Tastes of the Tropics - Robert is Here

Edible Radio

Taste of the Tropics: Weird Fruits

Deep in South Florida’s agricultural district in Homestead and the Redland, on the way to the southern entrance of Everglades National Park, you can’t miss the big fruit stand called Robert Is Here. Pull in and treat yourself to a key lime milkshake, local honey, maybe some guanabana, and a chat with Robert Moehling, who is behind the counter nearly every day, talking about tropical fruits.

Robert Is Here started more than 50 years ago when he was a little boy selling his family’s cucumbers. Today, this family business is an institution, its cases heaped with stacks of tropical fruits and produce. They ship out exotic tropical fruits to those who can’t visit in person. Moehling knows pretty much everything about all tropical fruits, so we decided to talk with him about a few unusual – and delicious – tropical fruits you can find in South Florida.

Weird fruits

Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus)

Dragonfruit, also known as pitaya

• White-fleshed (Hylocereus undatus)
• Red-fleshed (Hylocereus costaricensis or H. polyrhizus)
• Black sapote, also known as chocolate pudding fruit or chocolate persimmon (Diospyros nigra)

Canistel, also known as eggfruit (Pouteria campechiana)

Miracle fruit (Synsepalum dulcificum)

Sugar apple, also known as sweetsop or custard apple (Annona squamosa)