Little Things Mean a Lot: Hardy Kiwis and Feijoa Fruits

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Last Fall I discovered Hardy Kiwis at the West Seattle Farmer’s Market. At first glance, they looked like olives so I was a little skeptical. When you bite into them (no need to scoop, just pop ’em in) they are just as sweet and juicy as a kiwi. The only bummer was I never saw my Hardy Kiwi man again.

 

2 weeks ago I lucked out and the Hardy Kiwis were back! They seem to only be around once a year in October, so if you see this stand, pick a batch up. I brought some to work and when my co-workers cut them open, the reaction was “awww”.

I’m striking out on other ways to try Hardy Kiwis, so the best options for my readers are to wait for the West Seattle Farmer’s Market in October of 2013, or to purchase a plant. They sell the plants here:
http://www.burpee.com/

I just shot a role on a TV show in the Bay area and got the chance to hang at my mom’s house in the Greenhaven neighborhood of Sacramento. I have memories of eating the petals off the fruits in the Spring before they grow. Luckily for me, mom’s fruit tree was in full bloom. Feijoa has a similar flavor to guava, but it’s texture is grittier and it’s more fragrant. To eat it, cut the fruit in half and scoop out the pulp, the same way as a kiwi. It grows rapidly in New Zealand but also grows in California, and regions in Texas to Florida.  If I could bottle it and create a perfume I would. I’ve never seen it sold in grocery stores, but I found them sold here:
http://www.buyexoticfruits.com/feijoa.html

Luckily, mom is shipping some up to me so I can have a taste of New Zealand in the PNW.

Julianne

Actress and Founder of Girls on Food: I was born and raised in the suburbs of Sacramento, California. I grew up a typical “McDonald’s kid”. I was very picky about what I ate and refused to try new foods. No fun, I know. My Mom started taking me on trips to Europe when I was a teenager and that’s when my palate for finer foods began to develop. Some of my most memorable favorite meals include Veal Bolognese in Rome, Gyros in Athens, Paella in Lisbon and Duck L’Orange in Paris. While this helped me grow out of a fast food phase, I still eat out quite a bit. I know I should be at home cooking, but I love dining out. I started working in restaurants in various front of the house positions at age 15. Since my start, I’ve worked in every casual restaurant setting you can think of: a teriyaki stand, brewery, sushi nightclub, trendy Mexican, family-style Italian, American diner, pizza parlor and even a BLT themed food truck. I can't help but notice that many of the LA food bloggers don't have any sort of background working in a restaurant. A lot of my perspective on food and dining out comes from my years of experience in the biz. Since starting this blog, I have shot appearances on a couple of cooking competition shows as a taster (including MasterChef Junior and another upcoming show). We have also started producing a Youtube Channel. IMDb page here: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2023647/ For this site I contribute content from all over Los Angeles (and the world) to showcase my favorite fine-dining spots, steakhouses, exclusive supper clubs, Hollywood nightlife and our very own #GOFx events, which I plan and coordinate.

1 Comment

  1. marji

    October 31, 2012

    This type of feijoa is called a "pineapple guava". It is more fragrant that the typical pink guava that is found in Hawaii. It's great to pulse the fruit pulp in a blender, pour 1/4 into a champagne flute and add champagne.

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