Some food is flavorful even in its name. Such is the case with the plant called Monstera deliciosa. Its tastiness is no longer the mystery that some people feared it to be. This study explores what makes that taste tasty:
“Volatile flavor constituents of Monstera deliciosa,” Terry L. Peppard, Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, vol. 40, no. 2, 1992, pp. 257-262. The report begins with these words:
“There presently exists in the flavor industry a tremendous interest in ‘exotic’ fruits of various types…”
Recipes
Are there recipes for preparing Monstera deliciosa? Of course. One of the tastiest, some people are said to say, is for Monstera Deliciosa Jam. Yarden company, which promulgates a jam recipe, says: “monstera deliciosa tastes as good as it sounds”.
Swiss Cheese?
How does this relate to Swiss Cheese? In name and appearance, that’s how. The Wikipedia authors who tackled the subject say:
Monstera deliciosa, the Swiss cheese plant[2]or split-leaf philodendron[3] is a species of flowering plant. The common name “Swiss cheese plant” is also used for the related species from the same genus, Monstera adansonii.[