Mercado Municipal de Sao Paulo

Monday was one of my favorite culture courses. We took a trip to the Mercado Municipal. The Mercado Municipal is like an indoor farmers market with products ranging from fruits to vegetables, poultry, seafood and various types of meats. The market was opened in January of 1933 on Tamanduatei River's bank and is said to handle about 450 tons of food per day! The market is a must go place for anyone visiting!

                                                       

Known in Portuguese as Rambutan with no English translation. It has a weird spiky texture and almost looks like a sea urchin. The fruit is believed to be Indonesian and the word rambutan means hairy. It used in making jams and jellies.

Papao or in English Papaya. Rich in nutrients such as vitamin A and C.  Usually eaten raw , without skin or seeds. In some parts of the world the papaya leaves are used as a treatment for malaria.

Caju Fruit. The fruit is in the tree family of Anacardium which refers to the shape of the fruit that looks like an inverted heart. The cashew nut comes from this fruit. It ripens into a red or yellow structure about 5-11 cm long.

Pitaia also known as the dragon fruit. The fruit is vine like epiphytic.  The pitaia comes in 3 different types, all with leathery, slightly leafy skin. 

Sapoti or more commonly known in English as sapodilla. The fruit is a large ellipsoid berry that grows from 4-8 cm in diameter that contains 2-5 seeds.  

Jabuticaba. They look like large purple grapes. The fruit is 3-4 cm in diameter and has 1-4 large seeds. Its skin is thick and purple with a pink flesh. I actually tried this fruit and it was delicious.

                                                       

Nespera or Loquat. The fruits are usually 3-5 cm long with a smooth yellowy orange coverage. The fruits are very sweet when mushy and yellow. 

Dekofori. There is no translation for this fruit. It has an orange outer skin that is smooth like an orange. I tasted it and it is similar to an orange but not as acidic. 

Granadilha or Grenadia is from the Passiflora genus species of plants. It is similar to the passionfruit and known as the sugar fruit.  The fruit is orange to yellow colored with small white marks. 

Caqui Fuyu or Persimmon in English rich in beta carotene which acts as an antioxidant and fights free radical formation. It looks like an orange tomato!

Overall, I had an amazing time at the Mercado Municipal and I learned and tried a bunch of new fruits!