--- title: Friday, October 11th, 2019. description: In this Daily, Carambola, Mamón Chino, and Maracuyá are in season, three Costa Rican fruits that are known all around the world. image: https://thedaily.lascatalinascr.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/food-2964491_960_720-600x337-1.jpg --- # Friday, October 11th, 2019. [mailto:?subject=I%20wanted%20you%20to%20see%20this%20site&body=https://thedaily.lascatalinascr.com/daily-october-11th-2019](mailto:?subject=I%20wanted%20you%20to%20see%20this%20site&body=https://thedaily.lascatalinascr.com/daily-october-11th-2019) [Book](https://www.lascatalinascr.com/section/booking) In this Daily: Carambola, Rambutan, and Maracuyá Are All In Season Throughout the year in Costa Rica, different fruits and vegetables throughout the country come into season, offering a colorful variety to meals and snacks.  Right now, there are three iconic Costa Rican fruits that are in season, and available to try right here in Las Catalinas. They are the *Mamon Chino* (Rambutan), the *Maracuya* (Passion Fruit), and *Carambola* (Starfruit).  ### *Mamón Chino *(Rambutan) ![Mamón Chino, Fruit of Costa Rica,](https://thedaily.lascatalinascr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Screen-Shot-2019-10-10-at-3_14_48-PM-600x273-1.png?width=549&height=250&name=Screen-Shot-2019-10-10-at-3_14_48-PM-600x273-1.png) Mamón Chino on the Tree | PC: Commons ![Mamón Chino, Fruits of Costa Rica, Costa Rica Fruits](https://thedaily.lascatalinascr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/food-2964491_960_720-600x337-1.jpg?width=551&height=310&name=food-2964491_960_720-600x337-1.jpg) Inside a Mamón Chino | PC: Commons **About: **The *Mamón Chino* is a relative of the lychee, sometimes known as the Rambutan. Notable for their vibrantly colored skin, which can range from green to red-orange to vibrant orang, and their “hairy” exterior, these plants can be found on many street-side stands throughout Costa Rica when they are in season.  The interior of these plants is much like a plum, with a large pit on the inside. Due to its sweet and very slightly tangy flavor, the *Mamón Chino* is commonly eaten alone as a snack or a dessert, or included in a fruit salad. **Season: **Trees begin to fruit in July and continue to produce through October **Where You Can Find It: **[Copper & Stone Gourmet Grocery](http://www.copperandstonegourmet.com/shop/food/groceries/fruit-vegetables) currently has a stock of fresh *Mamón Chino* in their produce section ### *Maracuya* (Passion Fruit) ![](https://thedaily.lascatalinascr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Screen-Shot-2019-10-10-at-2_30_19-PM-600x452-1.png?width=550&height=415&name=Screen-Shot-2019-10-10-at-2_30_19-PM-600x452-1.png) Unripe Maracuyá on the Tree | PC: Commons ![Maracuyá, Passion Fruit, Fruits of Costa Rica](https://thedaily.lascatalinascr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Screen-Shot-2019-10-09-at-9_12_54-AM-600x449-1.png?width=549&height=411&name=Screen-Shot-2019-10-09-at-9_12_54-AM-600x449-1.png) A Bundle of Maracuyá | PC: Commons **About: ***Maracuyá* is one of the two Costa Rican varieties of passion fruit, along with the *granadilla*. The seeds and flesh on the inside are the edible portion of this fruit, which have a rich tart flavor.  **Season: ***Maracuyá* is available throughout the year, but peak in production and freshness during rainier seasons (August-December and March-May).  **Where You Can Find It: **[Limonada](http://facebook.com/limonadacostarica) uses fresh *maracuyá* in their spicy passion fruit margarita, which blends the tartness of the *maracuyá* with jalapeño in a light but strongly flavored cocktail that works as a complement to a meal or on its own.  ### *Carambola *(Starfruit) ![Fruit of Costa Rica, Carambola, Starfruit](https://thedaily.lascatalinascr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Screen-Shot-2019-10-10-at-3_21_41-PM-600x277-1.png?width=600&height=277&name=Screen-Shot-2019-10-10-at-3_21_41-PM-600x277-1.png) Carambola on the Tree, Carambola Cut into Pieces | PC: Commons **About: **The *carambola*, or star fruit, is so known due to its distinctive ridged shape, which looks like a star when cut into cross sections. Their texture is crisp and crunchy, trending towards that of a juicy kiwi as they become very ripe. *Carambolas* have a sweet and slightly tart flavor that resembles pears, apples, and grapes, and are popular as a snack, a part of a fruit salad, or turned into *frescos* and other smoothies. **Season: ***Carambolas* grow throughout the year, but fruit prominently with the arrival of the rainy season in September and October.  **Where You Can Find It:** [Cuatro Calle La Ronda](https://www.santarenahotel.com/dining/4-calle-la-ronda) offers a *carambola *variation of their homemade sodas, Copper & Stone Gourmet stocks the fruit in their produce section, and there are also trees in town that produce fresh fruit when the time is right. ### Try Them at Home All three of these fruits can be found around town as part of juices, cocktails, or snacks, as well as on the shelves at Copper & Stone. Upon request, the chefs at Bahía group can also integrate these and other seasonal fruits into [in-home dinners](https://thedaily.lascatalinascr.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Las-Catalinas-Culinary-Experiences-1.pdf). [Reach out to concierge](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/4917861/85ff884e-3d7a-4290-9fff-f475cb605bd2) to organize an in-home dinner or have these seasonal fruits delivered and waiting when you get home, perfect to try in a fruit salad, a smoothie, a complement to a meal, a dessert, or simply as a fresh fruit snack.  ## See related posts ## [Sunday, August 11th, 2019.](https://thedaily.lascatalinascr.com/daily-august-11th-2019) [In this Daily: Día de la Madre (Costa Rican Mother’s Day) and the Week Ahead](https://thedaily.lascatalinascr.com/daily-august-11th-2019) [Read more](https://thedaily.lascatalinascr.com/daily-august-11th-2019) ## [Monday, November 18th, 2019.](https://thedaily.lascatalinascr.com/daily-november-18th-2019) [In this Daily: The Pura Vida Ride Paddle Battle and the Intrepid Challenge](https://thedaily.lascatalinascr.com/daily-november-18th-2019) [Read more](https://thedaily.lascatalinascr.com/daily-november-18th-2019) ## [Wednesday, August 28th, 2019.](https://thedaily.lascatalinascr.com/daily-august-28th-2019) [In this Daily: A Look at the National Parks of Costa Rica](https://thedaily.lascatalinascr.com/daily-august-28th-2019) [Read more](https://thedaily.lascatalinascr.com/daily-august-28th-2019) ## [Monday, September 23rd, 2019.](https://thedaily.lascatalinascr.com/daily-september-23rd-2019) [In this Daily: The Monkeys of Guanacaste](https://thedaily.lascatalinascr.com/daily-september-23rd-2019) [Read more](https://thedaily.lascatalinascr.com/daily-september-23rd-2019) #### Subscribe to The Blog, The Daily, The Newsletter, and more Additionally you will receive our occasional newsletter. 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