Meyer Lemon
This exotic citrus fruit is named after Frank Meyer, an agricultural explorer who introduced it to America in 1908 after a trip to China, its natural
home. There it is now used mainly as a decorative pot-plant, but it has proved increasingly popular in the west thanks largely to celebrity chefs - Al-
ice Waters and Martha Stewart among them.
The Meyer lemon is used in desserts like pies, tarts and sorbets. As it is less acidic than a standard lemon that we are used to in the uK, it is not
unkind to the taste buds. This is probably why the fruit also goes down particularly well in cocktails and lemonade drinks. There is more sweetness
than sting in the Meyer. Because of its softness it can be easily converted into lemon curd and chutney.
unfortunately the fruit is not widely cultivated by commercial growers. As the peel is very thin, the Meyer is highly vulnerable to bruising and
Chayote Squash
If you didn't know better you'd think it
was a drink. But this one is all about eat-
ing, whether you consider the myth that
they were used in McDonald's Apple Pies
in Australia as a substitute, or the fact that
the pit inside is itself edible. The general
sense of solidity is also borne out by its
being known as the vegetable pear in
some countries.
A good quality chayote will be firm,
unblemished and light-to-medium green
in colour. The fruit's being unblemished
is of course important to all exotic fruits,
as new taste sensations should not be
compromised by bruising or other kinds of
damage like punctured skin and grazing.
The smooth green skin is to be peeled off
to allow whoever's lucky enough to taste
something between a cucumber and a zuc-
chini; a flavour delicate and subtle which
may be considered to belie terms such as
"exotic" and "tropical".
The chayote can be used raw or cooked
(boiled until tender, for about forty-five
minutes). The fruit's gourd, or shell, can
also be used separately for sprinkling over
salad; steaming, grilling or roasting are
other options, all uniquely delicious. The
chayote belongs to the gourd family of
fruits, along with melons and cucumbers.
The chayote squash is a staple of His-
panic cuisine and is also familiar in Asian
cooking. It is currently emerging in the
American mainstream as a vital part of
the diet in the states, as more and more
people wish to eat more healthy and give
in to their curiosity about exotic and tropi-
cal fruit. Another reason for its emergence
in mainstream America is the proximity to
Costa Rica, which is a major exporter of
the chayote. The fruit can also be bought
in the european union.
The chayote is grown largely on trellises
and has large leaves to shelter it there. The
growing of chayotes often happens in the
state of Veracruz, and are often exported
from there as well as Costa Rica.
Fact: It is the stuff of local legend. In
the Columbian town of San Bernardo,
the Chayote peel was used to mummify
its inhabitants, as the fruit was eaten
there extensively.
Two kinds of berries: Acai and Goji
Acai berries come from the Amazon and look like small grapes. But
they're a lot more unusual in their taste! The taste is something that
hangs somewhere between chocolate and blueberries, and if this isn't
considered tasty, I don't know what is. What's more, the Acai berry
is high in polyunsaturated fats, dietary fibre vitamin `e', proving that
pleasure and virtue don't always have to be awkward bed fellows.
In fact, there is a whole host of health benefits to this exotic fruit. It
helps with sleep patterns and promotes the body's natural balance;
it reduces the waistline; enhances energy; can act as an anti-aging
supplement; it can control your appetite; has detoxifying properties
for the colon and stomach and can reduce the risk
of cancer in both; it keeps you mentally and physically alert. And:
those from South America have sworn by it for centuries as a solution
to digestion problems.
The recommended colour for the Acai berry is purple, and its juices
and pulp must have this colour. Having said that, the tiny white
hairs on the Acai berry are used for the production of White tea. It is
important that they are freeze dried - not spray dried - and consumed
without their seeds.
Fact: The Acai berry was very publicly endorsed on an episode
of the Oprah Winfrey Show, so it even found fame on daytime
television!
Goji berries are a pervasive fruit in that
they are grown in many geographic regions. They are most commer-
cially grown in China, but their place of origin is more obscure, prob-
ably being somewhere in south-west Asia. They are an eye-catching
bright red-orange in colour. But "Goji" is only the fruit's commercial
name - its real name being the Wolfberry.
The Wolfberry comes from the Solanaceae family of growth and this
includes the potato, tomato, tobacco and deadly nightshade. It flowers
in June to September in the northern hemisphere, and then ripens in
July-October. The heat of the summer firmly places the berry in the
tropical category.
This little fruit is rich in diverse health benefits that can assist in fight-
ing skin disease and even cancer. The Goji / Wolfberry has a plentiful
supply of fibre, nutrients, copper , iron, potassium, zinc and anti-oxi-
dants. Little wonder that it is a staple in most health food shops, and
that it has been listed among the "Super-fruits" - which is set to be a
multi million pound industry by next year. It is traditionally cooked
before consumption, but can be added to rice dishes or ground into a
herbal tea and is even present as a sediment in some wines.
Fact: Importation of the Goji is illegal from outside Europe
because, as an introduced species, it can act as a threat of
disease to plants of the Solanaceae family.

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