Kiwi Food of the Week

Again I would like to start with a cautionary note: these foods aren't necessarily endemic to New Zealand but are widely available here and new to me. Just like this week's food:



Tamarillos

Tamarillos are native to the South American Andes but they're grown commercially here in New Zealand for international export. The flesh is very soft like a melon and the flavor is a cross between a mango, cantaloupe and kiwi. The flavor is mild but slightly sour so it's best cut in half and sprinkled with sugar- like a grapefruit.

The wrong way to eat a tamarillo. Normally they are cut in half and the flesh is scooped out with a spoon. The skin is terribly bitter and inedible. I've read Kiwi kids repeatedly smash the fruit and squeeze the pulp right into their mouths. Comparison with a tomato. Purple or red tamarillos look much more like kiwis inside while the yellow look almost exactly like tomatoes.

I've read that tamarillos are delicious in compotes or smoothies and I hope to try these out. They're supposedly available in the United States so perhaps you can try them today!