Kiwano Melon

 
 Not to be confused with the equally delicious guano

The Attraction

I was strolling in an American supermarket last week when I came across a small exotic fruit section in the produce aisle. As I was scoping out the fruits in there, (among them persimmons and quenepas) I come across a fruit that I have never laid eyes on before. It was orange and had horns on it. (I was tempted to write "horny", but I was giggling too much). I didn't even know what it was called, but one thing was for sure; I was going to be taking one of these home to try!

The Review:
The label on this bizarre looking fruit said, Kiwano. I was really curious as to what this thing would taste like. It vaguely resembles a dragon fruit or pitaya, but probably mostly because of the shape.

After googling it extensively, I find out that the kiwano is actually a kind of melon that is popular in Africa. Not sure when the next time I'll be in Africa, so I was sure glad I grabbed this kiwano before some other adventurous soul beat me to it.

Once I take it home and cut it in half, it becomes very clear kiwano is very different from dragon fruit.

Whoa....that's freaky!

The kiwano melon has all these seeds inside that are surrounded by these gel like pods. Think like a pomegranate. It's a little freaky looking, but that just made it all the more intriguing.

I picked up a half and grabbed a spoon. It was time to dig in. I scoop out several "pods" and go to town on it.

The seeds are edible!

The first thing I notice is that unlike pomegranate seeds, these seeds are far easier to eat. You can barely feel the texture difference between biting into the gel sack portion and when your teeth hit the seed within the pod. Think passion fruit in texture.

Flavor-wise, it was reminiscent of eating a not sweet green grape. Some green grapes have a slightly tart flavor along with the sweetness. In the case of this kiwano melon, the lip smacking tartness is there, but none of the sweetness. The texture is also similiar to an inside of a grape. I also get a slight cucumber vibe off it as well, but not a lot, otherwise I would really not like it.

I can't help but feel like a bit of a fruit pioneer as I eat this melon (except people in Africa have been eating this for many years)

The Sweet:
A nice change of pace from the "regular" fruits. Refreshing!

The Bitter:
Not chocked full of flavor. Very subtle flavor compared to many other fruits.

Conclusion:
No, I won't be running back to the supermarket to buy out the remaining stock of these exotic melons, but I am glad I tried it. I can see chilling one of these in the fridge, then cutting them in half and eating them as a chilled dessert with a spoon because, well, lets face it, how many fruits can you eat with a spoon with no preparation?

I would, however, recommend that should the next time you are at the market and see one of these or another fruit you've never had before, you jump in with both feet. How often does one get to sample these types of fruit in your home town? It's one of the best parts of traveling to new and exotic places; sampling the local cuisine. Now you can do it from the comfort of your own zip code.

Video of the Week

This video makes me think of this song

At first, I wasn't too amused, until the remix kicked in. It seemed like it started out intentional and then he lost control. I hate showoffs, but love it when karma kicks in....even with little kids. That shows him what happens when you try to showboat.