7 Unusual Fruits to Try ...

While many of us have tried a kiwi fruit already, for those of you who haven’t, what are you waiting for? Peel or cut away the fuzzy brown peel and slice the green insides into little ovals. Feel free to eat the seeds and the whitish inner core… they’re delicious, sweet with a tart tanginess.

Starfruit, or carambola, gets its nickname because when you slice it, it actually has a star shape. They’re gorgeous for use in fruit salads, but even better, they’re delicious! They’re very juicy, with a sweet flavor and a crunchy texture. They’re also rich in vitamin C!

Be careful when purchasing and storing these delicious fruits — they bruise very easily! But they’re so tasty, don’t let that scare you off! They’re also very, very juicy, with a high water content and a slightly grainy texture, much like a standard pear. They’re very crisp and sweet, and so good when they’re cold!

Where I grew up in California, we had a kumquat tree. The fruits are small and sweet, with a slightly fuzzy texture on their skin, like a peach, but they’re actually closer in relation to an orange. They’re very sweet, and rich, so their size is perfect! Anything bigger and you might not be able to finish it!

I haven’t tried one of these yet, but I really want to! They’re mostly cultivated in China, and are supposed to be very sweet and rich, with a whitish pulpy inside. They have even been featured in an episode of “Ni Hao Ki-Lan,” on Nick Jr. I really want to try one of these!

I know pomegranates aren’t in season until the fall, but I had to include them because (a) they’re my very favorite unusual fruit and (b) they’re going to be available at most grocery stores, so you can keep an eye out for them! They’re a lot of work, but they’re delicious… and I’ve just discovered that some stores (like Costco) sell the seeds (called "arils") in packages… yay!

I first tried guava at a friend’s house. His mother is Hawaiian and she made it with soy sauce, salt, and pepper, which I thought was odd for a fruit… but it was delicious! I see it now as a tropical fruit, added to smoothies and made in fruit salads. I want to try it again!

I’m already a fan of the pomegranate, and I can’t wait to try the lychee! Which of these unusual fruits have you tried, and what did you think? Or is your favorite out-there fruit not on my list? Please share! I’d love to try something new!

Top Photo Credit: flickr.com