How about a discussion about discovering new fruits to eat? Our markets are becoming multi-national with more opportunities to go beyond the apple and bananas. Here is my short list of fruit I have had that I have enjoyed:
Japanese "Biwa." Pronounced beewaa. Wiki says it is a form of loquat. Here is what it looks like:
I first had this as desert in a Japanese restaurant in Tokyo. I thought I had died and gone to heaven. Of course, the quality of fruit in Japan is well above the rest of the world so perhaps biwa doesn't taste like heaven
. But to this day, I remember the sweat and flavorful fruit I enjoyed there.
I have since had Biwa in China but have never looked for it in US.
Sweet Persian Lemons. Persian name is "Limoo Shirin" which translates into well, sweet lemon. It is a citrus unlike anything we have in the west. Here is a nice write-up on it: http://mypersiankitchen.com/limoo-shirin-sweet-persian-lemon/
And some nice images:
Wiki says it is part of Meyer Lemon family but I am not sure. If you live in major metropolitan areas, search for a persian grocery store and you should find them now as they are in season. The best ones have thin skin, are very juicy, and sweet with a nice citrus aroma. As the article says above, it has tiny bit of bitter aftertaste like grapefruit so you don't want to juice it and let it sit. I simply cut it with a knife into quarters and suck the juice out like you would with a sour lemon from your drink.
You can peel it and eat it like an orange but by then it might become bitter.
I should say that I have not been able to convince anyone in my family to try it.
Let me stop here and see if others have any fruits they think others would enjoy.
Japanese "Biwa." Pronounced beewaa. Wiki says it is a form of loquat. Here is what it looks like:
I first had this as desert in a Japanese restaurant in Tokyo. I thought I had died and gone to heaven. Of course, the quality of fruit in Japan is well above the rest of the world so perhaps biwa doesn't taste like heaven
. But to this day, I remember the sweat and flavorful fruit I enjoyed there.I have since had Biwa in China but have never looked for it in US.
Sweet Persian Lemons. Persian name is "Limoo Shirin" which translates into well, sweet lemon
. It is a citrus unlike anything we have in the west. Here is a nice write-up on it: http://mypersiankitchen.com/limoo-shirin-sweet-persian-lemon/And some nice images:
Wiki says it is part of Meyer Lemon family but I am not sure. If you live in major metropolitan areas, search for a persian grocery store and you should find them now as they are in season. The best ones have thin skin, are very juicy, and sweet with a nice citrus aroma. As the article says above, it has tiny bit of bitter aftertaste like grapefruit so you don't want to juice it and let it sit. I simply cut it with a knife into quarters and suck the juice out like you would with a sour lemon from your drink.
You can peel it and eat it like an orange but by then it might become bitter.
I should say that I have not been able to convince anyone in my family to try it
. Let me stop here and see if others have any fruits they think others would enjoy.
