Kitchen Dictionary: feijoa

A small, egg-shaped fruit native to South America, that is often mislabeled in produce sections as guava. Feijoa's fragrant, cream-colored flesh that encloses a jellylike center. The flavor is reminiscent of quince, pineapple, strawberry and banana. The skin of the feijoa fruit is blue/green and varies in texture from smooth to coarse. Feijoas range in size from 3/4 to 3-1/2 inches long and vary in shape from round to elongated pear shape. Although you cannot eat the skin of a feijoa fruit raw, you can use it as an ingredient in preserves.

Ethnicity: South American Ingredient

Season: available year-round

How to select: Choose fruit with a rich fragrance that gives slightly to the touch.

How to store: Ripen in a paper bag with an apple for several days at room temperature. Ripe fruit can be refrigerated 3-5 days.

How to prepare: Remove bitter peel.