Tropical Fruits.. what IS that!?

One of the perks of having a part time job at a food market is sampling! We had a grand tour of some of those weird fruits you always pass in the grocery and say to yourself or shopping buddy... "what is that??" So I've decided to share my recent education with you...

CHERIMOYA

This fruit looks really bizarre like an artichoke and a pear or green apple had a baby. It looks even more odd as it ripens and turns into a deep army green color. The seeds are poisonous so make sure you don't eat those but the rest is an interesting texture, sherbet like actually. This fruit has been called the "custard apple" and Mark Twain called it "the most delicious fruit known to men". There are about 80 calories in half of one fruit or 100 grams. It has a sort of sweet flavor and tastes like an apple, pear and mango to me. 

STARFRUIT

Starfruit has a crunchy texture sort of like a crisp apple. You can eat the skin if you want or trim it off. There are little seeds in there a bit smaller than apple seeds. Ripe fruits are yellow with a little green and firm. Tastes have been compared to a combination of pear and citrus fruit because it is slightly tart.

RAMBUTAN

This is probably one of the most bizarre fruits I've ever seen. But... it's tasty! You peel off the weird "hairy" outer casing like you would peel an orange. Inside is a small fruit that looks and has a texture similar to a skinless grape. You can bite the fruit off the pit similar to a peach. The taste is sweet and something I cannot quite describe. You'll just have to give one a shot!

DRAGONFRUIT

This fruit is very low in calories and sugar content unlike many other fruits. The seeds are edible and the texture of the fruit is like a softer pear. You scoop out the white flesh from the pink skin and can dice into cubes. It has a mild sweetness and has been compared to a melon flavor.

PASSION FRUIT

The passion fruit has a really great sweet flavor but the texture can be a bit off putting. You can eat the seeds if you wish or strain them out but there isn't much "fruit" inside each skin. It is most often used as a juice but you could also mix in the pulpy insides into a fruit salad to utilize it to coat the other fruits. 

These are just a few of the fruits you may come across in the grocery and wonder what could that be? What does it taste like? How do you eat that?! 

Be adventurous! Take one new fruit or vegetable a week and give it a shot. The only thing you have to lose is a couple bucks, which is a cup of coffee house joe or a bag of chips - instead, choose healthier!