SYTM: How did you like the exotic fruits in Madeira? Where would you recommend others to buy fruits?
Pineapple-bananas tasted in my opinion as a combination of banana and kiwi. They did not impress me and they were not easy to open and eat, but they are certainly one of the most interesting ones in Madeira, so it’s worth trying them anyway. Tomato maracujas (actually – tamarillos) were probably the least tasty. It is the different types of maracuja (e.g. lemon maracuja, but also the classic maracuja) what I found to be the most delicious in Madeira, and these are the ones I would recommend the most.
It was possible to taste all the different sorts of fruit at the local market, before buying any. The sellers at Mercado de Lavoradores were handing out disposable spoons with small pieces of fruit on it, or they handed out small samples so that we could taste them. Be careful, however, as some of the sellers can be very pushy. I also heard that some sellers tend to add sugar to samples to make them sweeter. Whether it was true, I do not know, as we did not notice the difference between the samples and the fruits we bought.
The prices at Mercado de Lavoradores varied from stand to stand and the price differences were sometimes quite significant, so it is worth checking all stands (both downstairs as upstairs) to avoid overpaying. I think it is also worth to mention, that at Mercado de Lavoradores the largest selection can be found on Saturdays and Sundays, but these days are also the most crowded.