Vú Sữa: Vietnam's Milky Fruit

After six months of living in Saigon, I haven’t even come close to sampling all of the fruits and vegetables available. I love how every "season" brings a plethora of new delights to try. Sugar apples have been my favorite fruit for quite some time, but they may soon be replaced by vú sữa.

In English, vú sữa kinkily translates to "milky boob." Hubba hubba. The fruit earned its name based on its appearance and the process by which it is consumed. After the fruit has properly chilled in the fridge, one needs to massage it thoroughly before eating. When the milky juice and flesh are ready, the vú sữa feels pliable to the touch.

The first time I ate vú sữa, I may have massaged it too well because the outer skin cracked and made a small hole. Oops. The hole actually turned out to be a good thing. I just made it a little bigger and tilted the fruit into my mouth to drink the milky goodness. I would’ve asked someone to take a picture, but the scene was a little too porn-y for serious eaters. The fruit tasted awesomely refreshing and sweet. The flavor reminded me of a thicker version of the juice from a fresh young coconut. After I drank all of the juice, I ate the flesh with a spoon. Mmm, boy!

Cathy Danh lives in Saigon, where she works as a copy editor and writer. She aims to eat five-a-day, and avoids trans-fats like the plague. When Cathy’s not blogging, talking, or reading about food, she’s likely running along the Saigon River.