What is lanzones you ask? Well, lanzones (lan-so-ness) fruit is a tropical fruit commonly found in Southeast Asia. Lanzones are round or oval with yellow skin that is easy to peel and translucent segmented flesh. They grow and are sold in bunches like grapes, but they are much bigger in size. When it’s ripe, the flesh is super sweet and juicy. One word of caution: be careful not to bite into the seed because it’s very very bitter.
Lanzones fruit is a favorite of many Filipinos and Indonesians. I grew up eating lanzones and in fact, one of my fondest memories as a child involves lanzones. I remember my dad came home from work one day with a treat for me – a bag full of lanzones! I was super excited so I ate and ate one lanzones after another. I ate so many that I had a stomachache all night! The resulting stomachache from my lack of self control did not stop me from eating lanzones for the very next day, I did the same thing over again. I was a happy kid with my bag full of lanzones from my dad. I do miss eating tropical fruit so once in awhile, the husband and I venture out to Chinatown and treat ourselves to a couple of tropical fruit. Recently, we decided to purchase a bunch of lanzones and although the taste was not exactly how I remember it (must have to do with the fact it traveled so far), it still brought back fond memories for me. As for Arkadi, this was the first time he tried lanzones and after eating a couple, he understood why I love them. If you are familiar with this fruit, I hope this post brought back some fond memories for you and if you’ve never had this fruit, but would like to try it, here are some fun facts for you:
1) Lanzones peel is a natural mosquito repellent. Burn the peel and it produces a smell that mosquitoes hate.
2) Lanzones can prevent diarrhea. Keep that in mind, next time you get a stomach bug!
3) Lanzones fruit is pack full of Vitamin C and E and antioxidants.
4) The bark of the lanzones tree is used for scorpion stings.
5) The seeds are not edible at all as they are bitter, but powdered seeds are useful in reducing fever.
This is a new fruit to me! I’d love to try them.
Lazones are new to me — sound so interesting. Fun post — thanks.
Never heard of a lanzone, now I want to try them.