Mr. Greens is Ready for Tu B’Shvat!

Dedicated to bringing their customers the most interesting and exotic fruits, Mr. Greens once again sought out a wide variety for their customers to choose from, and with which to make a Shehecheyanu on.

Guava

The edible skin is light green in color and the flesh is a creamy white. The taste is similar to a cross between an Asian pear and a crab apple. The texture is firm and crisp and the taste mildly sweet. They can be eaten fresh, used in desserts or for nectar, juice, preserves, or sauces. Guavas are ripe when soft and creamy in texture.

Gooseberry

The fruit itself is usually comparable in size to large blueberries. Gooseberries can be round, oblong or teardrop shaped depending upon their variety. They also come in a delightful color range, from green to red to purple. The interior flesh of the berry will match the color of the skin, but has a slightly translucent appearance.

Sapota

The creamy colored flesh of the White Sapote is very sweet and custard-like with several flat black seeds. Its distinctive flavor closely resembles a blend of banana, peach, lemon and coconut.

Kiwano

The spiky, orange colored shells of Kiwano Melons encase a soft, succulent bright green flesh. Kiwano Melons are mild in flavor and similar in taste to juicy, seed-filled cucumbers. Once peeled, Kiwano Melons can be tossed in fresh fruit salads or served as a garnish with roasted meats.

Pepino

The exotic Pepino melon has a soft, edible golden skin with distinctive purple and greenish-yellow striping. The flesh of the Pepino is valued for its light, pleasant scent of vanilla and notes of honey. Surprisingly, the flavor is a delicate combination of cantaloupe and honeydew melon combined. Pepinos are often enjoyed in fruit or spinach salads or simply cut in half and served individually, topped with a sprinkling of fresh lemon or lime juice and chile powder.

Passion Fruit

A pleasant surprise lies inside the wrinkled, dimpled, unusual Passion Fruit. The aromatic, jelly-like golden flesh of this tropical fruit is sweet-tart in flavor and filled with soft, edible seeds. Passion Fruit is egg-shaped and has a thick, hard shell that is deeply wrinkled when ripe. Contrary to popular belief, Passion Fruit is named for the bloom of the Passion Fruit flower

Star Fruit

The Star Fruit’s pale yellow, juicy flesh contains a few, small, flat seeds and a distinctly tropical flavor. The thin, edible, lime green skin ripens to a bright yellow, with a waxy sheen.

Ugli Fruit

Ugli fruit was discovered as an accidental seedling in Jamaica where it was propagated and exported beginning in the 1930’s. It is often marketed by the trademark name, Ugli Fruit, which is consistent with its unusual appearance. Ironically, it has an unbelievable taste and is very juicy. Its taste is somewhere between a mandarin and a grapefruit, and it is delicious when simply peeled and eaten out of your hand. Ugli Fruit ranges in size from a large naval orange to that of a large grapefruit. Its thick skin makes it much easier to peel than other citrus fruits and usually ranges in color from lime-green to a light orange.

Red Currant

Currants are a shiny, tiny berry grown in a variety of colors: red, black and white. These are attractive berries similar to champagne grapes making them a wonderful snack, as well as a perfect baking ingredient. Enjoy fresh currants washed and out of hand for an on the go snack.

Key Lime

Smaller, rounder and more fragrant than their more commercial relative, the Persian lime. Similar to the Mexican lime in size and shape (about the size of a ping pong ball), the Key Lime is smaller, more fragrant and less acidic than a lemon, but contains more seeds.

Coquito (baby coconuts)

Coquitos are nuts cultivated from Chilean Palm trees. They closely resemble coconuts in appearance but are much smaller. Coquitos are about the size of a large marble, with a woody looking exterior and a bright white interior. They taste of rich coconut with a sweet, nutty taste and have a crunchy texture you’ll love. These nuts are shelled and can be eaten right out of the package, no washing or peeling is necessary.

Mangosteen

Grown on small evergreen trees, Mangosteens have been savored by many but experienced by few. Called “the queen of tropical fruit”, legend has it that Queen Victoria offered a knighthood to anyone who could deliver the fabled fruit to her. Round in shape, red to dark purple in color, this ultra-tropical fruit contains 4-8 triangular segments of snow-white, juicy flesh that melt in your mouth while releasing a perfect balance of sweet and sour citrus, peach, and exotic flavors. Not only is the taste incredible, Mangosteens are also referred to as a “superfruit”, offering a combination of visual appeal, nutrient richness, wonderful fragrance, and antioxidant benefits that may lower the risk of certain diseases.

Feijoa

The Feijoa, sometimes known as the Pineapple Guava, is a lime-green, egg-shaped fruit with a soft, succulent flesh similar in texture to a pear. Its flavor is reminiscent of pineapple, quince and lemon, with a hint of eucalyptus. When slightly soft, simply cut in half and spoon out the white, succulent pulp along with the tiny edible seeds.

Dragon Fruit

Tropical Dragon Fruit is an exotic cactus fruit that has a delicately sweet and mildly acidic flavor, reminiscent of watermelon, cactus pear, and kiwi. All Melissa’s Dragon Fruit flower at night and emit a jasmine-like fragrance. The fruit is round and its exterior ranges in color from a hot pink to red. The interior color of dragon fruit ranges from white to pink to magenta. All three types have tiny, edible black seeds (very similar to those found inside Kiwi). This fruit does not grow well in winter cold or summer heat, so its availability is limited, making it a highly prized treat.

Kumquats

A bit larger than an olive, the Kumquat looks like a tiny, oval orange. A native of China, and also grown in Japan and the U.S., the Kumquat is a citrus fruit that is entirely edible. The orange flesh is juicy, acidic and tart while the skin is fragrant and sweet.

Pink Lemon

Pink Lemons are beautiful inside and out! They have distinctive green and yellow variegated stripes and a pink blush to the skin. These lemons have pink flesh, clear juice, and a wonderful lemon flavor. They have few seeds, along with a nice tartness that gives a kick to everything they are used in. They are well suited for desserts because of their strong flavor. Melissa’s Variegated Pink Lemons can be served fresh with salads.

Blood Orange

Named for their deep pink or red-streaked flesh, these Blood Oranges are sweetly flavored. Their skins may have a reddish blush. Smaller than an average orange with slightly rougher skin, Melissa’s Blood Oranges are juicy and best when eaten fresh.

Cara Cara Orange

Cara Cara Orange is also known as the red navel orange, it originated at the Hacienda de Cara Cara in Valencia, Venezuela. Cara Cara Oranges have a bright orange peel and pink – raspberry colored flesh. Its taste is sweet with undertones of sweet-cherry, with a low acid profile. Very juicy and best when eaten fresh out of hand.