Feijoa

Description
The Feijoa, also known as Pineapple Guava or Guavasteen, is an evergreen shrub or small tree, 1-7 m in height, originating from the highlands of southern Brazil, parts of Colombia, Uruguay and northern Argentina.

The fruit matures in autumn and is green, chicken-egg-sized, and ellipsoid-shaped. It has a sweet, aromatic flavour. The flesh is juicy and is divided into a clear jelly-like seed pulp and a firmer, slightly gritty opaque flesh nearer the skin. The fruit drops when ripe, but can be picked from the tree prior to drop to prevent bruising. Like the closely-related guava, the fruit pulp has a gritty texture which is utilized in some natural cosmetic products as an exfoliant.

German botanist Otto Karl Berg named Feijoa after João da Silva Feijó, a Brazilian botanist.

Fruit maturity is not always apparent from the outside as the fruits remain green until they are overmature or rotting. When the fruits are immature the seed pulp is white and opaque, becoming clear and jelly-like when ripe. Fruits are at their optimum maturity when the seed pulp has turned into a clear jelly with no hint of browning. Once the seed pulp and surrounding flesh start to brown, the fruit is over mature and shouldn't be eaten.

Selection
Select fruit that is fragrant and gives slightly to gentle pressure. Ripe feijoas are delicate, so take caution not to bruise the fruit. Imported feijoas are available from late March to June; while domestic ones reach the market in the fall. Feijoas are gaining in popularity and are becoming easier to find in supermarkets. They are already easy to find in specialty markets and can often be ordered out-of-season through several online merchants.

Storage
Ripe feijoas may be refrigerated, but they don’t have to be. Ripen feijoas in a paper bag at room temperature; to ripen quicker add an apple to the bag. Ripe feijoas normally last about 3 to 5 days. Feijoas may be frozen, but only if peeled and cooked into a puree.

Preparation
Feijoas are most often eaten raw. The fruit is ripe when it is slightly soft and the jellied inner section is clear. The fruit is unripe when the jelly is white and is spoiled when the jelly is brown. Unfortunately, this test of ripeness may only be determined once the fruit is opened. Peel the fruit before preparing, as the skin is bitter.

Source

 * Exotic Winter Fruit by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, public domain government resource -- original source of selection, storage and preparation sections

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