1. Pummelo or Pomelo
Pomelo fruit. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Since then, the pummelo has never attained significant status. However, it is casually grown as a curiosity in private gardens in Florida and the Caribbean area. At least one fruit-grower in Florida raises pummelos on a small commercial scale. You can find them in some larger grocery stores in the winter and early spring.
2. Minneola
The minneola is a cross between a tangerine and a grapefruit and can be recognized by 'the little nose' that distinctly sticks out from the fruit. It is actually a very specific type of tangelo (a cross between a Duncan grapefruit and a Dancy tangerine) and is marketed as an easy-to-peel citrus fruit.
Minneolas were first released as a sustainable fruit in 1931 by the USDA Horticultural Research Station in Orlando. It is named after Minneola, Florida, where it was originally developed. It is also called the honeybell fruit by some growers in certain areas. The sweet and juicy fruit matures December through February, and is at its peak of ripeness during the month of January.
3. Leech Lime
The lime is one of the most cultivated citrus fruits in the tropics. Shaped like lemons, limes are generally smaller and more acidic. The leech lime is a bit bigger than the traditional limes we see in the grocery store and has a warty skin. Leech limes are believed to be one of the most detoxifying of all fruits. So, if you want to cleanse your body, squeeze some leech limes into your water.
In Malaysia, a bit of folklore surrounds the juice of leech limes, as it is said to scare away evil spirits. In modern times, the leech lime is basically either juiced for drinking and cooking, and the leaves are kept either fresh or dried, and are also used to flavor soups, curries, and sauces.
Ugli Fruits (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
The intriguing name is enough to entice you to try this citrus fruit. Uglis are a specific kind of tangelo, easier to peel because of the loose skin. The skin may also have brown and green spots. The light green surface turns spotty and orange when the fruit is at its peak of ripeness. In essence, it looks pretty ugly. If you didn't know you were looking at an Ugli fruit, you might think you had a bad grapefruit in your hand.
The flesh is very juicy and the taste is often described as more tart than an orange but sweeter than a tangerine. You might suspect from the flavor that the ugli fruit is a lemon-tangerine hybrid. The fruit is seasonal from December to April and peak distribution occurs in the United States between November and April.
You can fill the fruit bowl with oranges, lemons, limes, and tangerines, or you can surprise your family with a bowl of citrus they don't recognize. Enjoy their puzzled expressions while you can, because it won't last once they dig in. Then you'll see nothing but smiles, dripping with juicy citrus goodness!
No comments:
Post a Comment
We welcome comments and suggestions!