet ripe for cooking) and yellow-orange (ripe, ready to eat raw). It is not worth buying the whole fruit, it is better to buy ready-to-eat, peeled and cut into slices Papaya.

You can meet Papaya in tropical countries all year round.

Coconut (coconut, cocos, coco)

Coconut and coconut are often used as identical words. However, the name "coconut" in this case is not correct, because coconut, by its structure, is classified as a stone fruit, such as apricot or plum.

Coconut is the fruit of the coconut palm, which grows throughout the tropical zone. Belongs to the category of fruits.

It is a large round (up to 30 cm in diameter) fruit weighing up to 3 kg. Koros has conditionally two degrees of maturation. Young coconut has a smooth light green or green-yellow outer layer, under which there is a hard seed.In turn, underneath is a clear (coconut water) or white emulsion (coconut milk), with a small jelly-like layer of coconut pulp on the walls of the shell. The liquid inside with a slightly sweet taste quenches thirst well, the pulp can also be eaten by scraping it off the walls with a spoon.

Another degree of ripening (or overripe) that we see in our stores is the following: on the outside there is a fibrous and rough layer, under which is a hard brown shell, and under it is a thick layer of white flesh and a slightly turbid liquid. This liquid, as a rule, is not tasty, and the pulp is dry and tasteless.

When opening a coconut, you need to be careful, here you cannot do with one universal kitchen knife, you will need more "heavy artillery". But fortunately, if you buy a coconut in tourist areas, you do not have to worry about opening it: it will be opened in front of you, and, most likely, they will also give you a drinking straw and a spoon for "scraping" the pulp. Chilled coconut is most delicious.

Tourists love a special coconut cocktail: you need to drink a little coconut juice, and add 30-100 grams of cognac, rum or whiskey there.

Coconut contains vitamins A, B, C, proteins, sugar, carbohydrates, organic acids; minerals - sodium, calcium, potassium, iron, phosphorus.

The ripening season is all year round.

Sapodilla or sapot tree or woody potato (Manilkara achras, M. zapota, or Achras zapota), sapodilla, prang khaa, la-mut, naseberry, chiku)

Sapodilla is an oval or round fruit up to 10 cm and weighing 100-150 g. It looks very much like a plum. The skin is matte and thin, with a color ranging from light to dark brown.

Ripe fruit has a sweet taste with a slightly caramel flavor. In structure, the pulp resembles a persimmon - soft and juicy, and just like persimmon it can "knit" a little, only much less. Inside there are several large black bones with a hook at the end (you need to be careful when using). As a rule, it is not recommended to store the fruit for more than 3 days. it quickly deteriorates and sour. Therefore, Sapodilla is practically not found on the shelves of our stores. Unripe fruit is also not recommended to use, because it tastes very unpleasant. Choosing ripe fruits should be guided by their color (those that are yellower or brown are more ripe, green should not be chosen at all) and softness. Hard fruits are completely unripe, ripe fruit lends itself a little to pressure, and overripe is squeezed very easily.

Sapodilla grows in countries with a tropical climate, in particular in America, India, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, the Philippines.

Most often Sapodilla is used in desserts, salads and drinks. Unripe fruits are used for diarrhea, burns, and also in cosmetology.

Contains vitamins A and C, iron, calcium, carbohydrates.

The ripening season is from September to December.

Pomelo

Pomelo or pomela or pamela

The pomelo is a citrus fruit and is considered the largest among this family. It is often compared to grapefruit. As a rule, the fruit has a round shape, can reach up to 20 cm in diameter and weigh up to 10 kg !!! Coloring, depending on the variety, can be from green to yellow-green. The rind is very thick, with a light flesh inside: from white to pale yellow or pink. The pulp is divided into slices, separated by film septa. Each lobule has large fibers and may contain small white bones. Pomelo tastes sweet with sourness, can be slightly bitter. Compared to, for example, the same grapefruit, the Pomelo pulp is more dry.

Pomelo grows in the countries of southeast Asia (Malaysia, China, Japan, Vietnam, India, Indonesia), on about. Tahiti, Israel, USA. In Russia, you can buy it in any supermarket, so it is not so exotic for the residents of Russia.

Choosing a Pomelo should be guided, first of all, by a pronounced fragrant citrus scent and soft peel. Before use, you need to peel it from a thick peel, making several cuts (to make it more convenient and easier to clean), then divide it into separate slices, which are also freed from partitions (they are very hard). Store at room temperature for up to a month, peeled in the refrigerator, no more than 3 days.

This fruit is used in cooking, in cosmetology. In some countries, it is consumed with salt, chili and sugar, dipping peeled wedges into this mixture.

Pomelo contains vitamins A, B, C, trace elements, fiber, essential oils.

Ripening season: all year round.

Fig (fig, fig tree, fig, wine berry, Smyrna berry, Ficus carica)

Fig fruits can be round, pear-shaped or flattened with one "eye". On average, a ripe fruit weighs about 80 g, up to 8 cm in diameter. Top covered with a thin, smooth skin from yellow-green to dark blue or purple. Under the skin is a layer of white crust. Inside, the pulp is very sweet and juicy with small seeds, jelly-like consistency, reminiscent of strawberries in taste. In color - the pulp is pink to bright red. Unripe fruits are inedible and contain milky juice.

It grows in Central Asia, the Caucasus, the Crimea, and the Mediterranean countries.

Choose ripe Figs with a dense skin, no spots, slightly soft. It is recommended to store it no more than 3 days in the refrigerator, because it deteriorates quickly and is not transportable. You can eat with the peel, cut into slices or in half, scraping the pulp with a spoon. Most often, figs can be found on store shelves only in dried form. Dried fruits are pre-soaked in water before use, water after such a "soak" can be drunk (useful substances are transferred there).

Figs are dried, pickled, jam and jam are made. Dried, it is more nutritious and high-calorie than fresh.

Figs contain a lot of potassium, iron, vitamins B, PP, C, carotene, minerals and organic acids.

Ripening season: August to November.

Kiwi (Actinidia deliciosa, Actinidia chinensis, Kiwi, Chinese gooseberry, Chinese grapes)

Kiwi fruit is a berry. It has small fruits of a round or oval shape, covered on the outside with a fleecy thin brown skin. Fruit weight can reach up to 80 g, diameter - up to 7 cm. Under the peel there is a juicy pulp, depending on the variety, it can be from green to yellow. In the very middle of the fruit, the flesh is white, surrounded by many small black seeds. The seeds are edible and taste sour. Kiwi pulp is generally sweet with a slight sourness, reminiscent of a mixture of gooseberry, apple, pineapple.

Kiwi is grown in countries with a subtropical climate (Italy, New Zealand, Chile, Greece). There are also small plantations in Russia (Krasnodar Territory). You can buy it everywhere at any time of the year.

You need to choose even fruits, without dents and other damage to the skin, their ripeness is determined by the softness of the fruit. If the fruits are tough and firm, then they will ripen at home without any problems, for which they need to be placed in a bag with apples for one or two days. Kiwi can be stored at room temperature for up to 5 days, in the refrigerator - up to two weeks, previously, put in a bag or plastic container.

There are two ways to eat Kiwi: peel and cut into wedges, or cut in half and eat away at the flesh with a spoon.

Kiwi contains a large amount of vitamins B and C, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium.

Various desserts, fruit salads are made from it, served with meat, fish, seafood, drinks are prepared (syrups, liqueurs, wine, cocktails). They are used in cosmetology.

Chrysophyllum or star apple (Chrysophyllum cainito), star apple, cainito, kaimito, (caimito, star apple), milky fruit

Star apple fruits are round or oval up to 10 cm in diameter. The peel is thin, smooth from green to purple or brown, depending on the variety. Under the skin is a layer of crust of the same color as the crust itself. The pulp is white to purple in color, juicy, sweet, sticky, jelly-like, with an apple flavor. Inside, up to 10 hard hard brown seeds, up to 2 cm long. In cross-section, the pulp resembles a star. Unripe fruits are knit and inedible. The milky juice, which remains even in ripe fruits, is very sticky, as a result, when the fruit is consumed, lips may stick together a little.

It grows in countries with a tropical climate: South America, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines, West Africa.

Ripe fruits should be chosen for a slightly wrinkled peel and softness with pressure, no damage. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 weeks. The fruits tolerate transportation well. Before eating, the fruit must be cooled and peeled and peeled (they are bitter). You can eat, either by cutting it in half and choosing the pulp with a spoon, or by cutting it into slices, like a watermelon, the bones are inedible.

Used in the preparation of desserts.

Star apple is rich in vitamin C and trace elements. Very nutritious.

Ripening season: February to March.

Guanabana (guanabana, annana muricata, sour cream apple, annona prickly, graviola, sauce, sauasep)

Guanabana is a close relative of Noina and Cherimoya, and they can really be confused with an inexperienced eye in appearance and even in taste. Their main difference is in the peel: Guanabana's peel surface is clearly similar to rare low spines or villi, although in fact these processes are soft and not prickly at all. The fruit is round, irregularly elongated, large enough, can reach a weight of 12 kilograms, although usually fruits weighing no more than 3 kilograms are found on sale.

The homeland of Guanabana is tropical America, but today it can be found in almost all tropical regions, including in the countries of Southeast Asia. You can not find this fruit in every fruit market, but if you find it, be sure to try it.

The pulp of the fruit is white, soft creamy and slightly fibrous in texture. The taste is sweet and slightly sour, unlike any other fruit. Inside there are a large number of hard bones in size and shape as large as a bean.

In an unripe fruit, the pulp is firm and tasteless, like a pumpkin. Moreover, the fruits are often sold unripe (ripen within a few days), which is why tourists, having bought it and tried it, do not immediately fall in love with it. But it is enough to let it lie down for a couple of days, as it acquires its unique taste. To select a ripe fruit, you need to press a little on it, the peel should bend slightly. Hard, dense fruits - unripe.

You can eat Guanabana by cutting the fruit in half and scraping the pulp with a spoon, or by cutting it into slices and eating it like a watermelon. Peeling a ripe fruit from the peel will not work.

Guanabana is a perishable product and should be kept in the refrigerator. If you want to bring home, choose hard, unripe fruits, they ripen quite well within 2-3 days, but then deteriorate.

The ripening season for Guanabana is all year round.

Tamarillo (Tomato tree, Cyphomandra beetroot, Cyphomandra betacea)

Tamarillo is an oval-shaped berry, reaches a length of 5 to 10 cm, a diameter of up to 5 cm. The color of the fruit varies from yellow to dark red and even purple. It looks and tastes very much like tomatoes, which is why its second name is Tomato tree, but still it is a fruit. Its rind is hard, smooth and bitter. Very similar to a tomato with a currant flavor, but has a slightly pronounced fruity smell. The pulp can be yellow or orange in color. As a rule, it has two sections inside with light or dark small seeds (depending on the color of the peel of the fruit itself, the lighter the color, the lighter the seeds).

It grows in the countries of South America (Peru, Ecuador, Chile, Bolivia, Colombia, Brazil, etc.), some countries of Central America, Jamaica, Haiti, New Zealand.

You need to choose even and smooth fruits, without external damage, slightly soft. At the same time, you should know that yellow and orange fruits are sweeter, and fruits with a darker color become sour as they ripen. Ripe fruits are stored for a short time (in the cold no longer than 7 days), unripe fruits are able to ripen at room temperature. Poorly tolerated transportation.

Tamarillo is eaten, having previously peeled from the peel (it is inedible), and slightly capturing a layer of pulp, or by cutting in half and scooping the pulp with a spoon.

It is widely used in cooking, using it in dishes and as a vegetable and as a fruit.

Tamarillo is rich in vitamins (A, group B, C, E) and trace elements.

The ripening season is all year round.

Feijoa (Pineapple Guava, Acca sellowiana)

Feijoa is a small oval berry, 3 to 5 cm long, up to 4 cm in diameter.The average fruit weighs from 15 to 50 g. The feijoa fruit has a color from light to dark green, sometimes with a whitish bloom, dried out on one top "tail". The skin is thin, dense, it can be smooth or slightly bumpy, wrinkled. The pulp under the skin, depending on the degree of ripeness, is from white or creamy to brownish (in the latter case, they say that the berry is spoiled). The inside of the flesh is divided into sections, in the center of which there are several light edible seeds. The consistency of ripe feijoa is light and jelly-like. The berry tastes juicy, sweet and sour, reminiscent of a mixture of strawberries with pineapple or strawberries with kiwi (people have different tastes).

It grows in countries with a subtropical climate: in South America (Brazil, Colombia, Argentina, Uruguay) in the Caucasus and southern Russia (Krasnodar Territory), Abkhazia, Georgia, Crimea and Central Asia.

You can eat as a whole fruit together with the peel, however, this is not for everybody, because Feijoa skin tastes sour and knits. In most cases, the feijoa is cut in half and scooped out with a spoon, or you can peel the skin with a knife and eat the peeled fruit.

For immediate use, choose soft (ripe) fruits. If you are going to be transported, then the tough (unripe) feijoa fruits are perfect for this, and will mature on the road. Ripe berries should be stored for no more than 3-4 days.

Feijoa contains a large amount of iodine, acids, vitamin C.

It is used in cooking: jams and jellies, salads and drinks are prepared.

The ripening season is October-November.

Pepino (Melon Pear, Sweet Cucumber (Solanum muricatum)

This rather large berry grows weighing up to 700 g. In shape, the fruits can be different and oblong, and pear-shaped, and round. Mostly pale to bright yellow in color, sometimes with purple blotches or stripes. Ripe fruit is very juicy and sweet, reminiscent of melon in taste, while unripe fruit can slightly sour. The rind is thin, dense, smooth. The pulp is yellow, inside there are sinuses with small light-colored seeds (edible). Before eating, it is customary to peel the fruit (it is edible, but unpleasant to the taste)

It is cultivated in large quantities in South America (Peru, Chile), New Zealand.

You need to choose ripe fruits for a rich yellow color with a slightly pronounced fruity aroma and slightly soft. A feature of Pepino is that ripe fruits can be stored for several months in the refrigerator, unripe fruits can ripen and can also be stored for a long time.

Contains vitamins (A, B, C, PP), keratin, iron, potassium, pectin.

They are used in cooking, along with vegetables, especially the unripe fruits of Pepino.

The ripening season is all year round.

Santol or Cato (Sandoricum koetjape, santol, kraton, krathon, graton, tong, donka, wild mangosteen, false mangosteen)

Santol grows in the countries of Southeast Asia (Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Indonesia, Philippines).

The Santola fruit is rounded from 8 to 15 cm in diameter with a long stem. Depending on the variety, it can be from yellowish to brown, the rind is slightly velvety on top. Fruit color is usually uneven with pigmentation all over the surface. Under a rather thick peel, there is a whitish opaque pulp similar to "garlic" cloves, up to 5 pieces. Inside each lobule there is a large brownish bone (it is not recommended to eat it unnecessarily, because it has a laxative effect). The pulp is juicy in taste, it can be from sour to sweet and sour, a bit like mangosteen. As a rule, the fruits of the yellowish varieties are sweeter.

Before use, you need to peel the fruit from the peel (it is inedible), after cutting it across into two halves, using a knife or peeling it with your hands, and then remove the pulp slices and free them from the seeds. The pulp is poorly separated from the bone, so it is customary to suck it. Sometimes Santol is eaten with salt and pepper.

Santola fruits contain large amounts of iron, magnesium, fluoride.

They are used in cooking (desserts, alcohol) and cosmetology (masks, scrubs).

The ripening season is from May to June.

Jujuba or ziziphus (Zizyphus jujuba) (unabi, Chinese date, breast berry, jujuba, jujube)

The fruit is an egg-shaped or round bush in length from 2 to 6 cm, depending on the variety. Outside, the fruit is smooth, shiny, from green or yellowish to dark red, even brown. Sometimes the color of a jujube can be uneven over the entire surface, as if spotted. The skin is thin and almost inseparable from the fruit. Inside, the pulp is white, dense, very juicy and sweet, reminiscent of an apple. In the middle, as a rule, there is one oblong bone. Jujube has a slightly fruity aroma.

It grows in countries with temperate climates to subtropical, in particular Thailand, China, India, Japan, Central Asia, the Mediterranean, southern Russia, the Caucasus.

You need to choose dense fruits, but not very tough (they can be savory), dark red or brown in color. They are eaten with the peel. Fresh fruits are poorly stored, so it is recommended to dry them.

Juyuba is a useful and even medicinal product. It is consumed both fresh and dried. Rich in vitamins A, B, especially vitamin C, sugars, acids, microelements.

It is widely used in cooking (drinks, wine, jams, canning, etc.), medicine (has a calming, anesthetic, tonic effect), cosmetology.

The ripening season is from August to October.

Burmese grapes or Mafai (Mafai, Baccaurea ramiflora, Baccaurea sapida)

Mafai fruits taste very much like and outwardly similar to Longan fruits. They range from yellow to red in color, up to 5 cm in diameter. The rind is thin, soft, smooth. Inside there are 2 to 4 cloves that look like garlic cloves. The pulp is juicy, white, sweet and sour with a refreshing effect. Inside each lobule there is a stone that does not separate from the pulp, the stone tastes bitter. Because of this, it is not very convenient to eat the fruit, since almost all the pulp remains "stuck" to the stone, and it is impossible to separate it in any way. This fruit has no characteristic aroma. In general, it cannot be said that this fruit is worth "hunting" in order to be sure to try it.

The peel of Mafai is cleaned well (the pulp is mentioned above), it is best stored in the refrigerator.

You can meet this fruit in Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, India, China, Cambodia. Very rare.

The ripening season is from May to August.

The main wealth of the island is its numerous beaches and bays, densely occupied by hotels. Moreover, as is customary in tropical resorts, tourists are not waiting for monotonous multi-storey cubes-blocks with loggias, but something else. Fabulous parks, on the territory of which there are scattered cozy one-story (less often two-story) bungalows, immersed in the greenery of palm trees and other tropical vegetation. There are swimming pools, tennis courts, restaurants, bars and other benefits of civilization. So a person who decides to take a break from it, civilization, will always find a secluded place where it will not interfere with him.

In general, Port Louis is not at all the place to visit which is worth spending time and money. Most tourists, as a rule, only drop by the capital during standard sightseeing tours, and spend most of their time seeing other attractions.

It's great to imagine yourself vacationing on a desert island, surrounded by virgin nature. And at the same time, to know for sure that it is enough to lazily wave your hand, as because of a bar lurking in the bushes, you will immediately be brought out a glass of daiquiri or champagne in an ice bucket! Or they will call a boat with water skis, a yacht, a car, a helicopter - depending on the specific request and the thickness of the wallet.

Hotels in Mauritius are presented in a wide range - also for every taste and budget. There are here both the most luxurious, which, although classified as five-star for the sake of order, may well get by with one name (like elite aged varieties of French cognac), and quite affordable. There are dozens of the latter on the island, which is why Mauritius is rightly called the cheapest of the most expensive resorts in the world. If desired, it is easy to rent an apartment or a villa. They are offered everywhere - in palm thickets or right on the sandy shore.

Mauritian hotels differ from European ones in their absolute isolation from the outside world, in this case - from the surrounding Mauritian reality, which turns out to be completely unracial. The hotels resemble Tsekov's boarding houses of the unforgettable Soviet era, only located on a distant island near Africa and having, of course, a completely different level of service. Our experienced tourists probably remember these islands of abundance in the ocean of total commodity and service shortages (if they themselves did not enjoy their holidays behind a high fence, then they probably heard legends about such paradises).

Many tourists in Mauritius do not even think to get out of the hotel perimeter (as a rule, the territory of the "rest house" is fenced off by a high wall). Why, if inside there is a real, trouble-free and serene paradise ?!

For those who are used to getting to know not only hotels and hotel services while traveling, but also the country of stay (and the author of these lines belongs to them), sometimes it becomes uncomfortable in Mauritius. Outside the hotel, in some neighboring village, one involuntarily recalls books read in childhood about white sahib colonizers in white shorts, gaiters and cork helmets, surrounded by half-naked and half-starved dark-skinned children.

Moreover, the natives are not starving at all. Bananas grow right next to the road, they are nobody's, I don't want to eat, let alone fish so much! .. What is the national fishing - I know, I myself have witnessed such an action. Early in the morning, an aborigine wandered to the still empty beach with a bucket and a homemade fishing rod, went into the water up to his knees, in a matter of minutes he collected a full "vessel" of fish (it seems that you could catch it with your bare hands - there are so many of them and she is so unafraid) - and he was that is. Ten minutes of "work" - and the "head of the family" provided his household with semi-finished products for dinner. Our fishermen would shudder from such a profanation of fishing: neither you have a drink, nor sit with feeling, sensibly, with an arrangement, looking at the motionless float ... In a word, this is not human!

Sandbox games
But in everything that concerns wildlife, not contaminated by the presence of man, there is complete order in Mauritius. As with any self-respecting tropical island, there is something to see outside the hotel "sandbox".
You can go on a yacht or a pleasure boat to the nearby tiny islands - Rodriguez, Ile o Cerf and others, many of which are uninhabited and pristinely beautiful. Or spend the day visiting one of the world's largest botanical gardens, where so many exotic flora are presented that their names will not be learned in a lifetime!

The fauna is also rich and varied. It was in Mauritius that the clumsy and touching dodo bird, famed by Lewis Carroll, the author of immortal tales about Alice, lived. When the English writer came up with them, several "last of the dodo" were still living in European zoos. But it was too late: by the end of the 19th century, this species did not remain on the planet. A plump bird with a funny beak lived only in Mauritius, and could not fly, because she did not need it: while working on a sketch of paradise, the Creator also took care of ridding this corner of predators and other poisonous and unfriendly creatures.

But in a strange way, he did not take into account that two-legged predators would appear on the island of paradise - the Dutch settled in Mauritius, they were replaced by the French, and they both simply ate all the dodos. I'll clean it up. Now the memory of the bird eradicated by man is preserved on the island: the dodo has actually become a national hero and looks at you from everywhere - from T-shirts, postage stamps, souvenirs.

Unlike the unfortunate dodo, tourists can only rejoice in the absence of representatives of the aggressive and dangerous fauna and consider this fact as an additional paradise service. There really are no dangerous animals on the island. That is, literally no one! Neither crocodiles and snakes in the tropical jungle, nor sharks and jellyfish in the coastal waters, even the mosquitoes habitual in the tropics, and even then you will not finish.

Another exclusive highlight of Mauritian nature is the so-called colored sands. Right in the middle of the jungle, there is a large natural sandpit fenced with wooden walkways, from which tourists are invited to admire this miracle of nature. And the unusualness of the phenomenon lies in the fact that the contents of the sandbox are painted by an unknown master in seven colors - from purple to golden yellow.
This is not a play of light, but some kind of special pigmentation, the mystery of which scientists have not solved until now. If you take, for example, a handful of gray sand and pour it over an area of \u200b\u200byellow, then after a while the top will turn yellow! And if you send the next batch to the red sector, then the entire mass will accordingly turn red. Miracles, in a word!

Well, if you get tired of rolling around the island, through its exotic cities and villages, picturesque mountains, lakes and tropical forests, return to your native beach, where you can, lazily lounging in a sun lounger in the shade of a palm tree, admire the solid white surf strip a kilometer from the coast, from where there is a constant rumble that does not subside for a second. There, ocean waves are pacified by an impassable coral bastion, so that vacationers on the beach get only the emerald surface of a natural pool without the slightest hint of a wave. Exotic, brightly colored fish are splashing in the clear water right near the shore, and at some distance from the shore it is easy to see the same colorful corals at the bottom. All this splendor seems to be exposed under the scorching sun, softened, however, by the constantly blowing gentle breeze.

At such moments it is hard to believe that somewhere far, far away, at home, it is already the end of December with its inherent slush or unexpected frosts. And it's time to take care of the tree: New Year is on the nose.

Flights to paradise - (round trip)
Planes of several leading Western airlines fly to Mauritius from Moscow. True, not directly, but with a transfer at some major European transshipment point. For example, in Paris, if you bought a ticket for Air France (flights to Mauritius are made in conjunction with Air Mauritia), from where you will be sent by a direct flight to a tropical island. The flight conditions, by the way, are also close to paradise: all flights are scheduled for late evening hours, and arrival on the island takes place early in the morning. The same situation is with the return flight. No "day of arrival - day of departure": a tourist pays, say, 10 nights in a hotel, but actually spends 11 full days on the island!

Where dollars are not needed
Mauritius is one of the few places where US dollars are NOT ACCEPTED almost everywhere. All calculations are carried out only in local currency (1 USD \u003d 31 Mauritian rupees), which is doubly inconvenient for our compatriots. First, it is extremely difficult to buy such an exotic currency in a Russian bank. And secondly, it is so small that from the numerous zeros on the price tags it soon begins to ripple in the eyes. (Tourists with experience remember a similar situation in Italy, when there was no euro there yet.)

Overseas fruit
Fruit in Mauritius is delicious, especially pineapples. Compared to those sold in our markets, the locals are much smaller, but for some reason they are sweeter and softer. Usually, several vendors wander along the beach, who immediately masterfully free the juicy fruit from the skin and core, after which something resembling an popsicle on a stick remains - you can eat right with your hands, without any appliances there. Lychees and coconuts are also popular, but you should be careful with the latter: it is better to drink coconut milk from unripe fruits. If the nut has already darkened, you risk eating a powerful laxative instead of a thirst-quenching drink.

Marine galoshes
The ocean to the edge of the coral reef, the protective redoubt surrounding Mauritius, as already mentioned, is absolutely safe for swimming. But it is better not to go far from the beach - neither in depth nor to the side, and if you go on foot, then only in special rubber slippers. You will definitely not meet any sharks, rays, jellyfish and other dangerous sea creatures, but it is quite possible to step on a poisonous coral with an unprotected foot. And then you will not be good at it: certain types of these polyps can cause severe pain shock.

Features of the national taxi
In order to get to any point from your hotel, the easiest way is to order a taxi from the receptionist. There is public transport in Mauritius, but buses are rare and extremely irregular. Rates are usually written out in every hotel right at the reception: to the resort area Gran Vaie - so much, to Saint Louis - so much, to colored sands - so much. There are tariffs for sightseeing detours of the island - for half a day and for the whole day. It should only be borne in mind that all taxi drivers in Mauritius are Indians and their se "" rvis has a pronounced national identity. Don't be nervous if the taxi arrives twenty minutes later. And do not be indignant if the driver agrees to turn on the air conditioning in the cabin only for an additional fee. But he will be extremely careful to carry around the island and wait for you at any point of interest as long as it takes.

Buy a ship as a keepsake
What is really worth bringing with you as a souvenir of Mauritius (if, of course, the funds allow, the dimensions of your Russian apartment and an extra piece of luggage when flying)? First of all, filigree models of sailing ships. Almost the entire adult population of the island is engaged in their production. Models, especially large ones, are not cheap, but these are real works of art, not a souvenir shir-consumer with a Made in China label: each knot on miniature ropes is tied according to all maritime laws. The boat will be carefully packaged for you, so that it is guaranteed not to break on the road.

I was especially embarrassed to photograph them, but the ceremonies were held beautifully, with a local flavor, torches, flower arches and white tents.

The food in Mauritius, as I said, is Indian, but Europeanized. And yet, there are dishes of extraordinary sharpness, she herself wiped her tears several times, having tasted local delicacies.

About food I want to tell you separately.

Fish... A very tasty white fish, the name of which the aborigines did not tell me, persistently calling it "maurity fish". It is prepared in every way, most often on the grill, less often fried. But there were options. An indelible mark was left by fish stewed in milk sauce with the addition of vanilla. It turned out to be unexpectedly tasty, but very original! I also had the misfortune to taste tuna in cinnamon ... Since then, I have never liked tuna or cinnamon.

Meat... Here, according to my husband - delicious, varied, but nothing unusual.

Fruit... Delicious everything! Highly! Sweet, ripe, juicy - pineapples, watermelons, melons, papayas, mangoes, kiwi, grapefruits, bananas, oranges and even apples (on the islands, apples are always a curiosity).

desserts... In our hotel (we had a full board) the pastry chef was a master of his craft and spoiled us as best he could, and he did very well! Delicious Mauritian vanilla dominates the desserts. Sprinkle generously, not sparing.

Salads... Very unusual! The most incredible combinations of ingredients to try gave a very decent result. What we just didn’t taste. But I was most impressed by the salad, which contained fresh pineapple, our dear pickled cucumber and some other minor ingredients. Lavishly flavored with curry and peppers that escaped tears, he proved to be the leader in flavor and sunk deep into the soul.

Bread... If you love French bread, then in Mauritius you will taste it. The line to the table with bread never ended !!!

Tea, coffee, cocoa... All with vanilla. The tea didn't shock me. The cocoa turned out to be very tasty, and in combination with vanilla it was just a dessert. I fell in love with coffee with vanilla and still drink it, especially in winter - it warms me up, reminding me of hot Mauritius!

In general, you will not die of hunger.

Souvenirs, gifts, shopping.

1... Rum. Mauritius is a sugarcane plantation. Sugar is made from cane, the same "Demeraru" that is sold in our stores for almost the same price as in Mauritius. But the main thing for which reeds are grown is rum. Those interested can buy.

2. Vanilla... In Mauritius, it is of excellent quality. Sold in pods and powder, in essence. The powder is brown, like ground coffee. I highly recommend it! My vanilla stocks are running low and I am increasingly looking in the direction of Mauritius - what is not an excuse!

3. Tea, coffee, cocoa... Everything will be flavored with vanilla. Brought home as gifts to remember Mauritius. All the gifts were pleased! You can buy it in a regular supermarket.

4. Spice. For an amateur - everything is spicy, Indian, with curry. The spices are of high quality, if you use them, I advise you to buy them in a regular supermarket, where Mauritian housewives buy them. The choice is huge, the eyes run wide.

5. Sailboats... Mauritius is famous for its sailing ship models.

For a small island with a population of only one million, it has an incredibly rich and varied cuisine, many of which are inspired by cuisines of other cultures (Creole, French, Chinese and Indian). And thanks to the highly fertile soil, the locals get stunning harvests of giant vegetables and deliciously sweet fruits.

Street food in Mauritius is incredible. Here you can buy everything: from fresh coconut milk; chopped fruit sprinkled with chilean pepper and sugar; to hot curry wrapped in butter bread topped with chili and pickled cucumber, and Chinese fried noodles.

There are also excellent restaurants in Mauritius, ranging from local eateries with traditional dishes to gourmet places serving Mauritian fusion.

If you arrive, don't sit still - leave your hotel and explore the island and its delicious cuisine.

Here's my pick of 25 foods and drinks to try in Mauritius and the best places to try it.

Dholl pori

If there was a national dish in Mauritius, it would most likely be Dholl pori.

You can find kiosks from dolries on almost every street in Mauritius, but they are most delicious in a place called Dewa on Rose Hill (it's very easy to find: you come to Rose Hill and ask the first passer-by - everyone here knows where it is ).

They say that dol pori originated from Indian flatbread, paratha. Immigrants who came to Mauritius from India could not find the ingredients for baking bread on the island and replaced it with thin fried tortillas stuffed with yellow peas. These flatbreads were served with curry, atchar or chutney.

Pineapples Victoria

Mauritian pineapples are sweeter and tastier than South African ones. They are best eaten on the beach, just emerging from the warm waters of the Indian Ocean. Pineapple sellers always ply along the beaches, ready to cut them so that it is convenient for you to hold and eat them.

Curry and all kinds of dressings

How could Mauritius do without a great curry when Indian cuisine has such a strong influence here? However, this is not the kind of curry you might be used to in Durban or India. Mauritian curry has a completely different flavor, although the main ingredients are the same - garlic, onion, fresh curry leaves and turmeric.

There is more than one type of curry in Mauritius - you can be served anything from a tomato-based Creole curry (usually less spicy because chili is served on its own) to Indian curry. Mauritian curry is served with rice or bread (farata - see number 16), lentils and delicious sauces - various chutneys and achard (vegetable marinade with mustard), as well as the ubiquitous mazawaro (see number 7).

And while I can't call the octopus curry my favorite (because octopus is too hard to chew for my taste), it's a very popular dish in Mauritius and you should definitely try it. According to the locals, the best octopus curry can be found at Chez Rosy, near Gris Gris Beach on the south coast of Mauritius.

Vanilla tea

Black tea is grown at the Bois Cheri tea plantation, located in the southern part of the island, which is then mixed with Ceylon tea imported from Sri Lanka and vanilla extract from it to make a delicious black vanilla tea.

It can be found in all shops in Mauritius (and also served on a Mauritius Airline), but the best place for this tea is Bois Cheri Cafe, which is worth visiting after a tour of the tea factory. The café offers magnificent views of the palm-fringed tea plantations and the southern coastline.

You can add a delicious dessert to your cup of tea, such as tea sorbet or papaya pannacotta with tea jelly. And don't forget to buy Bois Cheri teas at home.

Seafood

Any form you want: baked, grilled, fried. Mauritius has incredible seafood - from simple fish caught by local fishermen to squid and lobster.

Much of Mauritian cuisine consists of seafood-based dishes such as curries, fish stews, Chinese or Indian dishes. All have seafood. Mauritius is a paradise for pesceterians.

Sugar

I'm serious. For hundreds of years, sugar has been the official currency in Mauritius. Now the island's economy has undergone some changes, but sugar is still the main export product, as evidenced by the giant sugarcane fields found throughout the island.

Mauritius produces the best sugar in the world, which you can of course overlook in your fifth pineapple molasses dessert. So it tastes like regular sugar, right? No not like this! The best way to sample the different types of Mauritian sugar is to visit the L "Aventure du Sucre Sugar Museum, which offers a tasting of all nine varieties of local sugar.

Mazavaro

Mauritians put chili in all dishes. LITERALLY, IN EVERYTHING! Including fruits (think peppers are stuffed into unripe mangoes), baguettes, and traditional curries and fish dishes. There is a dish made from finely chopped chili or Chilean pasta (called mazawaro) that accompanies almost every meal.

I just love chili, and the locals were having fun watching me, without batting an eye and not breaking a sweat, kneading bowl after bowl of noodles just drowning in chili. They exclaimed: "No European has ever eaten chili like that! You have a little bit of talent!" You can buy a bottle of this fiery dish at any market on the island.

Gaillac

This is a Mauritian light snack that is usually deep-fried. It is sold in glass cases from motorcycle trunks, at fast food kiosks, on beaches or just on the sidelines. Try samoosas (eggplant pancakes), manioc goujons (cassava chips) and gateau patat (potato pancakes) - all of which go well with number 13 on our list.

Dim sum

Thanks to immigrants from China, Mauritius has delicious Cantonese cuisine. The best dim sum since Hong Kong I tasted here at a place called First Restaurant in Port Louis. Here you will be served traditional Kontone dim sum with a little Mauritian specialties such as shrimp and taro dumplings.

The Mauritians have come up with their own recipe for dim sum, called bule - with dumplings made from fish, shrimp, or chow-chow (a vegetable shaped like a pear). Boules are steamed and served with fish broth and lots of chili.

Fishy Windows

This Mauritian dish is believed to have descended from the Indian vindaloo, but controversy over the origin of the vindaye continues to this day. This dish is prepared with the addition of mustard, garlic, turmeric, onions and fish, although fish can be replaced with vegetables. Served with rice, lentils, pickles and chutney. Oh, by the way, it's delicious!

Aluda

This drink is similar to the Cape Malay Faluda drink, which can be tasted at Bo Kaap, Cape Town. Overall, aluda is a pink sweet milk drink with tapioca and syrup to taste (I like vanilla the best).

If you believe the locals, the best aluda will be poured for you at the food market in Port Louis, where I went to get this "milkshake" miracle, perfectly refreshing after the morning crush at the same market.

Mitai

Sweets vacationing in Mauritius should definitely try Mitai - these are Indian sweets. They are very sweet and very high in calories, so it is worth eating them in moderation (unless, of course, you have a desire to update your wardrobe with clothes a couple of sizes larger on your return home).

The best sweets are sold at a store called Bombay Sweets Mart in Port Louis (where the friendly vendors will let you sample some of the 30 existing sweets so you can choose the one you like best).

Coconuts

Don't leave Mauritius until you drink from a coconut. This may sound like your typical "trendy tropical tip" (and it probably is), but it tastes so good that you can hardly drink coconut at every turn at home. And coconut milk is not only incredibly tasty, but also incredibly refreshing.

Like pineapples, coconuts are often sold on the beach - buy one from a vendor, stretch out on the warm sand, sip milk straight from the coconut, and don't forget to take a photo (nothing screams "look, I'm relaxing on a tropical island" like a photo that You drink from coconut), and then give the coconut back to the seller, he will cut it for you, and you can enjoy its sweet pulp.

Min frits

The next popular street food in Mauritius is called min frits (fried noodles). This simple but tasty dish is prepared very simply: the noodles are fried in soy sauce, and green onions and chili are placed on top (where can we go without it).

Since this dish comes from Chinese culture, it is naturally best prepared in Chinatown. After you have mastered a portion of noodles, abundantly watered with chili (this is Mauritius, there is no other way), it will be nice to cool black herbal jelly, it should be sold in the same kiosk with min frits.

The dish looks as strange as it is called, but it tastes quite good. This jelly has a delicate aroma, is sweet and incredibly cool after chili.

Beer "Phoenix"

The local Mauritian beer Phoenix (which, by the way, even has several awards in the field of brewing) is an invigorating, refreshing drink that goes well with almost any island dish you choose, as well as a great solo if you, for example, take a bottle with you. when you go to the beach to watch the sunset.

Farata

It looks like the Indian dish "paratha" - a curry flatbread. The cake itself is oily, crumbly and incredibly tasty. You can find them in stalls on the streets or in Mauritius and Indian restaurants.

Sweet potato pie

Sweet potato tarts are a great addition to Mauritian tea. Sweet potato dough is filled with coconuts, cardamom and sugar and then deep fried.

Rum

Although Mauritian rum is not that good compared to Reunion or Caribbean rum, it is quite good. Especially at one of the three island distilleries, which produces natural rum (that is, made correctly, from sugarcane juice, not molasses).

St. Aubin and Chateau Labourdonnais make excellent rum (attend a rum tasting at each of the distilleries and try it yourself), but Rhumerie de Chamarel in Chamarela, in the southwest, makes award-winning rum. It is distilled twice and then aged in oak barrels. This rum stands head and shoulders above the rest.

All three factories also produce rum in a variety of flavors, such as vanilla, coffee, and kumquat, spiced and citrus rum. This rum is sweetened with sugar, so it will be more delicious for those who do not consider themselves to be "rum" fans.

Rum punch

In short, it is a drink that is drunk all over the island. Various ingredients are added to the rum and sugar syrup base. My favorite rum punch is called Graham and is made with freshly squeezed lime juice.

This punch can be bought ready-made (perfect to drink at home, at sunset, indulging in dreams of returning to) at the Rhumerie de Chamarel winery.

Dishes with the addition of vanilla

The cheap vanilla that is sold to tourists in Mauritian markets and souvenir shops is not actually Mauritian at all - it is not the best quality vanilla, imported from Madagascar. The only place where you can buy authentic Mauritian vanilla is Saint Aubin, a restored colonial mansion that houses a small vanilla plantation and distillery (their coffee and rum is incredible, by the way).

Visit the fragrant Vanilla House and learn how vanilla is grown, admire the vanilla flowers in the garden (you knew these are the most orchids), and then enjoy the vanilla-cooked chicken and vanilla crème brulee in the restaurant, on the veranda this magnificent old mansion.

Chateau Labourdonnais, which is located in the village of Mapou (next to the grapefruit botanical gardens), grows a rare variety of vanilla, which is found only here and, oddly enough, in Tahiti. The creme brulee made with this vanilla in a restaurant right next to the plantation is the best I've ever tasted.

Coconut chutney

Of all the types of chutneys that only exist in Mauritius (and there seem to be hundreds of them here), coconut was my absolute favorite. It is amazing, fresh in taste and has been added the quintessence of all Mauritian ingredients - coconut. This is a cooling chutney that complements a mazawaro curry.

Heartwood salad

Also known as "Millionaire Salad". This is a delicacy in Mauritius, although I probably cannot say exactly why. Palm trees are grown for about seven years, then they are cut down and the "heart" is removed - the core of the tree is about the size of a human hand. It can be used to prepare a snack for three hundred people.

This core is then finely chopped and eaten raw in a salad with marlin fish and other goodies, or used to make a sauce. I didn't feel the taste, and besides, I felt sorry for the palm tree. It's worth a try, however. And so that later your conscience doesn't torment you, just plant a palm tree in your garden when you return home.

Coconut muffins

These delicious cookies (I don't know why the Mauritians call them muffins) are made with grated coconut and sugar. I tasted especially delicious at Escale Creole (a local family restaurant), next to Port Louis.

Rougalle

Rugalle is a popular Creole dish, a kind of stew (sometimes fish) with tomatoes, garlic, onions and thyme.

Hot roti

Last but not least, the dish is hot roti (Indian flatbread). These are roti and are commonly eaten with various types of curries, chutneys and pickles. You can find them, like most of the dishes listed, on the trunk of a local resident's motorcycle or at a street food stand.