I did my investigation of these foreign fruits, bought one of each and taste tested them (daring aren't I?). And here are the 5 weirdest items you can find on the produce shelves now days.
Kiwano African Horned Melon
This rather ugly orange/yellow horned fruit is native to the Kalahari region of Africa, but now being grown in California. I found it to be a sour tasting gooey seed riddled fruit that sort of tastes like a cucumber mixed with lemon. Pomelo
This is a tasty fruit that no body has heard of or barely seen. It looks like a “brother” to the grapefruit, but tastes less bitter as it blends orange sweetness with grapefruit tang and a twist of tangerine. Granadilla
You body seems to know about this little fruit gem, but it has a really good taste kind of a cross between a Kiwi fruit and grapes. Some taste testers think it has a "bubble gum" sort of flavor! You have to dig through lots of seeds (inedible) to get to the fruit. Cherimoya
This is a really weird looking fruit that appears more like a reptilian avocado. It has a pear shape and when you cut it open it has a white center. I found out sometimes it is called a "custard apple" and I really don't know why. The taste is a fusion of pear, banana and a little strawberry flavor. Buddha's Fingers (Buddha's Hand)
This is a really weird appearing fruit that looks like a mutant of some scientific experiment gone wrong, but is a member of the Asian citron family. They are found in Vietnam markets for around $10 (American dollar) and all over Japan. The locals use the skins to make a candied fruit peel and there is very little pulp in each section. West Coast markets are stocking them in small quantities. It smells like a citrus fruit and has a sweetish taste.
This is my list for this month, as we travel to more international markets over then next few weeks we will see what strange and bizarre fruits we can find. Why don't you join the hunt and see what unusual foods you can find around your neighborhood?
