Feijoa
By: Anonymous

About

Feijoa are an oblong green to yellow fruit with a pear-like texture and a sweet, tangy flavor. The seeds are found in the center of the fruit and are edible, though the skin is bitter and should not be eaten. Feijoa are soft when ripe; small, fragrant, green fruits are best.

Information
Other names: Pineapple Guava, Guavasteen
Translations: Фейхоа, フェイジョア, Фейхоа, פיג 'ואה, Феијоа


Physical Description
The fruits range from 3/4 to 3-1/2 inches long and vary in shape from round to elongated pear shape, with the persistent calyx segments adhering to the apex. 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 and is 3/16 to 5/8 inch thick. The fruit emits a strong long-lasting perfume, even before it is fully ripe. The thick, white, granular, watery flesh and the translucent central pulp enclosing the seeds are sweet or subacid, suggesting a combination of pineapple and guava or pineapple and strawberry, often with overtones of winter green or spearmint. There are usually 20 - 40, occasionally more, very small, oblong seeds hardly noticeable when the fruit is eaten.

Colors: Creamy  off white flesh and green exterior peel


Tasting Notes
Flavors: Sweet, floral
Mouthfeel: Smooth, Creamy
Substitutes: Guava, Kiwifruit, Pineapple, Blueberries, Strawberries


Selecting and Buying
Buying: Available at most grocers seasonally.
Procuring: Feijoas prefer cool winters and moderate summers (80° to 90° F), and are generally adapted to areas where temperatures stay above 15° F. Flower production is poor in areas with fewer than 50 hours of chilling. The flavor of the fruit is much better in cool than in warm regions. Even thought the plants are relatively hardy, sudden fall frosts can damage ripening fruit and late spring frosts can destroy blossoms. Spring frost damage is most likely in mild-winter areas, where the plants are not completely hardened off and respond to warm spells by blooming early.



Preparation and Use
When preparing feijoas for eating or preserving, peeling should be immediately followed by dipping into a weak salt solution or into water containing fresh lemon juice. Both of these methods will prevent the flesh from oxidizing (turning brown). The flesh and pulp (with seeds) are eaten raw as dessert or in salads, or are cooked in puddings, pastry fillings, fritters, dumplings, fruit-sponge-cake, pies or tarts, or employed as flavoring for ice cream or soft drinks. Surplus fruits may be peeled, halved and preserved in sirup in glass jars, or sliced and crystallized, or made into chutney, jam, jelly, conserve, relish, sauce or sparkling wine.
Cleaning: Rinse lightly and remove the peel.


Social/Political
The feijoa is native to extreme southern Brazil, northern Argentina, western Paraguay and Uruguay where it is common in the mountains.

History: The Feijoa, or Pineapple Guava (Feijoa Sellowiana, Berg, family Myrtaceae) is indigenous to western Paraguay, southern Brazil, Uruguay, and parts of Argentina, where it is common in the forests, and the fruit is highly esteemed by the natives though not cultivated. It was introduced to southern Europe in 1890, and is grown along the Riviera, both in France and Italy. From the former country it was introduced to the United States about 1900, and is becoming widely planted in California. Its distribution in other countries is very limited