We have two jaboticaba trees on our property. One has never flourished. The other, however, when in season bears a ton of fruit. Okay maybe not an actual ton, but a lot. The jaboticaba grows on the trunk of the tree. It’s odd looking. It almost looks like some sort of wart or growth on the tree. I actually know people who won’t eat it because of this very reason. It is a shame for them, however, because the fruit is delicious. It looks a lot like a dark purple grape, but the skin is much thicker. When eating, you can eat the skin, but most people don’t as it’s a little tough and slightly bitter. Rather you simply pop the whole thing in your mouth, pop it open with your teeth and suck the pulp and seeds out. Then you spit the skin and seeds out. It doesn’t sound too attractive but it is really good. People make jelly, wine and liqueurs out of it. The wine process is a bit time consuming and to be honest I’m always nervous about the fermenting process, so I haven’t tried that yet. We picked two large baskets full of the berries. I made some jelly and am in the process of making the liqueur. This jar will sit for a few months before I strain it and add a simple sugar syrup to taste.
Jaboticaba can fruit year round if taken care of well. This is our second batch this year. Once ripe, they don’t stay fresh long. So it’s important to pick quickly, else they’ll simply fall on the ground and rot. Jaboticaba is native to Brazil. It has high levels of antioxidants, anti-inflammatory properties, and anti-aging properties (who doesn’t want that??). It is also a good source of Vitamin C, B1, calcium and phosphorous.
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