Tigersquash: The Item
Tigersquash is an extremely popular food in Neopia, starring as main ingredient
in over 15 different food items. Originally a Mystery Island-only delicacy,
Tigersquash is now world wide known, extremely appreciated, especially in Neopia
Central.
The fruit has a rarity of 99 to 180 (if Mega), and the average price is anywhere
between 10,500 NP and 15,000 NP, occasionally reaching 25,000 NP. The Mega
version of the fruit costs about 50,000 NP.
The high prices and wide popularity of this item might be due to the enthusiastic
description it has: "Tigersquash is the only fruit in all of Neopia that give
you the ability to roar as loud as a Tiger. GRRRRRROOOOOWL!"
Tigersquash: The fruit
Tigersquash trees grow anywhere as long as the weather is warm, but there will
only be tigersquash fruits if they are planted on Mystery Island. The reason
for this occurrence is still unknown, but it's believed that it's due to the
Island's sand, particularly Green and Blue Sand.
These trees look like any other fruit trees except that their wood holds the
well known tiger pattern. The leaves are also useful to the natives. According
to their folklore, the leaves have healing powers, and when combined with a
few other herbs in a tea, can cure some nasty headaches. Medicine nowadays rejects
this theory, but tigersquash leaves are still a popular item in the Island's
apothecaries.
Tigersquash fruits take approximately two to three weeks to grow full size,
being edible after that time. However, most people prefer to wait another two
weeks before taking it from the trees, for added sweetness.
If the blue fruit's top stays attached to the tree, the Tigersquash will soon
rot. For this reason, extra care is required while gathering the fruit, and
also when eating it, since the blue part is not edible and can cause serious
stomach illness in both humans and Neopets.
As for taste, Tigersquash is sweet and fresh, but definitely unlike any other
Neopian, or even Earthen, fruit.
Tigersquash: The meal
The Island natives were Tigersquash's first big fans. They cherished the tree
for its unusual aspect and curative leaves, and the fruit for the extraordinary
taste. Even though they loved the thing, they wouldn't get too original when
it came to new meals. Actually, the only Mystery Island dish with Tigersquash
is Tigersquash Crepe. But there are far more creative Neopians out there, and
astonishingly delicious Tigersquash meals were on their way to the Neopian menu,
as soon as Mystery Island was discovered and Tigersquash brought to the shops
and kitchens in the rest of the world.
Tigersquash jam was one of the first inventions, mixing boiled tigersquash
with tons of sugar and sweet spices. It's used in the famous tigersquash Mince
Pie, the Tigersquash Pretzels and of course, it's delicious with bread and on
it's own.
Closely following the Tigersquash jam success, the Tigersquash icing was created
and immediately loved by chefs all over the world. Popular and tasty foods such
as Mynci Surprise Ice Cream, Tigersquash Iced Bun or even White Chocolate Iced
Mynci use it and are proud of it.
As Neopia's taste for Tigersquash grew bigger, new foods were added at a crazy
pace. In Neopia Central particularly the exotic fruit was rising high in the
top of "All Time Favourites". Tigersquash Sandwich, Tigersquash Corn Dog, Tigersquash
Cappuccino, Tigersquash Swirly Cake and Tigersquash Ice Cream were released
and an instant success.
To add to the list of Tigersquash flavoured meals there is also Tigersquash
Spectacular and Tigersquash Chia Pop.
From this wide range of tigersquashy treats, perhaps the most popular is still
the fruit, the original, the one and only Tigersquash; but it's a known fact
that this tigersquash craze is not going to stop as Neopians everywhere elect
Tigersquash as their favourite Neopian Flavour.
Variations
Tigersquash is one of the many tiger fruits that grow in Mystery Island's ground.
Some say they are all different fruits, but the most accepted explanation is
that all of them are little variations from the original tigersquash fruit.
This thesis is supported by the fact that all those fruit's trees look exactly
like the Tigersquash tree. In fact, the only way of distinguishing them is by
looking at the fruits, since leaves, wood and aspect are exactly the same.
The tiger fruit that is most similar to Tigersquash is Tigersquash Mega. The
natives say this fruit only exist because someone once remembered to pour Green
Sand on Tigersquashes while they were still attached to the tree, and that's
why they grew bigger, while others say the tree suffered a mutation and produced
bigger fruits as a result. Regardless of which theory is right, Tigersquash
mega is just as tasty and just as tigersquash as the regular version, and equally
appreciated. It is also Chet Flash's favourite food.
Tigermelon is also an appreciated tiger fruit, although its taste is nothing
like Tigersquash. Actually, it kind of tastes like eggs with fish syrup with
the freshness of a Bagguss.
Tigerbuggles are from all tiger fruits the rarest ones. Since they only grow
on top of tall trees, young Buzzes and Pteris eat them before they can be gathered.
Delicate and juicy, tigerbuggles are close to Tigersquash on the top tiger fruits.
One out of every ten Tigerbuggles develops into a full Tigerfruit, the last
of all tiger fruits. Those are big fruits with lots of swollen purple seeds
inside them. Only the seeds are edible in this fruit, the striped outside is
just for show.
Neopia's favourite fruit
Neopia without Tigersquash is completely not viable. In fact, Neopian's obsession
with the fruit has gone far, affecting even the staff. Have you ever noticed
how El Picklesaur says "I'm a Tigersquash" when you hit him on the head at Whack-a-Staff-Member?
How about the Tigerfruit Tombola Coin? Tigersquash is everywhere!
Neopia's appreciation of those fruits, especially our dear Tigersquash is big,
and it's here to last. So if you like Tigersquash, good for you, go out and
buy one more to celebrate. If you don't, well... have you tried tasting it first?
Author's Note: I'm in the middle of a dilemma here, will you help me? I've
been getting mixed reactions about this series of articles; some people liked
the new style while other preferred the old one. Question is, I don't know which
one to chose! So I'm putting a small poll here, hopefully you guys will help
me decide and improve the articles. Thanks for you support! The poll is as follows:
What should I do about future articles on this series?
a) Keep doing what you're doing, I like the new style.
b) Change to the old style, it was much better.
c) Go back to the old style, but submit those as Short Stories
d) What future articles? This series sucks big time, you shouldn't write any
more!
Please Neomail
me your choice, as well as any feedback or suggestions. | 
