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ASIAN APPLE PEAR
An apple sized pear that is almost perfectly round. There are
several varieties, with skin ranging from speckled green, to yellow
to golden brown. Its speckled nature accounts for its alternative
name, the sand pear. The white flesh is crunchy like an apple
but has a sweet flavor like a pear. Asian pears are extremely succulent
and can be eaten like an apple or sliced as a garnish. Native to
China and Japan, it is now grown widely in Southern California and
available in late summer and early fall.
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FINGER BANANA
Also known as a dwarf banana, nino or datil, this miniature
banana should be fully ripe, almost brown, to achieve the best flavor.
The flavor is more concentrated and sweeter than a regular banana.
Native to Southeast Asia, the earliest record of their cultivation
is from India in the 6th century BC. In the 4th Century BC Alexander
the Great encountered it on the tree in India and brought it back
to Greece. Bananas reached China around the 2nd century AD and Africa
around the first millennium. Because the climate of Europe is too
cool for the plant, it remained unknown to most Europeans until
1402 when Portuguese sailors found it in West Africa and brought
it to the Canary Islands. The Guinean's called the fruit "banema"
which is how we came to call it a banana. The international banana
trade was started by two Americans, Lorenzo Baker and Minor Keith,
who began to ship bananas from the Caribbean to New Orleans, Boston
and New York in the Early 1870's. Their organization, the United
Fruit Company, grew to have great influence in Central America and
its islands as most of their economy depended upon the company's
business. It is from this that we get the term "banana republic".
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RED BANANA
There are several varieties, all with a reddish-purplish skin and
a squatter finger than a regular banana. Ripe when the color of
the skin brightens and the banana becomes softer. The flesh is creamy
white to pink. They have a stronger banana flavor and some varieties
contain a hint of strawberry. Two types grown in the East Indies
are the Adam's Fig Tree and the Paradise Banana. These names come
from the Muslim belief that bananas were the true "forbidden fruit"
of Eden and that the banana skin was used to cover Adam and Eve's
nakedness.
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BABACO
Also know as a mountain papaya although it is not a true
variety of this species. The plant is not known in the wilds which
suggests that it may be a hybrid of the traditional mountain papaya
and another fruit form Ecuador which was breed by an ancient civilization.
Its Latin name is Carica Pentagona, which refers to its five
sides. Green when on the tree, the skin turns golden when it is
completely ripe. The cream colored seedless flesh is aromatic and
juicy which a slightly acidic, tropical fruit flavor which is often
compared with that of a melon. It is native to the South American
Andes but is now grown commercially in New Zealand.
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CHERIMOYA
Mark Twain pronounced this fruit "deliciousness itself." The name
is derived from the Incan word "chirimuya", meaning cold seeds,
because the fruit grows in altitudes of up to 6,000 feet. Shaped
like a pine cone with a thick shingled pale green skin, it is highly
perfumed. Ripe when skin turns darker green and fruit yields to
gentle pressure. The creamy white flesh melts in your mouth, which
is why it is sometimes called a custard apple. The distinctive
taste is a blend of pineapple, banana, mango and vanilla. Cut into
wedges and spoon out the fruit, discarding the seeds. It is best
when slightly soft and served chilled.
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CLEMENTINE
Similar to a tangerine in appearance, although squatter. The thin
loose skin makes it easy to peel. The tangy red-orange flesh is
usually seedless and is eaten in sections like an orange. Cultivated
mostly in Spain, Morocco and Algeria, it is considered the connoisseur's
tangerine along with the Satsuma (although the Clementine is not,
in fact, a tangerine but more closely related to the mandarin orange).
Available from November through May.
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FEIJOA or PINEAPPLE
GUAVA
Pronounced "fee-jo-ah", this egg shaped fruit comes from an ornamental
evergreen tree. It is strongly scented when ripe with tones of pineapple,
strawberry, lime and mint, similar to sweet-tarts candy. When slightly
soft and ripe, the creamy white flesh is smooth but crisp, like
the texture of a pear. The small seeds are edible. To eat, halve
and scoop out flesh. Native to South America, it is now grown commercially
in New Zealand and is starting to be cultivated in Southern California.
Available from spring through fall.
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FIG
A teardrop-shaped soft fruit in shades of white, purple, green and
red. There are over 600 varieties, but only three common varieties
are grown commercially; the black mission, calimyrna and kadota.
A staple of ancient Mediterranean civilizations, it was held sacred
by some tribes and symbolized peace and posterity for others. Figs
have the highest sugar content of any fruit. There is a saying that
a perfectly ripe fig has "the cloak of a beggar, and the eye of
a widow," in that the skin may be tattered and the fig weeping juice.
The flesh is soft, almost gooey, extremely sweet and slightly nutty.
A fig can be eaten whole or sliced and added to salads, deserts
or sauces for meat, poultry and game. Proscuitto and figs are a
classic Italian combination and offered by Fraiche as one of our
Epicurian Hampers.
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HORNED MELON
Also called a kiwano. While it wins prizes for its unique
appearance, many feel the flavor is unremarkable. The spiky, bright
orange skin contains a gooey, jelly-like green flesh. The flavor
is somewhere between a banana, watermelon and cucumber (in fact
it is full of edible seeds reminiscent of a cucumber). It is mainly
eaten fresh by slicing in half and scooping out the flesh. The emptied
shell can be used as a dramatic serving container. Available year
round, it is native to Africa but is now grown extensively in New
Zealand and California.
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KIWI FRUIT
Also called a Chinese gooseberry. An egg-sized fruit with
fuzzy brown skin. The flesh is jade green with a center starburst
of dark, edible seeds, has a delicate, sweet and slightly tart flavor
combining banana, peach and strawberry tones. Ripe when the fruit
gives to gentle pressure. To eat, peel and slice cross wise. It
can be used in fruit salads, compotes, ice cream, preserves and
as a garnish. Indeed, as the "poster child" for Nouvelle Cuisine,
the Kiwi was somewhat overused during the 80's. Kiwi are rich in
vitamin C, containing ten times more than an equal weight of lemons.
Native to China, it was first commercially grown in New Zealand,
hence the name. Seeds from the Yangtze valley were taken to New
Zealand in the early 20th Century but it wasn't until the 1950's
that it began to be exported to Europe and the United States. Oddly,
the Chinese still do not regard it as a culinary item but use it
as a tonic for children. It is now grown extensively in Southern
California and available year round.
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KUMQUAT
It is the smallest citrus fruit averaging only 1.5 inches. In Cantonese,
kumquat means "golden orange." Eaten whole, it is the only fruit
whose edible skin is sweeter than its tart flesh. Native to China,
it is grown commercially in Japan and the United States and available
from fall through the spring.
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LONGAN
A smaller version of the lychee but with a smooth, leathery, light
brown skin. It contains an off white, translucent sweet flesh that
has a somewhat spicy, musty flavor with a large black seed that
is inedible. It is not quite as juicy as the lychee. They can be
frozen in their skins and thawed for use in cooked deserts. A native
of China and Thailand, it is now grown in Southern Florida. Available
in summer.
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LYCHEE
The size of a large grape with a rough, slightly spiky, leathery
shell that is pink to deep red or brown. Peel the shell starting
at the stem and eat the white, slightly translucent meat from around
the large inedible seed. Some find the highly aromatic flavor similar
to Muscat grapes, although most consider it more melon-like. Native
to Eastern China were it has been cultivated for thousands of years,
it is now grown in Southeast Asia, Australia, Israel, South Africa,
Florida and Hawaii. It has a short growing season and is available
mainly in mid-summer.
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MANGO
There are Over 500 varieties of mangos, with different shapes and
sizes. They vary from a red oval the size of two fists to a flat
yellow paisley-shape. The most common varieties are Tommy Atkins,
Haden, and Kent. When ripe, the thin smooth skin turns red, orange,
or yellow, and the fruit is soft to the touch. The flesh must be
cut away from the large oval pit in order to be eaten. To separate
the flesh from the seed, stand the mango on end and draw a knife
through the fruit along the contour of the center seed. The luscious
flesh is very juicy and can be messy to eat. Mangoes have been grown
in India and Southeast Asia for thousands of years. It is now grown
widely in all tropical and subtropical regions. While it is available
year round, the peak season is summer and fall.
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PASSION FRUIT
Named by early missionaries who saw all the elements of Christ's
crucifixion depicted in its flower. To many it looks more like a
rotten plum with leathery skin. The color varies from purple, to
red, to brown. The tough skin becomes very wrinkled when ripe. To
eat, cut in half and use a spoon to eat the highly fragrant yellow
pulp and edible black seeds. The flavor is both sweet and sour.
Native to Brazil.
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PEPINO
Also called a melon pear or tree melon, it is the
fruit of a small herbaceous bush. It is oval with a pointed end.
The skin is light yellow when picked. As it ripens, purple stripes
become pronounced and the skin tone darkens to a golden brown. To
eat, cut into wedges like a melon, remove inedible seeds, and cut
flesh from skin. The flesh is soft, dense, and very juicy. Flavor
and aroma are melon-like. Native to Peru and the South American
Andes, it is now grown as a major commercial crop in New Zealand.
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PERSIMMON
The name comes from the Algonquin Indian tribe. This fruit grows
on a large ornamental deciduous tree. It has a smooth orange, aromatic
skin. The flesh has a tangy, sweet flavor like a cross between a
pumpkin and a plum. Because of the high tannin level, it must be
eaten fully ripe or it will taste astringent. There are two major
commercial varieties, the Hachiya and Fuyu. The Hachiya is peach
sized and shaped like a heart with a pointed bottom. Often there
is a streak of purple or black on the skin. Ripe when very soft
to touch, almost like a tomato. To eat, halve and scoop out with
a spoon, or quarter and serve with lemon. The fuyu persimmon is
light orange with a flat bottom, in contrast to the darker and pointed
hachiya persimmon. Also unlike the hachiya, the fuyu is eaten while
it is still hard. The flavor is sweet and slightly spicy. Eat like
an apple with skin on or quarter and peel. Native to China and Japan.
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POMEGRANATE
A member of the berry family, it is an ancient fertility symbol
because it has so many seeds. Indeed, the name itself refers to
the many "grains" or seeds the fruit contains. Native to Persia,
southern parts of the Soviet Union and across Afghanistan to the
Himalayas. It was well known in ancient times and there is evidence
that Moses had to assure the Israelites that they would find pomegranates
again in the Promised Land. In ancient Greek mythology, Persephone,
daughter of Demeter, goddess of fruit, was carried off to the underworld
by Pluto. She vowed not to eat while in captivity but eventually
succumbed and ate a pomegranate, spitting out all the seeds except
six, which she swallowed. When Pluto finally gave in to Demeter,
he was allowed to keep Persphone for six months of every year on
account of those seeds. These six months became winter.
The thick, leathery, crimson shell contains a pinkish pulp (very
bitter) and edible scarlet seeds that are crunchy, sweet and tart.
To eat, cut off the top stem low enough to expose the tops of
the seed chambers. Insert two thumbs and pull apart being careful
as the red juice contained in the seeds is indelible. Pick out
the seeds either individually or in clusters. Pomegranate juice
makes a refreshing drink. Grenadine is a concentrated syrup made
from the juice.
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PRICKLY PEAR
Also known as a cactus pear. Like the pomegranate is actually a
member of the berry family although it grows on a cactus bush. The
thin spiny thorns should be removed before handling. It is orange,
garnet or purple when ripe with a watermelon like aroma and intense
flavor. It should be allowed to ripen at room temperature and then
chilled before eating. The seeds are edible but if they are too
large they can be strained out. It is native to Mexico and the Southwestern
United States. Peak season is fall and winter.
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STAR FRUIT
Known as such because of its unique shape when sliced. Its formal
name is carambola. As the fruit ripens the skin turns dark
golden and the ribs start to become brown. The fruit has a thin
waxy skin with a mild, sweet to tart, slightly acidic flesh that
is both soft and crisp. Tartness can be minimized by cutting off
the ribs which is where most of the oxalic acid is stored. Native
to Java, it is now grown in Taiwan, Malaysia, the Caribbean, Hawaii
and Florida.
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