Walking the streets of San Pedro, one can take a look at a variety of yummy treats that are on sale, but do we know most of what they are selling? The Sun took it to the streets to visit the many local street vendors and find out about the yummy treats they offer. Here is what we found out!

Kenep

It’s kenep season once again! They can be found at almost every little fruit stand across town that has fresh produce for sale. The local vendors sell them by the bag for a low cost of $2. Many people call it by different names (kenep, kinep, waya, guinep, mamones, Mexican lime), one fact remains unchanged: the sweet yet tart flavor makes it a great snack, any time of the day.

The fruit typically ripens during the summer and grows in bunches on trees up to 30 meters high. You can find a kenep tree virtually in any district of mainland Belize. The outer skin of the fruit is green and thick, I personally compare it to a soft nut shell. To get to the yummy insides you use your teeth to break the casing open. The pulp is an orange or peach color, depending on the type and the stage of ripening. It is sweet and juicy, yet sour at the same time, and the texture is so smooth and silky it sends your taste buds on an unexpected ride. Pop the fruit in your mouth, and suck or chew the flesh away. When only the seed remains, you spit it out.

The simplest way to eat them is fresh out of the bag, but if you don’t mind doing a little extra labor you can enjoy them my way. My favorite way to eat kenep is marinated overnight in the refrigerator with lots and lots of lime, salt and red ground pepper. It is a little tedious to prepare, since you need to take the time to peel all of them and place them in a bowl. Once step one is complete the fun parts begins: tossing in all the yummy spices. The next day your hard work pays off, your taste buds enjoy a flavor explosion!

Whichever way you choose to enjoy this fruit, one thing is for sure you will not regret eating them.