Kiwiberries
Just a quick post for those seeking something new, fruitwise. The Kid brought these kiwiberries home from the grocery a few weeks ago and they were pretty cool. We tend to avoid overly “engineered” fruits that seek to create new hybrids by splicing genes from here and there… yet they often yield some pretty interesting results. I don’t know much about kiwiberries, but I suspect they fall into the category of commercially sponsored adjustments to the natural evolutionary process of fruits and vegetables.
Without the odd fuzzy, hairy peel, these kiwiberries have a smooth skin, slightly thicker than that of a grape, while the flesh is nearly exactly like a regular kiwi fruit, but in miniature. They were juicy, sweet with a touch of pleasant sourness. Perfect in green salads in lieu of the more common mandarin orange segments. Available in large groceries, I have seen them on offer in Manila and Cebu. Certainly a novelty, but if you are curious, they are certainly worth a try… Make sure the ones you buy aren’t overripe yet, they get mushy if they are beyond their prime.
Nice! I’ve never seen those. Anyway, did a bit of Googling about them. Here ya go…
http://www.kiwiberry.com/kiwi%20berries%20css.htm
April 21st, 2008Wow! I didn’t such fruits existed. I agree this fruit looks odd without the fuzzy peel.
April 21st, 2008the kiwi fruit is actually a close relative of a gooseberry so these kiwiberries are probably the “missing link” in between a proper gooseberry and a kiwi
April 21st, 2008I’ve seen plants that produce this variety for sale in the US. They were described as a hybrid (so no gene splicing involved) that can withstand colder winters than the standard kiwi berry vine.
Unfortunately, I’ve too far north for even this variety.
April 21st, 2008Never seen them yet. Will definitely give them a try once they are on offer at the market.
April 22nd, 2008They are pretty much always in fruit salad here, together with strawberries, such a good “christmas looking partners”. My 6 year old apo loves them.. to me their ok, pero sa chico pa rin ako.
April 22nd, 2008Thanks for the post. Appreciate in your future post if you can include price and places to get them. Thanks.
April 22nd, 2008I bought the same kiwiberry last weekend at Rustan’s. It’s very sweet and good when served chilled. Not cheap though…
April 22nd, 2008Richard, I have seen them at places like Metro Groceries in Manila and Cebu, Rustans, SM, etc. Sorry, I didn’t buy this container, so I don’t have the prices…
April 22nd, 2008Hi MM,
Have you spied the GRAPPLE? It’s still an apple but it smells like grapes. I saw them once at the grocery but they were horribly expensive–now I’m paying the price of eternal curiosity because I don’t see them anymore.
April 22nd, 2008maybe they’re clones!!
April 22nd, 2008Wow! Amazing! I like kiwi-strawberry yoghurt shakes and I like the two fruits sliced up in a salad. This would be great! Strawberries and kiwis almost the same size!
Or maybe a strawberry-kiwi shortcake? On yoghurt-spiked frosting or cake base? Hmmmm… =)
April 22nd, 2008Cute. Kiwing kalbo. I have never seen them. Do they taste the same as their hairy “cousins”?
April 24th, 2008i have to scout around for that here…i’m intrigued!
April 24th, 2008wow this looks good, i have never seen kiwiberries, and i think this would be perfect for salads and fruit cups. . .
April 27th, 2008