We grew up with straightforward flavors. An apple is an apple. A cherry is childhood, summer, and a hint of tartness on the lips. Everything is familiar, predictable, almost domestic.
Then you find yourself in Paraguay and suddenly realize: fruit here isn’t just food. It’s an experience. Sometimes unexpected, sometimes strange, and sometimes so complex that you want to stop and deconstruct the flavor piece by piece.
How do you explain a fruit that grows directly on the tree trunk? Or one that tastes like a mix of strawberry, black pepper, and something else you’ve never encountered?
Acerola
A tiny berry with the character of a giant vitamin. It looks almost like a cherry. But one bite is enough to “wake up” your receptors: the bright tartness shifts into a light sweetness, leaving a feeling of freshness like a breath of cool air. Acerola doesn’t just taste good; it works for you. Its Vitamin C concentration is so high that your body receives an immediate “wake-up call”: immunity activates, skin looks fresher, and fatigue retreats faster than usual. In a battle of flavors, it easily challenges the Ukrainian cherry, but it does so louder, brighter, and with a bit more sass.
Loquat (Mushmula)
This fruit is in no hurry to reveal itself. The loquat is about patience; it’s not for those who want to “eat and run.” Its true flavor only opens up when the fruit is fully ripe, almost tender to the touch. Then, the texture becomes soft, nearly creamy, and the taste grows complex—as if an apple, a pear, and an apricot agreed to become something new. It doesn’t scream; it speaks softly. But this softness is exactly what makes it special. Inside, fiber gently supports digestion, Vitamin A works on your skin and vision, and potassium maintains the body’s balance. Yet, it doesn’t feel like “nutrition”—it feels like lightness. You don’t eat it on the go; you eat it when you want to slow down.
Jabuticaba
A fruit that shatters expectations. The first shock isn’t the taste, but the appearance. The berries grow directly on the tree trunk, as if someone glued them there. You wonder: is this even edible? Then you try it, and the inside reveals a juiciness reminiscent of grapes but with a deeper, almost vinous undertone and a slight exotic note. The skin is somewhat thick while the center is delicate—the magic lies in this contrast. Jabuticaba is rich in antioxidants that work quietly to protect cells, support the heart, and add resilience to the body. But the most interesting part isn’t the health benefit—it’s how it makes you doubt your own experience. Because you’ve definitely never eaten anything like it.
Guava
A fragrance that precedes the taste. You can recognize it before you even see it. Guava’s aroma fills the space—sweet, thick, almost tropically heavy. The taste follows suit: intense, soft, and slightly creamy. But the true uniqueness lies in the texture, where the delicate pulp meets tiny seeds that don’t distract but rather add a sense of a “living” product. Guava isn’t just a dessert. It provides serious support: high Vitamin C, fiber for digestion, and a natural ability to bolster the immune system without any “additives.” You don’t need to peel it; you eat it almost entirely. There is something very right about that.
Annona (Sugar Apple/Cherimoya)
A fruit that feels like a dessert. If you didn’t know it was a fruit, you might think it was a cream. Its soft, delicate texture literally melts in your mouth, leaving a flavor that blends banana, vanilla, and a hint of berry. Annona doesn’t refresh; it soothes. This is a fruit for those moments when you want tenderness rather than a flavor explosion. Inside, you’ll find magnesium, potassium, and B vitamins that help the nervous system, providing energy and a sense of internal balance. You don’t just bite it; you savor it. It is a “creamy pause.”
Monstera Deliciosa
A fruit with character and rules. This is perhaps one of the most dangerous introductions in the fruit world. If you don’t know the golden rule, you might be deeply disappointed. Monstera can only be eaten when it is fully ripe. Otherwise, it literally “stings” the mouth, leaving an unpleasant sensation. But if you wait for the right moment, a marvelous flavor unfolds: pineapple, banana, and something creamy in between. This fruit is about patience and mindfulness. It teaches you not to rush. And strangely enough, behind this exoticism stands a plant we often keep at home simply for decoration.
Pitanga (Surinam Cherry)
A mood that changes with every berry. This fruit doesn’t have just one flavor, and that is its main intrigue. Ripe, it is sweet, soft, and pleasant. Slightly underripe, it carries a hint of bitterness and astringency. You never know in advance what you’re going to get. Pitanga is rich in antioxidants and Vitamin A, which supports the skin, but again—that’s not the main point. The point is the feeling of a game. It’s a fruit that makes you try again and again just to understand it fully.
Paraguay is about discovery. And perhaps it’s not about one thing being better than another, but about the fact that somewhere between a familiar apple and a strange jabuticaba, curiosity begins. And from there, a new experience starts.
Read also: Ukrainian “Mavka” in Zurich and Basel: How Animation Becomes a Tool of Soft Power in Europe
Photo: from open sources