Talk:Chayote

A note
The taxonomy given for chayote states that the family cucurbitaceae is in the order violales, which is incorrect. The order is cucurbitales. 20 Nov 2009 [klondikers@AOL.com]98.116.91.38 (talk) 01:59, 21 November 2009 (UTC)

Ready to Eat?
I bought a chayote, firm and green. The temp in the fridge will kill it, so if kept outside the fridge, how long before it should be cooked? What should it look and feel like when it is ripe? Thank you. elizabeth [e-mail address - deleted 2007]


 * Chayote do not 'ripen' per se, Similarly to many other vegetables, such as potatoes and carrots, they simply grow to full size and then age. If it is large firm and green then it is ready to eat. As far as I know it can be safely stored in the fridge. For more info see the external link Gourmet Sleuth --Sonelle 28 June 2005 12:39 (UTC)

In my experience, the Choko pear flesh needs careful handling as the juice will eat into your skin. In Australia, we traditionally prepare them under water for cooking. I can't imagine what eating it raw might do to you if you didn't add lime juice or something similar! Perhaps we have a slightly different variety here. (Slightly perplexed) 210.50.143.21 (talk) 02:35, 13 November 2009 (UTC) Ian Ison

American (Mexican) chayote juice won't really "eat" into your skin, but it will dry it if you don't wash your hands during and after handling the vegetable. The juice can damage the skin but washing your hands them and using hand cream is enough to reverse the effects. Eating them raw is deffinetly not recommended for this variety either. As for the main question of refrigerating them, you can stash them at the bottom of your fridge and forget about them, they won't go bad for quite a long time, but if see brown spots, it's gone bad, do not use. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 189.192.5.251 (talk) 06:47, 14 November 2010 (UTC)

I have kept the Chayote in the refrigerator for up to two weeks without any problems or flavor changes. I have not experienced the dry skin or any other irritation from cutting up the raw fruit either. That might be because I have spent a lot of time cooking in kitchens professionally, so maybe I just have tougher skin. I've never eaten it raw so I'm unsure as to whether it would irritate my mouth but, as per the warning above, I don't think I'm going to try it. I generally cook Chayote with butter and spices and then simmer it until it's fork tender. Sabathiel72 (talk) 00:28, 6 September 2011 (UTC)

Alternate Uses
I have heard quite a lot of speculation in Australia (Queensland to be specific) that the Choko (as it is know there)is the main ingredient used in Mcdonalds Apple Pie's,or whatever they are called. (obviously instead of Apple) Another varaint I have heard is that they are used in Cherry Ripes (a chocalate bar, like Mars Bar or Hershey Bar) which seems to be native of only Australia and possibly New Zealand.

Anyone heard this or is this just Urban Myth? --195.171.131.152 13:19, 31 March 2006 (UTC)


 * like the chicken mutants in KFC, it's an Urban Myth Manytexts (talk) 01:07, 23 May 2011 (UTC)

Medicinal uses have been pharmacologicaly tested
See page 29 of http://www.ipgri.cgiar.org/publications/pdf/355.pdf for references. Sonelle &#91;&#91;User_talk:Sonelle&#124;(talk)]] 11:09, 25 November 2006 (UTC)

Alternate names
The subheading needs to be changed. Alternate means "every second one". The term should be "alternative", not "alternate". Alpheus (talk) 11:22, 29 April 2008 (UTC)


 * Not when used as a noun; the adjectival use is "every second one". As a noun, it can mean an "alternative" (check Wiktionary).  If you're gonna get picky about grammar, at least get picky!  207.216.57.226 (talk) 06:06, 28 March 2010 (UTC)


 * The word is "other". Other names. Wastrel Way (talk)Eric

Polishing
I changed alternate to alternative as was suggested by Alpheus above me. Additionally, I noticed this in the article and removed it: "Although most people are familiar only with the fruit, which in culinary terms is a fruit, the root, stem, seeds, and leaves are all edible." This states, pretty much, "people are familiar with the fruit which is a fruit," so I removed it. If this is intended, add it back. b0lt (talk) 05:44, 16 May 2008 (UTC)

Choko memory
As a child, we had a fence around our house which had chokos all over it. We were not familiar with the fruit, and gave it all away. In the 60s it was the cheapest stuff you could get, very abundant, but never very popular. Now, Australia has access to just about every fruit grown anywhere, but you rarely see chokos.

I must admit that until today, I thought "choko" was a slang term for the fruit, because the vines grew so tenaciously around anything they could get hold of - they choked the whole fence. (In fact, I think they kept up that rotten old wooden fence for years). Myles325a (talk) 09:24, 19 February 2011 (UTC)

Well-spotted name query
I removed where in the list it says: Latin America --WHERE?-->: gayota -- the name is tracked to Cucurbita ficifolia a melon in Peru & been copied as a choko name without question across the wikis. Reference for this is here: http://www.fao.org/docrep/t0646e/T0646E0a.htm Corporate document repository, "Neglected crops...", produced by Agriculture and Consumer protection, Ch 10. Manytexts (talk) 01:04, 23 May 2011 (UTC)


 * Again re names: "choko" possibly came from one of the earlier taxonomies Chocho edulis so has a Latin base to its common name in Australia & New Zealand. Manytexts (talk) 01:41, 23 May 2011 (UTC)

Proposal to rename
Because there is more than one common name for this plant, and in accord with the policy of WikiProject Plants, this page should be renamed to the scientific name Sechium edule. Nadiatalent (talk) 20:00, 24 December 2011 (UTC)

chow chow
Tesco's are now selling this fruit in the UK, calling it Chow Chow. The name needs adding to the list, but also Chow Chow now has three meanings, so it should have one of this disam things.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1032313/Should-chew-Chow-Chow-munch-Mooli-Your-guide-new-vegetables-store-shelves.html

IceDragon64 (talk) 22:16, 27 May 2012 (UTC)

Long opening sentence with throng of names in different languages
Why does the first sentence of this article have to include so many names of this plant in other languages? This is what the side bar is for. The introduction should only specify alternative names in English or used in English literature or speech.--67.250.35.250 (talk) 22:36, 29 December 2013 (UTC)


 * Exactly. I have fixed this. Ashmoo (talk) 10:21, 7 April 2017 (UTC)

Location of growing regions
It is also found in Abkhazia. I just returned from there. There is plenty of them growing native. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 185.3.34.6 (talk) 06:14, 27 November 2014 (UTC)
 * I added a tag not for doubt of what editor IP:185.3.34.6 saw, but because the article now claims four areas as the "main growing regions" and no source for any of those claims. I also added a  tag for the existing unsourced claim of "main exporter .. to the [US]". Without such sources anyone can see a chayote farm somewhere and say "Oh, another main growing region needs to be added!" 104.32.193.6 (talk) 06:11, 9 December 2014 (UTC)

External links modified
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Sandy soils do not retain water
Sandy soils might diminish yields, but not for the same reason as clayey soils. 186.1.135.58 (talk) 14:03, 12 August 2022 (UTC)

In soup in the U.S.
Although the use of chayote in soup is mentioned for Brazil (without a citation), it is not mentioned as a soup ingredient in the U.S. although that is one of its uses here in the U.S. I haven't added that fact because I don't have a reliable source. Maybe some-one els has a source. Kdammers (talk) 17:44, 31 October 2022 (UTC)

Very sticky when peeled
My wife is a Filipina and she wears gloves and runs water when peeling Sayote because your hands get very sticky and is difficult to remove. 72.197.61.179 (talk) 19:14, 24 October 2023 (UTC)