Day 128

Jackfruit: Today's post is a new food I'd been looking forward to trying, but the results were utterly disappointing. I'd seen whole, uncut jackfruits several times at various markets (BHFM, Super H, YDFM), but I really wasn't up to the idea of buying the entire thing. They aren't that pricey per pound, but they're absolutely massive things. Think of a football tripled in size, then covered with spiky skin, and you're pretty close to visualizing what a whole jackfruit looks like. On my last shopping trip to the BHFM, I noticed this canned version in the Thai section. I normally like trying fresh versions of any fruit for the first time, but since the fresh version was more quantity than I wanted, I picked the can up for only $1.39.

I really had no idea what jackfruit was supposed to taste like, but based on its durian-like appearance, I should have known I could be in store for something unpleasant. After opening and draining the can, I noticed a faint smell that reminded me of lychee. Ok, not a bad start, since I like fresh lychee. The jackfruit was cut into small triangle-shaped pieces, and it had an odd meat-like appearance, almost like boiled chicken. Believe it or not, the texture wasn't much different than that - it had a slimy, chicken-like feel in my mouth, and it lacked any flavor at all. Aside from a slightly bitter aftertaste, there wasn't much going on with it at all. Honestly, I couldn't get past the bizarre texture, so I reluctantly chewed it up and swallowed. Blech.

I later learned that jackfruit is used in many vegan recipes due to its meat-like texture, and it's even referred to as "vegetable meat." Based on my miserable experiences with vegan meat substitutes, I really should have steered clear of this one before trying.

It's rare that I encounter something that makes me refuse another bite, but this definitely goes in that category. Unless you're dying to know what jackfruit tastes like, I advise staying away.