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Specialty Items |
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Kiwi |
Chile |  |
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Figs |
Greece | |
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Chestnuts |
Italy | |
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Mangoes |
Brazil | |
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Quince |
Chile | |
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Loquats |
Chile | |
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Pomegranates |
Chile | |
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Our Kiwifruit comes from the finest growers in Chile. This sweet little delicacy is imported between the months of April and July. The Hayward, named after nurseryman Hayward Wright, is the principal Kiwifruit variety grown in Chile. Each fruit is egg-shaped and about 3 inches long with a thin, fuzzy, brown skin. The flesh is bright green and studded with tiny edible black seeds in a beautiful sunburst pattern. It has a taste that varies from sweet to tart, and some say it tastes like pineapple or strawberries, and still others say, no, it is nectarine or melon flavored. Today, kiwifruit is one of the most popular fruits.
Following the arrival of the first fig tree in North America in 1790, its fruit has been a popular staple food ever since. Figs are higher in fiber than any other dried or fresh fruit and are also high in calcium. Our figs are imported from Greece and are available from September through December. Figs are the pear-shaped false fruits of the fig tree, of the mulberry family (Moraceae). They contain large numbers of tiny stone fruits inside them. Fresh figs have an incredible flavor, but because they last only about a week after harvest, almost 90% of the world’s fig crop is sold as dried fruit. The nutritional value of dried figs is quite impressive. They have the highest fiber and mineral content of all common fruits, nuts or vegetables. They also have as much as 1,000 times more calcium than other common fruits and by weight they actually have more calcium than skim milk.
An endearing holiday treat, our chestnuts are imported from Italy at the beginning of the holiday season in October, with the last shipments arriving in December. These tasty nuts are great straight from the oven or fireplace during those cold winter months. This nut of the chestnut tree was once abundant in America, but most were killed by a fungus at the turn of the century. Many varieties of chestnuts can be boiled, candied, dried, preserved, pureed, roasted or ground into flour. It is markedly sweet, peels easily, is not excessively floury or astringent, and has notes of vanilla, hazelnut and more subtly of fresh bread.
The fruit flesh of a ripe mango is very sweet, with a unique taste. The texture of the flesh varies markedly between different cultivars, some having a soft, pulpy texture similar to an over-ripe plum, while others having firmer flesh like a cantaloupe or avocado. In some cultivars, the flesh has a fibrous texture. Mangoes are juicy with a sweet taste and high water content making them refreshing to eat.
It is believed that the quince long preceded the apple, and that many ancient references to apples were, in fact, references to quince, including the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden. Greek mythology associates the quince with Aphrodite, the goddess of love, and many believe that the golden apple given to her by Paris was a quince. Ancient Greeks associated the quince with fertility, and it played an important role in wedding celebrations where it was offered as a gift, used to sweeten the bride’s breath before entering the bridal chamber, and shared by bride and groom. These associations have resulted in the quince becoming known as the “fruit of love, marriage, and fertility.” The shape is somewhere between an apple and pear, it has a rich yellow exterior, and a strong pleasant fragrance. The quince is hard, acidic, and astringent before cooking, but once cooked and sweetened, it turns red, tastes divine, and takes on the color and flavor of love, in addition to the name.
Loquat fruits, growing in clusters, are oval, rounded or pear-shaped, 1 to 2 inches long with a smooth or downy, yellow or orange, sometimes red-blushed skin. The succulent, tangy flesh is white, yellow or orange, and sweet to acid, depending on the cultivar. Each fruit contains three to five large brown seeds. It is eaten as a fresh fruit and mixed well with other fruits in fresh fruit salads or fruit cups.
Pomegranates have a round, spherical shape. Inside are dozens of small, ruby-colored seeds. The pomegranate fruit has a citrus flavor and is very juicy. It can be eaten raw or used in a variety of recipes and cocktails.