| For those of you not living in either California, Florida, | | | | vitamin C. |
| Louisiana or Latin America, you may not be familiar | | | | How Does A Merliton Taste? |
| with a merliton. Perhaps the names, chayote, | | | | It tastes good! A merliton tastes similar to summer |
| vegetable pear, mango squash, cho-cho, xuxu or | | | | squash, but a little sweeter. The outside texture is a |
| christophene ring a bell. They all refer to this versatile | | | | cross between a potato and a cucumber. The inside is |
| gourd-like vegetable that is grown around the world | | | | more similar to an eggplant. I prefer it cooked, but |
| and called by various names. Historically, it was a | | | | many eat it raw or pickled. |
| primary food of the Aztecs and Mayas. | | | | A great low calorie snack is to cut into strips and boil. |
| What Exactly is a Merliton? | | | | Marinate with low fat salad dressing in the refrigerator. |
| A merilton is an edible plant of the Curcurbitaceae | | | | The strips make a great snack when looking for |
| (gourd) family along with melons, cucumbers and | | | | something quick to munch on. |
| squash. It is grown on a vine. It looks like a light green | | | | Where Do I Buy One and Why Are Merlitons So |
| large pear, similar in color to a Granny Smith apple. The | | | | Great? |
| inside is a lighter color with a soft large seed. | | | | Although merlitons were native to Mexica and Central |
| A merliton can be fixed in as many ways as a sweet | | | | America, they are now grown over the world. They |
| potato. It can be stuffed, fried, bake, mashed, creamed, | | | | can be found in ethnic markets including Asian, Indian, |
| pickled and buttered. The filling makes a great custard | | | | Philippian, Caribbean, and Latin American. They may be |
| pie. It can be eaten raw and served cold in salads. It | | | | found in your local "super" supermarket, but most likely |
| makes a great tasting soup and merliton fritters are a | | | | are not called a merliton. |
| popular substitute for pancakes. | | | | Merlitons are great because they taste so good and |
| Many say that merlitons can be substituted for any | | | | can be fixed so many different ways. But best of all |
| recipe requiring squash. But I would add, for any recipe | | | | most people have never heard of them. I live in Texas |
| calling for sweet potatoes as well. | | | | and for me they are my secret weapons. When I |
| Merlitons are a low calorie vegetable, only 40 calories | | | | want to WOW my friends with my cooking prowess, I |
| per cup. They are also low in sodium and a good | | | | cook a dish with merlitons. My Cajun merliton and |
| source of fiber. They are rich in amino acids and | | | | shrimp soup has my neighbors begging for more! |