America's groceries are greening: Exotic fruits and vegetables from all corners of the globe now abound in markets nationwide. Although still unfamiliar to some, the new foods are going mainstream fast, and it's not hard to see why: Exotic produce makes shopping an adventure. Whether fuzzy or spiny, vividly colored or an unprepossessing brown, its forms amaze and delight. Contained inside is a wealth of surprises - startling tastes, ambrosial aromas, and textures ranging from crunchy to buttery soft.
The U.S. appetite for the new foods is phenomenal, with some big grocery chains quadrupling their produce line in the last four years. Catering to the need for novelty is good business for American farmers, too. The current interest in ethnic cuisine buoys the boom, but even if our yen for things nouvelle fades, there’s little danger that the market will disappear. As savvy shoppers know, exotic fruits and vegetables are as tasty as they are trendy, as healthy as they are hot.
Although specialty produce is becoming for it isn't always simple. Stores may fail to post an item's name or may display it before it's ripe. Some chains offer in-house videos or recipe cards for those unsure how to prepare and serve unfamiliar foods. Nevertheless, the most important task - choosing high-quality produce - is still up to the shopper. As exotic fruits and vegetables can be costly, it pays to know your passion fruit from your pepinos.
'Big Three'
Available almost year-round are the "Big Three" of specialty fruit: papayas, mangoes, and guavas, Extra juicy and bursting with vitamins A and C, they're as popular as they are versatile. The papaya, a particular favorite, has a sweet but complex taste and a delicate scent. Because its flesh resembles muskmelon, it is sometimes know as "tree melon." Most papayas you'll find are under ripe, pear-shaped green fruit weighing a pound or two. Store them at room temperature for a few days until their skin yellows.
The fragrant golden flesh of a ripe papaya contains a core of shiny black seeds. Although usually discarded, the seeds may be called for in some recipes. Raw papayas are served in fruit salads or plains, with a squeeze of lime; cooked ones appear in an array of stews and desserts. Because an under-ripe papaya contains the enzyme papa in, enterprising cooks use it to tenderize tough cuts of meat. Green papayas are featured in Indian and Caribbean cuisine.
The mango, a magnificent fruit, comes in many forms: from round to kidney-shaped, egg-sized to melon-like. Whatever the variety, its orange flesh will be spicy-sweet and a drip with juice. You'll know your mango is ripe when its green skin takes on red or yellow highlights and its flesh yields to gentle pressure.
Preparing mangoes is an art. The extremely juicy pulp must be peeled and removed from a central stone (to which it tenaciously adheres). Practice before serving them to company. Green mangoes are good in chutneys and curries; ripe ones are delicious in beverages, salads, and desserts.
If you come across a small yellow fruit with a crown of leaves and a most enticing scent, but it - it's guava. A ripe one can perfume a room, and its flavor doesn't
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