Fun with Exotic Fruit this Summer

Fruits are nature’s nectar and the season of summer brings some beautiful options to our produce section for you to use in a variety of ways, from meat glazes to delicious cocktails. If the idea of throwing fruit into freshly prepared summer salads makes your mouth water, then we have some exciting ideas for you to add to your barbeque menu this season!

June brings some very tasty fruits to the table that work wonderfully well with the idea of eating seasonally:

• Canistel: dryer consistency, very chewy, musky taste similar to potent sweet potato
• Dragonfruit: similar consistency to kiwi flesh, not very sweet, very subtle flavor
• Jackfruit: meaty texture, not too sweet and very versatile in cooking
• Lychee: sweet and tart taste, floral aroma, similar to a grape or pear
• Mamey: creamy and sweet texture with a taste like sweet potato and pumpkin
• Mango: soft, pulpy texture with sweet taste similar to overripe plum
• Passionfruit: very tart flavor and incredibly aromatic
• Pineapple: sweet and sour strong flavor with very fleshy pulp
• Watermelon: full of water and mildly sweet flavor
• White sapote: custard-like texture and flavor like a peach or banana
• Bonus: wild-caught shrimp is in season

If you’ve never tried these exotic fruits, this is a great month to get your hands on them. An incredible hosting idea is to serve some avocado and mango shrimp ceviche with lychee cocktails for your next gathering. The flavors are light but the snack is still filling enough to be accompanied by drinks.

Avocado Mango Ceviche

Serve this refreshing handmade salsa this summer with chips or tacos for a delicious appetizer or meal.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. raw wild-caught shrimp
• 1 small jalapeno pepper
• 1 mango (diced)
• 1 avocado (diced)
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 small white onion or ½ large white onion
• ½ cup cilantro
• 2 large juiced limes
• Salt & pepper to taste

Directions: De-vein shrimp and cook until pink (approx. 3 minutes) chop and throw into bowl with diced mango, jalapeno, avocado, onion, garlic and cilantro together sprinkle with lime juice, salt and pepper and you’re done! Chill the salsa for about 2 hours before serving.

Pineapple Lychee Cocktail

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup water
• ¾ cup of pureed lychee
• 6 tbsp. pineapple juice
• 6 oz. vodka
• 3 tbsp. Cointreau

Directions: Blend lychee and pineapple together in a blender and force puree through fine mesh sieve into a bowl until all fluid is extracted. Fill shaker halfway with ice and puree, vodka and Cointreau. Shake and strain into glasses.

July carries the same fruits as June along with some additional goodies:

• Avocado: mild flavor, oily and fleshy texture, buttery
• Carambola: tart and sour taste
• Longan: very similar to lychee, also known as dragon eye fruit

August rounds out the summer list with the addition of these fruits:

• Atemoya : juicy, smooth tasting and sweet but tart
• Mamoncillo: also known as a Spanish lime, sweet and sour taste with acidic pulp
• Monstera deliciosa: comparable taste and texture to banana with strong smell
• Mulberries: tastes like raspberry or blackberry, flavorful but tart
• Red Guava: hard edible seeds, softer than green guava
• Sugar apples: fragrant smell, custard taste
• Bonus seafood: Spiny lobster wild-caught shrimp

Now that we’ve covered all the sweet morsels that this summer has to offer, we want to share some ideas on how to incorporate these fruits into your everyday meals as a way to add flavor and nutrients into your daily diet.

Carambola: This fruit is beautiful for serving, especially when sliced into cross sections, creating star shapes to arrange around your plate. When grilled until slightly light brown, it makes an incredibly tasty topping for ice cream or crepes. Also, it is a great addition to a fruit salad with other mixed fruits that carry stronger flavors, due to its rather mild nature. While high in vitamin C, do not eat if you have any kidney conditions.

Dragonfruit: This fruit is versatile and is full of vitamin D, anti-oxidants and fiber. You can add slices of dragonfruit to your salads or use large chunks on barbecue skewers for an additional bit of tang. They are also great for smoothies and add a mildly sweet flavor to any meal. Make sure to remove all skin, as it can upset your stomach if ingested.

Guava: Civilizations have long deemed guava juice as the nectar of the Gods! A delicious way to enjoy this fruit is to make a homemade marmalade for use on pancakes, toast and even as a topping for frozen desserts. This fruit can also be enjoyed raw as the seeds are edible and it packs a high vitamin C punch.

Passionfruit: This aromatic fruit is packed with vitamin A and antioxidants that are important for optimal health. Best of all, it’s tasty too! Use the juice to make delicious cocktails or a welcome addition to smoothies. It can also be reduced to make a tasty drizzle for pies and frozen desserts!

Atemoya: This roundish oval fruit has a creamy white flesh with the texture of custard and tastes sweet with a hint of vanilla flavor. These attributes make it ideal for making tartelettes, pies and other desserts or creamy cocktails. It’s best eaten raw and chilled and is packed with vitamins and minerals. Make sure to avoid ingesting any seeds.

Don’t be afraid to experiment with some exotic fruits this summer season. You know, the ones you usually pass up in the produce department all the while wondering how to eat them? Ask our produce department for tips on how to choose the ripest of fruits among our fresh selection. No matter how you choose to consume these refreshing and sweet gifts of nature, we will guarantee that they are at the peak of taste profile and ripeness when you come through our doors.