If you were to tell me nothing about a person except that they have a loquat in their backyard, this would be enough to know that I would probably like them.
Many of the old houses in my neighborhood have loquat in their yards. Loquats are hardy, easy to reproduce and in the spring, give you more fruit than you know what to do with. The sensible oldies like these traits. The younger, hi-tech, sophisticated generation frown on loquats because they are unsightly, untrendy and make a terrible mess. The fruits dry up in ugly clumps and the leaves have the audacity to fall off the tree. This generation plant citrus and palm trees.
That is the first tree that I wanted to plant in my backyard and my husband said,
“I don’t want a loquat growing in my backyard, I don’t feel like cleaning after it”,
I said, “I don’t care, I love loquats!”
Of course I bought my beloved loquat with a promise that I would look after it and even take it for a walk. Now it is loquat season and my kids are harvesting them, popping them in their mouths and throwing the seeds all over the rest of the garden. Isn’t that the most important thing in life, no, not the bloody mess but the memories? And if I have to rake more leaves than usual that is a good price to pay.
I believe that soon the Israeli celebrity chefs are going to realize how great loquats are and make them the next trendy fruit. This will make me pretty mad because I have been saying this all along and I won’t be getting any credit for it. Worse of all, everyone passing my garden will automatically think that I follow trends, when it is the other way around! Joking aside, I think that loquats might make a nice addition to serviche or leafy salad because it has a lovely sweet and sour flavor; it reminds me of a sweeter more aromatic version of apricot. In fact it can be substituted in recipes that call for apricots or peaches.
Loquats are originally from China, but are now also popular in Israel (where they are called shesek), Japan, Sicily, and southern Spain and California. They are from the rose family which includes apples, pears, peaches and cherries. I read that eating many loquats is sedative, it might be true but I didn’t see any scientific evidence to support this. If you want to test this hypothesis make sure the bathroom is close by.
That is the first tree that I wanted to plant in my backyard and my husband said,
“I don’t want a loquat growing in my backyard, I don’t feel like cleaning after it”,
I said, “I don’t care, I love loquats!”
Of course I bought my beloved loquat with a promise that I would look after it and even take it for a walk. Now it is loquat season and my kids are harvesting them, popping them in their mouths and throwing the seeds all over the rest of the garden. Isn’t that the most important thing in life, no, not the bloody mess but the memories? And if I have to rake more leaves than usual that is a good price to pay.
I believe that soon the Israeli celebrity chefs are going to realize how great loquats are and make them the next trendy fruit. This will make me pretty mad because I have been saying this all along and I won’t be getting any credit for it. Worse of all, everyone passing my garden will automatically think that I follow trends, when it is the other way around! Joking aside, I think that loquats might make a nice addition to serviche or leafy salad because it has a lovely sweet and sour flavor; it reminds me of a sweeter more aromatic version of apricot. In fact it can be substituted in recipes that call for apricots or peaches.
Loquats are originally from China, but are now also popular in Israel (where they are called shesek), Japan, Sicily, and southern Spain and California. They are from the rose family which includes apples, pears, peaches and cherries. I read that eating many loquats is sedative, it might be true but I didn’t see any scientific evidence to support this. If you want to test this hypothesis make sure the bathroom is close by.
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Well, not a bathroom, but perhaps a bed? Laxative/sedative are not things you’d want to mix up!
In Antep they make a really wonderful kebab with loquats – the loquats are seeded, split, stuffed with the meat mixture and skewered. Amazing.
oh no, I meant a bathroom, after my son gorged himself on loquats he did not fall into a peaceful slumber but ran like a speedball to the bathroom!
I had loquats in my backyard when growing up in Brazil. But we called it prunes. We used to eat it out of the tree and maybe make a compote.
I absolutely love these things. When i grew up we called them nisperos. The funny thing about these fruit is the uglier they are, the tastier they are. the best ones are orange and bruised. They are so sweet.