Other fruits

Pomegranate

Apple-shaped; fragrant. Bright red, leathery skin. Contains hundreds of tiny red-flesh-covered edible seeds, separated into packets by thin cream-colored membrane. Juicy. Very tart and sweet. Also available as juice concentrate and molasses. Eaten out of hand, seeds only. Often a garnish or pressed for juice.

Passion fruit

Egg-shaped; about 3-inches long. Dimpled skin, dark purple when ripe. Extremely fragrant yellow, sweet-tart flesh, flecked with edible black seeds. Available fresh, pureed, and frozen; also as canned nectar and concentrate. Excellent in desserts and beverages.

Pineapple

Large cylinder. Rough diamond-pattern yellow skin; long, sword-like leaves sprout from top. Available fresh, frozen, canned, candied, dried. Commonly available varieties have extremely fragrant, juicy, and sweet bright yellow flesh. Eaten out of hand. Grilled. Juiced. In baked goods.

Plantain

Larger, starchier relative of the common banana. Hard green peel when unripe; yellow to mottled to almost black when ripe. Flesh is potato-like flesh when unripe; becomes increasingly sweet and soft as it ripens. Eaten cooked at all stages of ripeness. Excellent fried, baked, mashed.

Rhubarb

Long red stalks, tinged with green; leaves are poisonous. Crisp texture; softens when cooked. Sour, tart flavor.

Quince

Looks and tastes similar to an apple; has a texture similar to a pear. Yellow-skin. Floral aroma when ripe. Crisp white dry flesh; turns pink when cooked. Astringent raw; sweet cooked. Must be cooked before eating. Excellent in jams, jellies, preserves and baked items.

Guava

Oval shape. Thin skin; ranges from yellow to red to almost black when ripe. Flesh ranges from pale yellow to bright red. Extremely sweet and fragrant. Commonly available fresh in green, unripe state; also available canned, frozen, as paste. Excellent for jams, preserves, and sauces; guava paste served with cheese.

Star fruit/Carambola

Oval shaped; 3-5 inches long with five distinctive ribs that extend outward from end to end. Yellow to green. Crosscut slices resemble stars. Sweet, sometimes mildly sour flavor, reminiscent of a combination of pineapple, kiwi, and apple. Firm textured flesh. Eaten out of hand. In fruit salads, desserts. As a garnish.

Avocado

Pear shaped. Green to black leathery skin, smooth or bumpy. Yellowish-green, creamy, buttery flesh. Mild flavor.

Papaya

Pear-shaped; about 6-inches long. Golden-yellow skin. Center cavity packed with black, round, edible seeds. Bright pinkish-orange flesh when ripe. Fragrant, sweet silk flesh. Also available as a nectar, puree, dried. Eaten out of hand, both ripened and in its green state; unripe, in Asian salads. Enzyme papain used to tenderize meat.

Mango

Round to oblong-shape. Skin ranges from yellow to green and red. Contains a single large flat seed. Sweet, soft, bright yellow flesh. Available fresh, canned, frozen, as puree, nectar, dried. Most common variety is Tommy Atkins. Excellent for sweet sauces and sorbets as well as in chutneys. Also used in unripe, green form in salads.

Coconut

Round. Hard, brown, hairy husk. Firm, creamy, white meat; thin, watery liquid in the center. Processed into coconut oil, coconut milk. Dry-packaged sweetened or unsweetened, shredded or flaked. Eaten raw or cooked. In sweet and savory preparations such as chutney, cake, curry.

Kiwi

Small, oblong berry. Fuzzy brown skin. Bright green flesh, dotted with tiny edible black seeds. Sort, sweet, tart. Eaten out of hand. Excellent in sauces and sorbets.

Fig

Small, round or bell shaped. Soft, thin skin; ranges from purple-black to light green. Tiny edible seeds. Extremely sweet. Most common varieties are Mission and Calimyrna. Eaten out of hand. Dried. In preserves. All forms eaten with cheese.

Persimmon

Tomato-shaped. Most commonly available varieties: Hachiya and Fuyu. Red-orange skin and flesh. Smooth, creamy texture when ripe (Hachiya); soft yielding like a tomato (Fuyu). Tangy-sweet flavor. Available fresh or pureed and frozen. Eaten out of hand. Hachiya must be carefully ripened before eaten; excellent in pies and puddings. Fufu eaten crisp or soft and fully ripened; good in salads.

Banana

Yellow or red inedible peel. Sweet, creamy flesh.