You can buy apples and oranges all the time. Bananas and grapes are also usually readily available, and if you need a lemon or lime for something they’re not too hard to find at the supermarket. Peaches, blueberries, and raspberries are common too. Even mangos, figs, and coconuts are not too hard to find these days. But there are literally thousands of fruits, some of which are much more unusual than others.

The buffaloberry (Shepherdia argentea) is a round fruit, a quarter-inch in diameter, with a single seed. Well-suited to dry, sunny climates, the shrub first produces white flowers in the spring, and the berries ripen to an orangey-red in the fall. Native Americans used the buffaloberry to flavor meat, and they are best picked after a frost when their bitter taste gives way to sweetness. High in iron, buffaloberries are commonly used in pies and jellies.

The saskatoon berry (Amelanchiar alnifolia, also called a juneberry) comes from a hardy bush that does well in many types of soil. The berry itself is purple, spherical or teardrop-shaped, tastes like a blueberry, and has higher levels of protein, fat, and fiber than most other fruits. Historically, it has been used as a dye, for medicine, and in soups and stews. The berry is native to the western United States and Canada, reaching from Alaska to Arizona.

A popular fruit originally from southeast Asia is the starfruit (Averrhoa carambola), better known internationally as the carambola. There are two types of starfruit, one that is acidic to the taste and one that is sweeter. Their unusual shape as a whole fruit lends way to a star when sliced, giving them the name that is used more frequently in the United States. Starfruit were originally grown in Sri Lanka and Bali, but they have now spread to other parts of the world, including Brazil, Ghana, and Guyana. The waxy skin starts out green, but turns to yellow as the fruit ripens; the sweeter fruits are likened in taste to apples and pears, while the acidic fruits are usually described as closer to pineapples and oranges. Because of their unusual shape, they are popular as decoration in salads and other dishes; a cup of starfruit has 41 calories, no fat, and provides 76% of the USRDA for Vitamin C based on a 2000 calorie diet.

The rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum) is common in southeast Asia, particularly in Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Malaysia, but elsewhere in the world it is considered unusual and exotic. It is a 2-3″ ovoid fruit, pale yellow-green when new but ripening to magenta, and it grows in bunches on its tree. Its appearance is most unusual, owing to limp spikes that cover the fruit - in fact, the word “rambut” is Malay for “hairy.” Its thin skin should be scored and pried open, revealing the pearl-like fruit (and a seed, which is not edible) which is high in Vitamin C.

Most notorious for its smell is the durian (Durio zibethinus), another southeast Asian fruit - its stink is so profound that some countries do not allow it to be brought into public places, especially on public transportation, because it can be smelled from a distance! Also deriving its name from the Malay language (”duri” means spike), the durian is quite heavy and it is covered with spikes. Despite its weight compared to other fruits, a better durian is one that is lighter than the others you have for your selection. There are many varieties of durian from different regions; these are actually all different species of the fruit, but the one most frequently available in the United States is the zibethinus species. Only a few durian trees are in the United States; because it requires an ultratropical climate it is only suitable for a few islands in Hawaii.

Across the Pacific Ocean from durians and rambutans is the naranjilla (Solanum quitoense), grown primarily in Ecuador. On the outside it looks similar to an orange, but inside it is green and has many seeds. The naranjilla’s acidic nature puts its taste somewhere between a pineapple and a strawberry. Its juice is commonly made into a beverage, and it can also be used in fruit salad, over ice cream, or just fresh.

Originating in Mexico, the casimiroa (Casimiroa edulis) is also known as the white sapote - but it is not in the sapote family of fruits. An ancient fruit, casimiroa has been around since the time of the Aztecs, who used it as a medicine - much more recent research has shown it to be effective at lowering blood pressure, and in large doses it can act as a sedative. The fruit is green and about the size of an orange; it is primarily a dessert fruit and may be made into ice cream, sherbet, or jelly.

The huito (Genipa americana) has a unique feature: its clear juice reacts on human skin and turns dark blue. The fruit was originally used for body painting in its native South American jungle, and today it is used as a dye for clothing, pottery, and cosmetics. The huito can also be made into jam, or eaten raw; as a tea it is used as a bronchitis remedy. It is also known to be used by some South American cultures as a treatment for arthritis, jaundice, stomach ulcers, anemia, and various other ailments.

Essay word count: 899

Additional resources: Durian Palace, Rambutan.com, Incredible Edibles

What’s this? See nonficwrimo.

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