The wild world of Mexico’s tiniest edible treasures

I’m delighted regular by the biodiversity of Mexico. Most of all, by the wealthiness of its edible chaotic plants. Lately I’ve been obsessed with its tiniest treasures. The world’s smallest effect and vegetables.

Like the world’s smallest passionfruit, which is little than the size of my thumbnail. Or, the world’s smallest cucumbers, which are astir fractional the magnitude of my pinkie finger, are crunchy and delicious. Now I pickle them erstwhile I find a large patch. Or popular them successful my greeting smoothie aft a locomotion erstwhile I lone find a handful. 

The world’s smallest passionflower and a motion of the world’s smallest passionateness fruit. (Bel Woodhouse)

Speaking of pickling, I besides stumbled crossed the world’s smallest bitter melon, which is besides rather tasty pickled. Or sliced successful stir-fries. 

Now, tin you spot wherefore I’m obsessed with these delightful tiny treasures? No? Then fto maine amusement you however adorable they are, and I’m definite you’ll get it. 

My favorite, the world’s smallest passionfruit

Don’t laugh, but I really squealed successful delight erstwhile I recovered these walking backmost from swimming 1 morning. Causing different walkers to giggle and halt to spot what each the fuss was about. Soon, determination was a tiny gathering admiring these tiny treasures sprouting from the sidewalk!

It’s the world’s smallest passionflower — Passiflora pallida. With adorable flowers the size of my thumbnail, it’s not conscionable maine who loves them. They’ve caused squeals of delight worldwide. They are present adored by quality lovers successful the U.S., France, England, Australia, Greece, Italy, Germany, positive Singapore and Japan, aft I posted them successful a Botanical Art School I’m a subordinate of. Everyone agrees, these are the astir adorable edible treasures I’ve recovered truthful far. 

Funnily enough, they didn’t truly sensation similar anything. I’ve eaten a fewer now, and they are truthful tiny I couldn’t get a decent mouthful to archer if they are sweet, sour, bland oregon delicious! But don’t worry! I’ve recovered respective different chaotic passionfruit present that are somewhat larger and they are delicious. 

So, bash you privation to cognize which tiny treasure is the astir delicious? 

Did you cognize Mexico is location to the world’s smallest passionateness fruit? (Bel Woodhouse)

World’s smallest cucumber, oregon rodent melon if you prefer

This delicious delight is not lone cute to look at, but has immoderate beauteous cute communal names, too. My favorite’s being melonette and rodent melon. Can’t you conscionable spot a small rodent holding 1 and happily munching away? I can, and it’s delightful. 

Usually called the creeping cucumber oregon Guadalupe cucumber, you guessed it, it’s autochthonal to Mexico. It has been enjoyed since Pre-Columbian times. Both arsenic a nutrient and successful accepted medicine, but I usually popular it successful my greeting smoothie. 

What does it sensation like? Well, precisely similar 1 of its larger store-bought cucumber cousins. Crisp, refreshing and cucumbery. 

Sometimes they don’t adjacent marque it home! Happily eaten connected walks if I lone find a few, and erstwhile I find a lot, I marque mini pickles — I particularly emotion them with immoderate cheese, they marque a large snack! 

Note: lone devour the airy greenish ones. Dark-skinned ones volition springiness you an upset tummy oregon the squirts, and nary 1 wants that!

But they aren’t the lone tiny edible treasure I pickle. Want to cognize my favorite? 

Tiny and delicious creeping cucumber, aka Melothria pendula. (Bel Woodhouse)

World’s smallest bitter melon

This delightful knobbly small effect is my favourite for pickling. That sweet, sour, tangy spirit makes my sensation buds sing. But past again, I’ve eaten bitter melon for years. In the markets passim Asia and backmost location successful bluish Australia, you’ll find them readily available, truthful they aren’t caller to me. Whereas my American person said, “What the hellhole is that?” erstwhile I stopped to prime some.

We were walking and I abruptly stopped. My bosom astir skipped a bushed passing a fence. This tiny happening that looked similar a bitter melon was astatine oculus level. Have you ever had those thoughts, “was that a …?” erstwhile you spot thing determination you didn’t expect to?

I did. Thinking to myself, “Was that a babe bitter melon?” I stopped, turned astir and went back. Seeing the beauteous flowers, whose cheery sunflower yellowish ever delights me, yes, it was. A tiny chaotic mentation of the ample 20-30 centimeter bitter melons I utilized to get astatine the market.

What a fantastic discovery! But to beryllium sure, I picked a fewer and took them location to place them earlier going backmost to cod more.

Lastly, words of proposal for chaotic foods

As each foragers and fans of chaotic nutrient know, ever double-check and place things earlier you devour them. I thought this was communal sense, but past I met a pistillate who conscionable picks, eats, and thinks everything volition beryllium fine. I bash NOT urge this. 

Always place a works archetypal earlier consuming, ideally done a trusted and adept tract similar PlantNet. It’s free, and there’s a large app if you privation to place things portion wandering the wilds. It’s the 1 I use, and it hasn’t fto maine down yet.

The tiny bitter melon angiosperm is simply a definite harbinger of bitter melon effect successful Mexico. (Bel Woodhouse)

So, if you’re similar maine and privation to caput retired to research the earthy satellite astir you, get PlantNet. Then bask uncovering amusive edible tiny treasures, and blessed foraging! 

I anticipation to spot you retired and astir exploring Mexico’s biodiversity arsenic well. Because it’s astonishing what you’ll find erstwhile you instrumentality a infinitesimal to look. And a batch of times, it’s delicious!

Mexico Correspondent for International Living, Bel is an experienced writer, author, lensman and videographer with 500+ articles published some successful people and crossed integer platforms. Living successful the Mexican Caribbean for implicit 7 years now, she’s successful emotion with Mexico and has nary plans to spell anyplace anytime soon.