New Food Cookbook Chapter: Exotic Fruits

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Horned Melon

• Also known as: Kiwano, African Horned Cucumber or Jelly Melon
  
• Origin and cultivation: originally from Africa, introduced to Australia and
• New Zealand in the early 20th century
  
• Availability: year-round
  
• Appearance: strange looking orange fruit with spikes, and has pulpy green gelatinous fruit inside
  
• Flavor: mild and reminiscent of cucumbers and kiwi
  
• Trivia: related to cucumbers and zucchini
• Recipes:

Horny Bellini Cocktail

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Guava

• Origin and cultivation: native to South America
  
• Availability: year-round
  
• Appearance: large variety of skin and interior colors ranging from green to yellow to pink to red
  
• Flavor: nice balance of acidic and sweet with unique tropical flavors
  
• Trivia: related to myrtle
• Recipes:

Guava on Endive with Goat Cheese and Pine Nuts

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Açaí

• Also known as: Acai
• Origin and cultivation: native to the rain forest in Central and South America
  
• Availability: year-round in the freezer section, spoils quickly so is often found frozen
  
• Appearance: deep purple pulp
  
• Flavor: interesting and unique, with hints of chocolate and blueberry, is rich in fatty acids and has a fatty texture
  
• Trivia: popular in Brazil, especially among surfers and body builders who eat it for an energy boost
• Recipes:

Açaí Surfer Breakfast Parfait

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Pepino Melon

• Also known as: Mellowfruit, Treemelon, Melon Pear, Sweet Cucumber, Melon Shrub or Pear Melon
  
• Origin and cultivation: native to South America
  
• Availability: year-round
  
• Appearance: small oval melon
  
• Flavor: juicy with mild melon flavor
  
• Trivia: related to eggplant and potatoes, not other types of melons
  
• Recipes:

Pepino Prosciutto Panini

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Cactus Pear

• Also known as: Prickly Pear, Tuna, Indian Fig, Indian Pear or Barbary Fig
  
• Origin and cultivation: Native to Mexico and surrounding regions
  
• Availability: year-round
  
• Appearance: color can range from green to yellow to magenta
  
• Flavor: resembles watermelon
  
• Trivia: some have inedible seeds, and others have soft seeds so be sure to check so you don't crack a tooth
  
• Recipes:

Lamb Chops with Cactus Pear Sauce

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Passion Fruit

• Also known as: as Granadilla
  
• Origin and cultivation: native to Brazil
  
• Availability: year-round
  
• Appearance: can be yellow or dark purple
  
• Flavor: sweet and tart, fruity
  
• Trivia: funny looking wrinkled rind means that it is ripe
  
• Recipes:

Pan Roasted Mahi Mahi with Passion Fruit