Grosellas Puerto Rican Gooseberries

Yesterday we had the pleasure of being invited to the home, office, and workspace of @TropicalBloom . Owners and Environmental Biologists Jennifer and Osvaldo, opened up their home and land for us to relax and enjoy.

We walked with Osvaldo who showed us around the workspace where they cultivate the bromeliads, house fish, turtles, guinea pigs, and eleven rescue dogs who are part of their family.

Our daughter enjoyed all the plants and animals she got see, especially the cats (one of her words for all four legged animals including JuanGa.)

Bromeliads growing in Añasco, Puerto Rico Tropical Bloom

Grosellas

Jennifer had mentioned that she was going to make us some Grosellas and I had no clue what she was talking about.

Before their clients left with their new bromeliads, Osvaldo and Raul went Grosella or what you would call Gooseberry, picking. They grow on a tree in bunches almost like grapes and the tree was packed with them.

Grosellas or Gooseberries

I had never eaten a gooseberry but have seen a variation of the gooseberry that is yellow or orange on one of the cooking channels. I ate one raw and it almost tasted like a green pepper.

Jennifer said they are packed with Vitamin C and are usually cooked in water and sugar as a treat. That evening she made some with brown sugar and water. Put them in the fridge and let them cool a bit. What you get is a semi-sweet tart fruit.

BreadFruit (Pana) and Green Bananas (Guineos)

Cooking Grosellas

We packed up some breadfruit, bananas, and gooseberries for the ride home. This morning I decided that I was going to make my gooseberries with a little bit more flavor. I added some cinnamon, vanilla extract, brown sugar, confectioner’s sugar, and some freshly squeezed orange juice and added this to the water.

I let it cook and waited until the gooseberries took on a brownish color and had separated. I also tasted them to see if they were soft.

Grosellas (Gooseberries)

I put them in the fridge and since the gooseberry soaks up the flavors added in the water, you get a semi-sweet tart, cinnamon tasting treat. I didn’t measure anything; I just added and tasted. But if you want to have a recipe to follow, here is one that I found this morning on a site called @VeganInTheSun .

Grosellas or Gooseberries Treats

Thanks @TropicalBloom!

Thanks to Jennifer and Osvaldo for teaching me something new about the fruits and vegetables that grow in Puerto Rico. If you would like to visit Jennifer and Osvaldo’s shop in Añasco, Puerto Rico, write to them here , you can find them on Twitter @TropicalBloom and on Facebook  .

Tropical Bloom Shop Añasco, Puerto Rico

Have you ever had Grosellas or Gooseberries? 

What did you think of the taste and how did you use them in your cooking?

Thanks to Raul @rj_c for taking the pictures.

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8 Comments

  1. GiaNo Gravatar on July 4, 2013 at 3:40 pm

    I used to live in Puerto Rico and my parents had a Grosellas tree in the backyard. I never liked the grosellas cooked in sugar and water. I loved them right from the tree, ripe and very tart. I thought they were very delicious that way, but I also loved tamarindos that are very tart, too.



  2. lucymfelNo Gravatar on July 5, 2013 at 9:02 am

    When I wrote the post, it was my first time seeing lots of local fruit and delicacies like the Pomarosa and Grosella. I did taste one right off the tree and it was tart. It is good to learn about the edible vegetation in Puerto Rico. Thanks for stopping by and sharing your comment.



  3. […] There are foods that have been a staple in many Latino and Caribbean homes that are now considered super foods and are being consumed by those looking for healthier food options.  Melinda explains how foods such as Amaranth, Cacao, and even Avocados have been in the diet of Latinos for many centuries. If I look at my mom’s recipes, we always had avocados when they were in season and if someone came to Puerto Rico, my dad always had to have one from the island. Living in Puerto Rico, we are lucky to have family members and friends with all sorts of root vegetables and fruit that you can’t find in the states. Ever had Grosellas for dessert?  […]



  4. ubil9No Gravatar on March 31, 2014 at 1:15 am

    I love them right from the tree never ever had them any other way but thanks for sharing this other amazing way to enjoy them 🙂



  5. LucillaNo Gravatar on March 31, 2014 at 10:43 am

    It was the first and last time we had Grosellas because we have not been back to Añasco. But raw they tasted different than cooked. That is for sure. Thanks for the comment!



  6. MellyNo Gravatar on August 23, 2014 at 11:47 pm

    I was in the hills of Coamo recently visiting family. When I was given a drink from Grusellas. I asked to show me this fruit of which they did and to make long story short ,I came back to the mainland and I now have a grusellas seedling. I have been investigating about nutrition for my eyes. I have been looking for Bilberry seeds or plants.apparently these berries are full of vitamins C and other important nutrients just like the grusellas. Then I looked at the pictures of my relatives of which where in their 80 and they wear no glasses and drink a lot and eat grusellas. Just a thought to ponder.



  7. LucillaNo Gravatar on September 3, 2014 at 7:40 am

    The vegetation on the island has so many secrets! I suffer from Kidney stones and was shown a plant called alumbre that is a diuretic. I drink it from time to time for cleansing of the kidneys. Noni is another fruit that grows on my parents property in Guayanilla and they don’t like it. But if you go to the health food stores, you can easily pay over 15 dollars for the juice. Living off the land is probably their secret.



  8. angelaNo Gravatar on May 5, 2022 at 6:46 am

    back home in belize it is called sapra. we eat them with salt and pepper. love them that way.



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