Fruits of the World: Feijoa, Pineapple Guava, Guavasteen

Name:

• proper name: Feijoa sellowiana or Acca sellowiana
• Common names: Feijoa, Pineapple Guava, Guavasteen

Looks like :

• The fruit is lime-green, egg-shaped with a soft, succulent flesh similar in texture to a pear.
  
• The waxy skin is dull blue-green to blue or grayish green, sometimes with a red or orange blush.
• Skin texture varies from smooth to rough and pebbly. There are usually 20 - 40, occasionally more, very small, oblong seeds hardly noticeable when the fruit is eaten.

Tastes like :

• Its flavor is reminiscent of pineapple, quince, lemon and a bit of eucalyptus. Other report tastes of banana, strawberry, guava, and pineapple

Uses:

• Serve sliced in fresh fruit salads, blend frozen with other fruits for a fruit sorbet or garnish with roasted meats.

Found where :

• The plants are native to extreme southern Brazil, northern Argentina, western Paraguay and Uruguay where it is common in the mountains. Now crops are available from California, New Zealand, Australia.

Other things you should know about:

• Feijoa tree are very hardy and versatile fruit trees which require a minimum of care once established.
• When purchasing a feijoa, make sure that the fruit emits a pleasant aroma and, when squeezed, is somewhat soft to the touch. Once purchased, use your feijoa as soon as possible because you can store a ripe feijoa in your home for only up to three days. You must also refrigerate ripe feijoas.
  

More information:

• see list of other world fruits