Kiwano Melon
Often times referred to as blowfish fruit, this fruit is super funky and difficult to enjoy, but yummy nonetheless. Similar to the way you eat a pomegranate - seed by messy seed, spitting out each pit - it takes a while to eat a Kiwano Melon. You cut the fruit in half (hamburger), and then suck out some seed pods. The seeds are surrounded by a gel-capsule-of-sorts that slimes its way around your mouth until you separate it from the flimsy little seed inside. You can either spit the seed out or swallow it.
Native to Africa, but grown now in California, Chile, Australia and New Zealand, this fruit (to me) tasted like a combination of cucumber and banana.
Fun fact :: Along with the Gemsbok Cucumber, the Kiwano Melon is the only source of water during the dry season in the Kalahari Desert in southern Africa.
Source :: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cucumis_metuliferus and my brain.
Dragonfruit
Probably Khaleesi's favorite, Dragonfruit is one of the prettiest fruits both inside and out. However, this does NOT mean it tastes good. These fruits grow from flowers on Pitaya Cacti, and come in three common varieties :: white-fleshed, red-fleshed or yellow. These cacti grow in hot and dry areas, and cannot withstand cold temperatures.
The flesh is often likened to kiwi because of the small, crunchy black seeds, however the taste is like a very very bland melon. I've had this one before; didn't like the first time, thought I'd give it another shot, still didn't like it. Sorry, Khaleesi, your fruit is no good.
Fun fact :: Dragonfruit can weigh from 0.3 to 1.5 pounds; some may reach 2.25 pounds.
Source :: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pitaya and my brain.
Rambutan
These guys look creepy, I know, but they are delicious. The word "Rambutan" in the Malay/Indonesian language means "hairy." You can find these fruits growing on trees in Indonesia and Malaysia and Southeast Asia. Having only longer spines, or "hairs," rambutan are very similar in appearance and taste to lychee.
To enjoy a rambutan, break the outer skin with your fingernail (or with a knife if your fingernails seem to frequently disappear like mine c: ) and peel away that crazy outer shell. Imagine that you peeled all the skin off of a grape, and that the grape is white. This is what awaits you inside that weird hairy shell. Also, there is a giant seed in the middle of that not-grape, so don't just pop it into your mouth.
Fun fact :: A yellow variety of Rambutan grows in Costa Rica, and is often referred to as "Wild Rambutan."
Source :: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rambutan and my brain.
That's all folks! I've got a busy busy couple of weeks coming up, so I don't know when you'll next hear from me. c:
Thanks for reading,
A
