Dashe District's Leading Emperor Guava／叫我第一名 大社區帝王芭樂
Dashe District's Leading Emperor Guava
◎English translation: Lin Fu-ju
Delicious guava is sold all over Taiwan and can be found in places such as night markets, roadside fruit stands and high-end restaurants. The popular fruit is one of Kaohsiung's featured agricultural products and the region is one of Taiwan's leading guava producers. Yanchao, Dashe and Alian Districts are famous for the finest quality of guavas.
Guava is originally from Mexico and is full of protein, vitamin A, vitamin C, phosphorus, calcium and magnesium. The most nutritious type is known as Emperor Guava, is similar to its cousins, Crystal Guava and soft Pearl Guava, it is seedless and considered to be a super fruit. In 2006, the Emperor Guava was recognized as an official breed by the Council of Agriculture in the Executive Yuan. However since 1998, Dashe District farmers have been harvesting the breed. It is believed Taiwan's first harvest of the breed was in Dashe District. Since then, Emperor Guava production spread to other regions in Taiwan.
Thick and crispy, the Emperor Guava is also sweeter than other breeds. The sweetest can register up to a level 12 on the sweetness scale compared with other guavas that register levels of 8 to 10. It also ripens slower than other breeds and has a more complex growth process. Liu Jian-min was one of the first farmers to grow Emperor Guava in the region. It was his revolutionary methods of cultivation and organic fertilizers that have rendered sweeter guavas.
The Dashe farmers use more natural farming methods and good-quality organic fertilizers such as fermented milk, soy flour, rice bran and brown sugar. They also use all natural pesticides such as castor meal and shell powder. During the harvest, Emperor Guavas are wrapped carefully two layers of individual packaging. The inner layer works as a heat insulator, while the outer layer provides pest and fruit damage control. Liu Jian-min points out that safety is especially important for Emperor Guavas as the skin is also consumed.
Emperor Guava is considered a more high-end fruit due to the amount of care and cost invested in its production. It is priced at NT$70 per kilogram wholesale, three times greater than regular guavas. Therefore, in order to get the best value for money, consumers must select the fruit carefully. Mr. Liu explains the best way to select the sweetest guavas is to find the ones that have shiny yet rough skins. The greener ones have a crispier taste and for a softer textured fruit, opt for a more yellowish skin. Emperor Guava is produced year round. The best and sweetest guavas are harvested in the second half of the year between Mid-Autumn Festival and Chinese New Year.
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To purchase: |
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Dashe District Farmer's Association
(07) 351-1111 |
叫我第一名 大社區帝王芭樂
◎文／林昀熹
芭樂(番石榴)可說是「上得了廳堂、下得了廚房」的一種水果，從夜市、路邊攤到高級飯店都可以見到它的蹤影，不但廣受民眾喜愛，更是高雄的特色農產之一，像是燕巢區、大社區、阿蓮區等，都是芭樂的盛產區域，且不論是栽種面積或是產量，高雄市都是全台第一。
不僅如此，高雄的芭樂也擁有居於龍頭地位的品質。芭樂原產於熱帶美洲，富含豐富的蛋白質、維生素A、C，以及磷、鈣、鎂等微量元素，是對健康很好的水果，其中帝王芭樂營養價值最高，因此以「帝王」稱之。
除了籽少的水晶芭樂以及軟甜的珍珠芭樂之外，帝王芭樂是近年的另一明星水果產品。雖然2006年農委會才正式公告「帝王芭樂」這個品種，但其實早在1998年，大社區的農民就獲得了這個新品種的種苗開始試種，進而推廣到其他地方，因此高雄大社可說是帝王芭樂最初的故鄉。
帝王芭樂甜度比其他芭樂高，最甜的部位可達12度(般8至10度)，果肉厚且爽脆，吃起來不乾不澀，更妙的是還有回甘的感覺。最早開始種植帝王芭樂的農民之一劉建明說，越甜表示栽培管理達到一定的專業度，會回甘則是因為使用有機肥料。
帝王芭樂不但成長速度比其他的品種慢，照顧起來也需要很費心，大社區的農民主要以自然農法栽種，所使用的有機肥料除了包括發酵牛奶、黃豆粉、米糠、黑糖等等食用等級的「好料」，還有蓖麻粕、蝦蟹殼粉等具營養又有天然防蟲效果的材料。同時套袋也使用兩層，內層隔熱、外層防蟲害，十分細心。劉建明說，芭樂不能削皮吃，因此得格外注重安全。
這麼細心且重本，種出來的芭樂自然成為水果中的精品，果菜批發市場拍賣價一公斤可達70元，比其他芭樂高出三成。挑選帝王芭樂時，劉建明建議，要選擇表皮有光澤、但是表面像月球凹凸不平的才好吃，喜歡吃脆一點就挑綠一點的，顏色較淡的則比較軟。雖然全年都有產出，但帝王芭樂最甜、最美味的時候是每年中秋過後到農曆年間的秋冬之間，是最好的品嘗時機。