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Find out more about the origin of the Achacha, how / where we grow it and the nutritional qualities that will have your mouth dancing!
The Achacha, known in Bolivia as the Achachairú, (meaning honey kiss in Guaraní, a local native language) is highly prized, having been cultivated for centuries in domestic orchards in the tropical lowlands of the Amazon Basin. It has not been commercialised internationally until now.
Many people think of Bolivia as being a high mountainous country in the Andes. That is true in the area around La Paz, the capital, and in one third of the country. However Santa Cruz de la Sierra, the country’s largest city, is located in the tropical lowlands, home to many wonderful exotic fruits and vegetables including the Achacha.
Delicious, refreshing, exotic, tangy, effervescent . . . no wonder the name translates as “honey kiss”!
It is refreshing to eat at ambient temperature, but even more stunning when served cold or even frozen. There is a fine balance between its sweetness and its acidity, creating a unique taste sensation. It has an exotic appeal similar to the mangosteen, longan, rambutan and lychee. Although the Achacha is a cousin of the mangosteen which is known as the “queen of tropical fruit” throughout Asia, it has less than half of the sugar content which gives it that special unique tanginess.
The Achacha attracts attention before and as it is being consumed. It has an appealing colour and form and is very decorative. It is egg-shaped, up to 6cm long by 4cm in diameter. It takes on a reddish-orange shade when mature. There is usually one significant coffee-coloured seed, but larger fruit may have more than one seed. As an eco-friendly forest fruit which has not been through hundreds of generations of selective breeding, each one has its own personality and curves, with perhaps a few small bumps and marks on its skin which add interest to its appearance but do not affect its quality.
Achacha does not ripen further once harvested. So technically it is a non-climacteric fruit, like the pineapple, cherry, and orange, compared to a climacteric fruit such as the mango, peach and banana.
A household refrigerator stores perishable food at about 5°C; this is too cold for the Achacha, unless you are planning on eating it that day and need it chilled. At about 20°C – room temperature – it will keep for days in the fruit bowl, and weeks if stored in a closed container or bag so that the skin retains some humidity and does not dry out. Refrigerate for several hours before eating if you would like to sharpen up the flavour!
If you’re bored with the same old fruit, why not try the dancing fruit: the Achacha. Have fun piercing and popping open the Achacha fresh from North Queensland!
They’re a healthy addition to a kid’s lunch box and being fun to open, an excellent companion on a long holiday trip.
With their exciting tangy and refreshing zesty taste, Achacha may just be the fruit to boost your daily intake.
The Achacha is renowned for rich antioxidant content. This along with its unique nutrient composition, folate, potassium and vitamin C makes it an excellent addition to your fruit bowl.
The skin also contains many nutritional content. The Achacha Thirst Quencher made by infusing the skin, will give you a healthy dose of betacarotene, hydroxycitrate acid (HCA), arginine and other minerals. Being low in sugar – what could be better for you?
Fruit in the Garcinia family like Achacha contain a natural substance hydroxycitrate acid (HCA), in their skins. Studies have shown hydroxycitrate has unique properties that may help people who are looking to maintain a healthy body weight, when included as a part of a kilojoule-controlled eating plan. Just wash and remove the skin, blend it, add water and leave it to brew overnight for a refreshing drink (for further recipe details, please click here).
The Achacha plantation is in the Burdekin Shire district, a district “built of liquid gold” – so called because the region is situated on a vast natural underground aquifer which is replenished with water from the mighty Burdekin River.
As well as being one of the largest sugar cane producing area in Australia, the Burdekin is also the mango and melon capital of Queensland and has a multi-million dollar horticultural industry, grazing and prawn farming.
With more than 300 glorious sunny days each year, miles of sandy beaches, unspoiled mangrove estuaries, unique wetlands, abundant birdlife, walking tracks and friendly country towns the Burdekin is a wonderful place to visit.
The source of the area’s water wealth and points of touristic interest can be found at http://www.burdekintourism.com.au
This is one of the world’s top marine research institutes. It is open for inspection. http://www.aims.gov.au.
Yes it can – in Bolivia it is made into a refreshing drink which is also used as a hunger suppressant and in food recipes. See recipe on Eating & Serving page.
The Achacha is from the same family and is similar in taste to the mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana), known as “the queen of tropical fruit”, which is grown throughout tropical Asia particularly in Thailand, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Philippines and Indonesia. Local and imported mangosteen are available in Australia from time to time.
However the Achacha has a thinner golden skin, compared to the mangosteen’s thicker dark purple skin, it has about 25% more flesh per kilogram than the mangosteen, and it is not as sweet as the mangosteen. The Achacha has a wonderful balance between sweet and tart, with a delicate sorbet finish which makes it quite different to all other fruit and very refreshing.
Our plantation is in the Burdekin, North Queensland.
34348 Bruce Highway Palm Creek 4809 (near Giru)
We are located midway between Townsville and Ayr, opposite the entry to Mountain View Eco Camp, where the Palm Creek Music Festival is held.
34338 Bruce Highway
Mount Surround 4809 (near Giru)
Queensland, Australia
We are located on the Bruce Highway, midway between Townsville and Ayr.
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