Agbalumo at Border Control

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I’m amazed when they both know what it is.

They aren’t familiar with African Cherry but when I mention star apple they say yes. They can’t remember agbalumo but the White American gentleman says Udara as does the South American.

The dried one has them stunned. ‘I know it …but I’ve never seen it dried’.

I want to delve into my whole Kitchen Butterfly exploration with Udara this season but I’m not sure US customs is particularly interested in it. He breaks off a bit, goes to another desk to enquire. I want to say ‘it’s a new thing for us, preserving Udara. I only started this season’, but I let him do his job.

He comes back and says you can take the dried one in but not this one – the frozen.

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I’m confused. I’ve taken away all the things I believe are risks – the skin and the seeds. All that’s left is the flesh. No agricultural risk. Me thinks.

He says no, ‘Last May we had an outbreak of a fruit fly from Udara which caused a big problem so it isn’t allowed on US soil.

Sadly.

And so it is that I enter the US sans a gift for a friend.

Welcome to America

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