What iz dat?
It's a jackfruit!
A what fruit?
Jackfruit!
How big iz da tree?! (showed me her arms, opened them wide to show how big the fruit was.)
It's a tropical fruit.
First time I see this fruit!
She asked me why there was only one for sale, and why there was a pack that was for display only. So, I told her, "I think the staff will cut it for you if you want to purchase a slice."
She was still not able to clearly understand my explanation so I added,
"Ma'am, the fruit has a strong smell. It's not bad, but much more on the sweet side. But since it's too strong, it might be too offensive for shoppers not used to the smell."
I even explained to her how to eat it, and even how to cook the seeds, and then she was more curious of the fruit that she called her daughter on the phone and asked her if she was nearby the fresh produce. She wanted her daughter and granddaughter to see a foreign fruit.
Right when I was about to leave the fresh produce department, she thanked me. She added that this was better than books and Google because, according to her, they can touch and smell the fruit.
I can honestly smell the jackfruit when I went to the bakery. It took me back to the island where I grew up.
This is the first time in my 18 years of living in America that I've seen a jackfruit (aka known in Filipino as Langka, and Nangka in Visayan dialect) in a non-Asian grocery store.
*****
"Ang pag-ibig ko sa 'yo ay parang langka!
Langka-tapusan!"
- former Philippine Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago
4 comments:
I love reading your grocery store adventures!
Thank you, Jul.
I am surprised that in Malaysia we also call and spell it as Nangka. The Chinese would sometimes pronounce it as Langka in their dialects.
you're the walking google. you gave her the right info.
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