I almost bought one of these at the grocery a few days ago when I saw it, but decided against it because a) there was no price tag and b) I had no idea what it was. Glad you were brave enough to take the initiative.
I "StumbledUpon" your site this morning - as the wife of an engineer, I can't wait to show this to him! You've done a wonderful job. I know he will enjoy it as much as I have. Thanks so much for creating this resource, and belated congratulations on your recent marriage! I'm sure your wife is as happy with her engineer/chef as I am with mine!
Many years ago my mom brought a couple of those home for my sisters and I to try, I was a kid. I thought it looked really cool and all so I went for it. It was probably the grossest fruit I ever tasted! I still think it is pretty and decoration is the only use I'd ever have for it!
Very interesting. Never seen this fruit before; although I won't be surprised if I go out now, see and recognize it because of this post.
This fruit sort of reminds me of a guava -- although they look and taste very different from each other (from your description). But for some reason, the guava comes to mind.
Paz
Hey Michael,
I've been reading for a while and LOVE your site. Your visual diagrams of ingredients are fabulous.
I saw an article highlighting your website in ReadyMade (the very cool house/home magazine for ideas on the cheap). They gave you a very nice review. Congratulations!
Robyn
I think you're supposed to wait until it starts collapsing before it sweetens up.
I've been following along with your site for a month or so, and I really enjoy the view you take towards it. Unfortunately (somewhere between your last two posts), something seems to have gone wrong with the feed, such that Thunderbird's RSS reader thinks it's invalid and won't update with new articles. Checking with the validator service (
validator link) shows a few errors, which may be what's doing it.
It would be great to fix this up, if it's not too difficult... :)
From the taste you described, I'd imagine you could turn it into an interesting beverage. When I went to Chicago in June, there were several restaurants that served a cucumber based drink such as...
Cucumber Mint Juice at
TRU
and
Cucumber, Celery & Mint at
Charlie Trotter's
Both were delicious, and I don't really care for cucumbers :-)
It kind of looks like a Noni fruit otherwise known as a morinda citrifolia
....about 10 years ago when "strange" and "exotic" produce was difficult to come by (at least in VA). I saw it in the grocery store and snatched one up. I actually found it to be somewhat like eating green grapes, but not as sweet. I did not notice any bitterness.
Early this summer, I stumbled across a strange type of fruit at my local Asian market here in Atlanta. It wasn't labeled with a name, but had red skin and white, creamy looking flesh with lots of small black seeds. The flesh had the texture of a soft cantelope and the seeds were about the size of poppy seeds. I think this was even more expensive than the horned melons. It had a mild, slightly sweet flavor. Pleasant, but not extrordinary. Anybody know what it's called?
If your interested in other strange fruit, try a star fruit or carambola. They have a very fresh taste and don't look like catapillars. Look for ones that are mostly yellow not green. If they have a little fringe of brown on the ridges thats okay, but avoid ones that have lots of brown.
I'm glad that you gabbed two and placed them into your basket and not into your... pants!!! Ohhh! look at those spikes!
Seriously though, Kiwano comes from the Cucumber family (not melon family). Originally from New Zealand, now it is widely grown in countries with mild climate. Cut in halves, you will see it contains full of soft seeds and orang/yellow flesh, a bit like the inside of a cucumber. It has a sharp, sweetish taste. Scoop out the seeds and flesh, add ice cubes and sugar to make a nice refreshing drink. Save some seeds and grow them yourself like you do cucumber plants. Quite easy, really. Bye!
I've seen these in the grocery store and never really knew what to make of them. I've been tempted to buy them just because they're a strange fruit, but now that I know they taste bad, I don't think I'll bother.
Does this fruit have a use outside of decoration and ice cream bowls? ;3
It is true that the african horned melon belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family (sometimes called gourd family), but this family also contains melons and cucumbers. In fact, african horned melons, honeydews, and cucumbers all belong to the same genus: Cucumis. (African horned melons are Cucumis metuliferus, honeydews and other melons are Cucumis melo, and Cucumbers are Cucumis sativus)
I was just thinking that with a bit of honey or sugar added, it might actually taste pretty good in a smoothie (as was previously suggested) -- especially since the colors work so well for Halloween (slime green and almost pumpkin orange). However, I feel its cost is a bit high for more than the occassional novelty or special occassion.
Matt: I think you're talking about a dragon fruit if I'm not mistaken. Plenty of them here :)
This fruit?
Thank you, Mike, for your reply. You are right. They're all the same family.
*Morningstar, life's too short, you have to try everything (I mean food!) at least once!
Matt, that fruit, about the size of a small pineapple, with red skin, white flesh and black poppy seeds inside is commonly called DRAGON FRUIT. It's a climbing cactus plant from the Cacti family, growing up to 20 foot high with long, thin aerial roots hugging around a host tree for support and big, white Lily like flowers. Coming from the tropical, it's now widely grown in southern California and anywhere with hot or warm climate. Farmers train them onto big wooden posts and keep pruning them to keep the plants down to about 8 foot high for easy picking. A new Dragon Fruit from Israel has red skin, red fresh and black seeds. Bye.
Here in South Africa, particularly in the Galagadi desert one finds a huge variaty of similar curcurbits, some edible some not. The Koisan use them a lot, the inedible types are harvested for the seeds wich are edible, the edibile types are eaten more for the moisture content than anything else.
Thanks Mike for featuring an African fruit, albeit a tad inedible. Pity the durn Kiwis have purloined it and are selling it as their own. :-)
Thanks for the great website/blog.
I first had one of these in the late 80's which was when I last had one.
I did pretty much what you did, and found it to be like gelid grass. Not worth the effort, and certainly not worth the cost.
TK
We tried making a drink from the one's we'd bought (as this was commended to us). Not much point in that either.
Less unpleasant than wheat grass juice, but still more than it was worth.
Now, if the poster who said they improve as they age, maybe I'll give one another try.
TK
I purchased a Kiwano, (I have no idea what I paid for it, shame on me). I thought it would be good. The sticker on it said it was sweet and refreshing. I took the thing home, opened it up and mine looked just like the one in the picture. Not having seen one before, when I cut into mine I thought it might have been rotten or diseased because it did not smell sweet or look refreshing at all!
Glad to know that I don't have to try it again!
For an "exotic" fruit that tastes pretty good, try the Cherimoya. It is sold in local grocery stores, though it too can be a bit spendy. When ripe, it feels heavy and firm, like an avocado just prior to being ripe. You cut it in half, scoop the seeds out (although you can eat them, they're bitter if chewed), and eat the white, creamy interior. It tastes like a type of custard, and is best when ice-cold. Enjoy!
I enjoyed your post. I have a small farm and these horned melons were one of my random heirloom vegetable selections for this year. I have dozens of them ripening on their trellis. I am not entirely sure what we'll do with them all, except for save a lot of seeds and give them away as Christmas gifts :D
Wow! It is so nice to read that a lot of melons are in the same family as cucumbers. I do not care for cucmbers and most melons and have often commented that the sweet melons have a base flavor of cucumber and that is why I do not care for them. Most people have laughed at me for the comparison but now I have ammunition to back up my dislike. Thanks!
After reading your analysis and the descriptions of the flavor, the question that begs for an answer is Why? If these things taste as gross as they sound, other than for decorative reasons, I cannot imagine using them, and at $4 apiece, I cannot imagine budgeting for them in good conscience.
Has anyone come across any recipes using these things? I have not despite a pretty exhaustive search.
This brings me to the question: Why are people even bothering to breed/cultivate/export these things? There are a number of new things available at local markets that fall into the same category - weird, unusual but basically not really something I would want to serve guests. Chayote squash comes to mind, for one.
I just bought one today and, having no idea what it was, did a google web search. Aha! A horned melon.
I'm not sure if I'm brave enough to try it. I suppose I'll slice it open eventually, it's here at work, and see if I can coax someone else into eating it. It was such an antagonistic looking fruit and, like others, I was lulled in by the 'cool and refreshing' sticker. Apparently it lied. Ah well. Maybe I'll find something cool experimentally one of these days.
Oh, and like you, I paid 4 bucks. Talk about sticker shock!
i bought a few here in seattle the other day. i only paid: three for a dollar, so compared to other buyers i got a deal. from the bland sour taste i think it would take on the character of any dish one would prepare. somewhat like tofu. one could sweeten it or use as a vinaigrette. lots of ideas on this site. think i'll buy some more and let my imagination take control.
thanks
My son was insistent on buying this exotic looking melon from the Dekalb Farmers Market - my husband bought it for him because it was marked 20% off. A suggested way to serve was to puree with sugar and put over ice cream or yogurt. I wish we would have seen this web site before the puree - my husband pureed the seeds with some of the rind! Needless to say, it was pretty disgusting. I would not recommend this fruit considering how expensive it is and the taste it delivers.
hi
we grow lots of horned melons here in portugal. they are a great source of vitamin C and we love them with a little brown sugar. they have a taste inbetween a kiwi and a banana. seeds are a problem however.
Great site- we had a similar experience... I told my boyfriend to "surprise me" when he went to the supermarket and this is what he came home with... I'm not sure if I was more surprised when I cut it open or when he said that he paid $4 for it. Anyway after checking out this and a few other sides I added ice and honey and made a smoothie- interesting flavor but even better after I added a can of fruit cocktail, oh well, so much for my exotic smoothie...
I cut into mine this morning and was a little shocked at the colour 8) didn't expect green!!! :P I kinda liked the flavour and my parrotlet loved the seeds :)- a great combination. I gave him the seeds that escaped and sucked up the rest, admittedly without chewing much. ;) My recommendation - give it a try...
PS: I only paid $1.65 CDN for it so I think I got a great deal!!! :)
http://www.incagoldbrand.com/fruitboxes/index.htm
Our company, Artistic Farms (a.k.a. Inca Gold Brand) is probably the single largest grower/producer of Kiwano/"horned fruit" on the planet. We maintain lands and offices in Washington state and Chile, South America. We have patented the term "Cuke-asaurus" for the Amazonian strain of this fruit (in South America it is most commonly referred as "the fruit of paradise"). We sell our fruit in bulk and "gift boxes" (comprising (3) choice specimens).
There are two primary strains of "horned fruit":
1.)The African(a.k.a. "Kiwano", which is the Maori New Zealand name for the fruit). This is grown extensively in New Zealand and to a lesser degree in southern CA. I also understand it is grown in even smaller quantities in such disparate localities as Mexico, the Mediterranean and Africa.
2.)The Amazonian(a.k.a. "fruit of paradise", and also "Cuke-asaurus" , which is a name we patented). This is grown extensively in South America and in Lynden, Washington(on our organic farm).
The primary differences between the two strains are:
1.)The Amazonian has a longer much longer shelf life(provided it is stored at room temperature and in a dry environment, if possible).
2.)The "horns"(spikes) on the Amazonian is sharper to the touch.
3.)The Amazonian is a little sweeter in taste(we still suggest adding some honey, sugar or other "sweetener" to it when eating it straight and we also offer recipes for it).
4.)The color of the skin tends to be more "uniform" on the Amazonian version.
If anyone is still curious or interested in our fruit, I can be reached at:
Ig8802@aol.com
Or by phone at: (360) 398-9351. Thanks!
-Kevin S. L. Burke
Artistic Farms
Lynden, WA 98264
I bought this a few months ago and researched it after I tried a bite (it was pretty sour). Having spent $4 on it as well, I was determined to figure out why :-) A website recommended sprinkling it with sugar. I did and it was remarkably better. If anyone feels inclined to ante up for this fruit again, I'd suggest at least a teaspoon per half. Kind of tastes like lemonade...
i'm new here:)
hehe... :shock: 8| :huh: :unsure: :angry: :shock: ;) :D :) :( :lol: :P B)
thats all I have to say:)
thanx :D
Roemerquelle has some "wellness" mineral water and one flavor of them is Kiwano. It that's great - maybe because it doesn't have that slimy feeling of the real fruit. Should you ever come to Austria give it a try. Here is a short article (in german): http://www.freizeit-journal.at/fz_aktuell4_blitz1_exotische.htm
when i saw a site that sed this fruit is poisonous i wuz like :shock: then i wuz like :( but i wanted a 2nd opinion 8| then i found ur site :P now in sooooooooooooooooooooo happy by the way im 12
just so you know the horned melon looks nothing like a dragon fruit otherwise known as pitaya or strawberry pear the insides are different so just so you know, wot you tried is not a dradon fruit which is sweet in taste not unlike a melon
If you don't like the taste, but love the ornamental qualities, separate the seeds from the gel-sack (A bit hard to do because they're slippery) Then plant them in the late spring, about 4 or 5 in each little hole. Water them for about a week straight and they'll grow into an impressive vine and can begin fruiting in 8 weeks! They grow quickly and can take over a garden so plant them in an area that won't affect other plants and give them a wall or fence to grow on. Becareful when handleing this vine. The vine grows hairy thornes that stick into you for days. It flowers all season in yellow and being an annual, it dies when the weather turns cold.
Hard cash, this time. I saw Kiwanos at a local supermarket and was fascinated enough to lift the PLU sticker so I would remember to look it up. Thanks to the proliferation of information these days I saved $7.00- the price they were selling for. I think I learned more than I would really need to know about them.
And entering a secret code to post! That is so cool.
i have noticed alot of you have dissagreed with the fact that these things are bitter. i myself have never eaten a comercialy grown one but i have seen a few out in the scrub (we use them for target practice but by the sounds of it we should be exporting the things for $4 each?) they were introduced to Australia about 120 years ago along with such other brilliant brainwaives from englishmen like prickly pears (they were bought to australia as food for the cochineal beetle which where crushed up and used to dye the english soldiers coats) since then they have spread almost everwhere in Australia. however the "african horny melons" (most people who know what they are call them bush kiwis-im not sure why, they taste nothing like a kiwi) have not had such a bad effect - they are quite pretty when you see them too -they start off greenish yellow and end up dark orange to almost red. from my experience of eating them they have the texture of a over ripe, gone to seed cucumber and the young ones are quite sour and quite bitter. the dark red ones are almost edible loosing alot of their bitterness in place of a hint of sweetness and a sour taste.
i was also intruiged by the before mentioned Cherimoya so i looked that up to. we get them alot over here in the supermarkets but we call them "custard apples" which is a fairly good description of the taste-its like a mango, banana, apple and a kiwi fruit mixed with custard. however a nice ripe one is quite hard to get
I picked up an African Horned Melon at the grocery this weekend as I (and my gf) have not yet tried them. This week maybe we will cut it.
On a different note I received a couple dozen passion fruit that I ordered about 6-8 weeks ago from a farm in California. I tried them when I traveled to Taiwan this winter past and fell in love with their perfumy scent and interesting crunch (from the seeds in the pulpy fruit. Mixed with a little honey and yogurt they are delicious. When they are quite they are good plain too, though on the tart/sour side sometimes. They are expensive in the grocery. In TX you normally see them at $2.50-$3.00 each. The fruit I have bought twice from White Dove farms (who also sells cherimoya) is ~$29 for about 25 pieces. Try them out.
Cheers
hello,
about a year ago, i saw these in the grocery store. the stickers on them said "kukosaurus" and because of the name i purchased a few. my friends and i cut the tops off and gutted them as we didnt like what reminds me of watered down kiwi. we then made some mixed drinks in them. the reaction from everyone that saw them was fantastic, and worth the 4$ price tag.
I am usually game to try any new food. So when I found these in my local market ---I bought one. It was bitter and I also thought the inside looked a sickening green---I will spare you the particular .
I am glad to learn that this is African because someone led me to believe that it was a Chinese bitter mellon (for which there are recipes and the original reason I bought it ---never having seen one) or Chinese summer or winter melon. Obviously they were wrong.
I think that $8.00 is a bit too pricey for this item particularly since it grows in the US and even imported that is still too much. Why is it that business people think that they can charge exhorbitant prices for exotic fruit----it would seem to me that they would want to create a market for it by offering a reasonable price.
My daughter and I bought this fruit because it looked interesting and it said on the label it was sweet. It had lots of seeds which you had to eat because the jelly texture was completely around it. It wasn't too sweet but if we had let it sit a little longer it probably would have gotten sweeter. It reminded me of the inside of a grape but with a more jelly like texture. Also reminds me of a Chinese apple. I forget what they are called. Those however are much sweeter.
Rhodadendrun
A cold Gazpacho like soup is great with this 'fruit' maybe with tomato and sour cream, garlic and some very fine, nutty extra vergine olive oil.
It looks a bit like a chinese apple, as the previous post suggested, could you possibly mean the Durian?
Durian smells though, it is officially illegal to transport Durian in Singapore's subway and buses, but will make a great compôte or chutney, as well as parfait and jam. Many Chinese and Malaysian stores sell it in a dried form as candy sticks.
To get it in the US and Europe whilst being fresh it's quite expensive, reckon around $18 or €15 per kilo.
I just tried the Kiwano fruit, and thought that it didn't taste that bad. I put some sugar on it and actually thought it was pretty good. It has a refreshing taste to it.
:lol
Well...I had some money and came across this fruit and thought I would try this fruit.So I took it home and cut it open.I had my dad try it and he said the same thing you said he would not have this fruit aging.but me on the other hand as he tasted it I smelt it, it smelt like grass.it had to be one of the best fruit I have ever had ;)
someone up above, from portugal, recommended this fruit to be tried with brown sugar. i just tried it like that, and highly enjoyed it! the taste IS like a kiwi crossed with a banana, and a bit of cucumber.
i received my kiwano as a gift. my fiance knows i'm always into trying new foods, especially interesting fruits. i'm glad I looked this one up before cutting it open, though!
when cut in half vertically, you can squeeze the seeds out easily, leaving the rind inside the fruit perfectly. i was a little eager to try it, so I just mixed some brown sugar in it and ate it like that. it was gelatinous, yes, but I quite enjoyed it. :)
There is a store close to my house called "Whole Foods"(don't know any location of it except in KY) that sells health food.I saw this peculiar fruit and decided to get it. We didn't know what it was and neither did the cashier. So he let us have it for FREE, now wasn't that nice. So when we got home we started to cut it open. I, personaly, liked it. Since then I've bought more of 'em. I just like to eat 'em plain(scoop out with a spoon) or put 'em in a salad. I get the same flavour you described, but more kiwi-ish.
I bought a horned melon today for my 8 year old son. He always wants to try new things and I encourage him to do so. It was blah, like amild tasting cuke. We did however see something the grocer told us was called a Buddha's hand. It looked like a bright yellow octopus with warts. The biggest one was more than 8 inched long. Needless to say my son wants to try it. At 6.99/lb I'd like to hear a review of it before I try it. Anyone ever tried one?
Well, I just got one of these horned melons out of pure curiosity. From the reviews it doesn't seem like it'ss going to taste any good, but I have to try, I'll let ya know!! LOL!!
I hadn't tasted one, but I did see them at my local grocery store. So I went in today to buy one and they weren't there! So, I asked my grocer about them and how they tasted - to which he responded, "oh, they're not for eating. It's placed on teh table as an ornament and for fragrance". I looked it up and this is more or less correct, but the fruit is sometimes used in cooking. The fruit is a citrus fruit and supposedly has a lemony flavor with a bitter rind. The zest is more often used than the flesh, but the flesh is sometimes used in salads. Other uses for the fruit are probably more creative.
8| Unfortunately, I admitted to my wife that I paid $5 for this GD prickly piece of over-priced fruit. My 7-year-old daughter wanted to buy it and I've had fond memories of a Chamoya (with the luscious custard inside) eaten during a bender in Zaire 20 years ago. Almost bought one of those in Safeway this afternoon instead. The checker was impressed that i was willing to try something new; next time I'll buy a damn pineapple! Thanks to everyone for the commentary...I'm going to put it on the shelf and try to get the ornamental value out of it.
First time I saw a kiwano was at Wal-mart of all places. We bought it, and were quite shocked at the green interior.
Flavorwise it tasted like slimy, sour, cucumber seeds. If I was planning a romantic dinner I could find a use for it (like a serving bowl for some custard desert).
The way to eat this melon is with fruit ice cream and vaniella milk or banana milk.
1. You get any fruit ice cream (something that has fruits e.g. pineapple, strawberry etc.)
2. Scoop the jelly like substance out of the melon and put into a glass.
3. Add ice cream of choice and then put a hit of vaniella milk or banana milk.
Mix it and enjoy...
Or scoop it out and just add sugar... :D
I buy these once a year, because this is the only time they are available to me.
Man, what is wrong with you people?
You go to the grocery store, and you see a fruit that looks wacky and different from the fruits that you know and like. And you're shocked that it isn't like those fruits?
Open your mind, and your mouth. I bought one from the store, and cut it in half. First few bites were wierd, sure... but you get used to it. They're sweet, and have an interesting flavor.
Hmmm... the ones I tried definitely did not have any sweetness. Perhaps they weren't ripe. Anyone know if they ripen after being picked or only on the vine?
I bought one of these a few days ago because I, like many others, was intrigued. Cut into it moments ago and was shocked. I think I expected flesh like a cactus pear. Instead, (I have not tasted) it smelled and felt like the inside of an aloe plant.
Went online for advice and found this site.
Not sure how brave I am about tasting.
Gads! My two year leads our family in trying new things - she is very anxious to try this intriguing orange thing we got. Think I'll let her play with it a few more days (to ripen?!) and then give it a go... thanks to prior comment on "wusses"--- I agree! Anyone know what is considered "ripe"? Would hate to open it too late ($$!)
So far, the info I've uncovered doesn't tell me when it reaches maximum ripeness, but apparently you'll want to store them at room temperature (65-75F) and NOT in the refrigerator. At room temperature it should be able to keep for three months while it'll only last a couple weeks at the low temperatures of a refrigerator. I wasn't able to find out if the sugar content increases as you wait or if it decreases...
I thought the kiwano tasted great. Don't expect a sweet treat though. Keep an open mind and you just might enjoy this one like I did. I enjoyed the flavor as well as the texture. I just cut it length wise, then sliced along the border with my knife to let loose the seeds/flesh, and ate it with a spoon. It wasn't bitter at all, though I heard some are. Mine tasted like cucumber and kiwi. Decorative, nutritous, and tasty in my opinion.
I just picked this fruit up at a grocery store in Key West two days ago. I put mine in the fridge and found on some sites you shouldn't. I think it is gorgeous on the outside and after looking at your photos of it, it is equally beautiful on the inside, esp. across the equator. I read most of the comments and would like to post that I read in my research that they taste better when they are green. It was described as a banana mixed with another fruit I cannot remember-oops! Sorry. I stayed away from the green ones thinking they were probably not a fruit that should be eaten unripe. I am looking forward to finding a green one and posting my thoughts on the taste. As for the one I have in the fridge...I think I'll just enjoy its looks for a couple more days! LOL
i was just going through kitchen supplies and found a melon scooper, the old lady said yeah thats for "cantaloupe, watermelon, or honey dew" and i says, or the kiwi horned melon baby, so i found this sight to show her and when i had my first horned melon experience it was kind of sketchy and went something like this....... i was intrigued by the look of this fruit so i bought one curious because id never seen or heard of them. took it to a restaurant i worked at and no one there had ever seen one either. we cut it in half, not pole to pole, but along the equator and everyone tried a little bit. with empty faces not knowing what to think, we came to the consensus that 1 out of the 5 of us that had tried it, liked it..i personally am not a big fan, thought it was a soury taste of like nothing and probably wouldnt spend the $5 i had to pay on it again, unless using for a decorative piece
My friend and I saw these at the store one night while we were doing our 2 am binge shopping and decided to get one so we brought it home and let it sit on the conter for 2 days (because most produce isn't rully ripe when you buy it from the store( when we decided to finally cut it open it was a very bright orange and looked the same inside as the one above except unlike yours ours tasted like a mix of a Kiwi and a Banana I found it very good and I would recomending going out and trying it atleast once more and let them sit till they are a bright orange if you don't like them then, then you don't have to try them again
Came across a cider that has Kiwano listed as an added aroma, and as you probably guessed it, it wasn't very good. Weird mixture with strawberries and such and yet all I can taste is the horrible Kiwano.. ):
I bought one today and put it in a smoothie with four peaches. It was delicious.
I tried one a long time ago when I was a kid. My dad used to go around to produce sections and get the discounted things the store couldn't sell. He would get real cool stuff that we usually didn't buy in AK-like really ripe persimmons, starfruit, and papayas. I've always eaten everything, so I thought this one would be great when I found it in the box. I ate it - it was just like the description. I later broke out in hives. I didn't like the flavor either. Guess I can't complain - it was probably thrown in there for free.
This kiwano caught my eye at the grocery store today and despite the $3.49 tag i put it in my basket to purchase... when I got to the self-checkout the kiwano didn't have a sticker on it and I had forgotten what it was called. The man running the check-out charged me $.50 for it. Looks like I lucked out after seeing the comments on here! Maybe I'll give it awhile to ripen...
I saw this melon in publix a few weeks ago. Didnt know what it was and didnt know the price. The cashier, surprisingly, knew exactly what is was. and the plu. So i got it. I got it for its looks and it does attract a lot of attention. I continued to cut in to it and it was actually really good. I ate it directly from the shell. I might actually try the salad route next time i want a salad.
I bought one from the store, it had a weird taste, so we threw it into the backyard for the birds. 6 months later it started growing. At this point they're green and there isn't enough sun to get them orange, are they ripe?
If the fruits have been out for 30-40 days, then they are considered mature and can be picked. They should begin to change color by this point and will continue to brighten and turn more orange over teh next month or so in storage. If they are still green when picked, then the colors will never fully develop unless you expose them to ethylene for a day or so. You can try putting the kiwanos in a paper bag with a couple apples to expose them to ethylene.
My 12yr old daughter talk me into buying one at the store today we cut it open- then found your web sight. Now knowing its seeds are edibale and it more like a cucumber than a melon it taste pretty good. we lightly sprinkled sugar on slices and ate dark choclate with it(choclate makes every thing taste better) I will try it again and make sure to get the one that is the darkest orange. Thanks for the info
i just bought a horned melon...i think it tastes like lemon-lime jello! it's not particularly tastey but it's fun!
I happen to love cucumbers, kiwis and bananas but this thing tasted awful. It was probably under ripe because it was orangey green inside when I cut it open. It spilled all over the cutting board and what I could pick up were just hard seeds covered in slime. I felt sorry for my companion who spent $6 on it for me so I could try it and then I couldn't even eat it.
It tasted like a bland, slimy, cucumber with none of the refreshing zing or crispness of that vegetable. If it is better when it is more ripe or with sugar I don't know but it tasted so repulsive I doubt I'd by it again to find out. I guess anything would taste okay with the proper recipe.
Kiwis are sweet and tangy and bananas are rich and creamy but this fruit had neither of those qualities.
Yeah, wish I'd read your post before I bought one of these. Had the same experience as you and
obsess.
Only ate a third of it and then scooped the seeds out to plant later. Perhaps I can turn them into alcohol, otherwise they are only good for selling on to other mugs like me who was seduced by the skin.
You can make a creme brule in the husk if you kept it, or serve a soup in it.
I bought a kiwano yesterday, it was $2.50 here in michigan in the winter at a local supermarket. I enjoy the flavor personally, sort of a cucumber/kiwi/bannana flavor with a squeeze of lemon juice. certainly I dont buy as many of them as i do apples, but they are a fun treat every once in a while
I had one for many of the same reasons and I will probably not buy one again, but I suppose they might grow on you.
I purchased a Kiwano here in northern Illinois three days ago at a Jewel. My wife and I cut into it tonight, and we both really enjoyed it. The color of the skin was orange with some lightly yellow splotches.
Like a couple other posters, I thought it tasted like a mix between a banana and a kiwi. The banana-like taste was just slightly sweet, like an underripe banana, not at all like a ripe banana. The kiwi-like taste was not really tart or sour at all, just a hint of kiwi. It was delicious!
My wife insisted that it tasted only like kiwi (no banana), but without any tartness.
We both agreed that there was no bitterness whatsoever, and that it was worth the $4.
I have a horned melon on my bathroom shelf that i bought about a year ago and it is in good order .I paid just under $2 for it .My understanding is that they are used in fruit salad or as a sauce on icecream. I have a volunteer plant in my garden with between 30&40 fruit on it. My question is how long do i need to wait for them to colour it is now late may in N.Z. I tried an immature one the other day as a cucumber but didn't like it.
Is this that ackward fruit you were talking about?:
http://teagans.files.wordpress.com/2007/10/dragon-fruit-3.jpg
If so, it's called a red dragon fruit ;) :)
I saw one of these in the grocery store last week and was also drawn to buy it. I had the same difficulty at the cash register because they couldn't figure out how to ring it up. I really like the look of the melon but it is really tedious to eat. I'm pretty sure you are not supposed to eat the seeds, just the gelatin casing. I wasn't very impressed with the taste and decided it wasn't worth my time to eat each seed at a time. But if you cut it at the equator and squeeze a half, the seeds come out much easier.
In the residence hall where I worked as an RA, the staff hosted an Iron Chef contest for the residents last spring. Lo and behold, what was the surprise ingredient, but this lovely... uh... thing. Due to the flaky nature of Freshmen, no one showed up for the competition, so my coworkers and I tried one of these melons out. Like you said, it was kind of slimy. I found it hard to eat because of the numerous seeds. I reminded me somewhat of a cross between nopalitos and aloe. We decided to leave it out of our cooking experiments and instead watched each other try to figure out how to eat it effectively.
Its a good fruit to try once. If it tasted better, I might try it out as an ice cream bowl.
Just tried one with my kids. I didn't look the fruit up because I wanted to be surprised...and boy, was I ever! I cut it open first, had a taste, and wasn't impressed. After cutting into pieces, I offered some to my 8 year old and two year old. Both enjoyed their pieces, eating the green slime and seeds, leaving the rind behind. Both clammered for more....but I won't be buying one any time soon. I expected my kids to be turned off by the looks of it, but even tho they were a little, they still wanted to try it.
Thanks for the information from the blog and all the former posters.
Paid $5 in here in Chicago. Didn't know what is was. looked it up. I'm currently straining it and I think I'll add some sugar and just drink the juice. The seeds make me confused. Can you eat them? they seem harmless enough, but I don't want to risk it.
If it were later in the day, I might try to fashion a martini out of the juice just for fun, but alas its only noon.
At the grocery, there was no price or name listed on mine either. Guess they figure most people wouldnt spend $5 on mystery fruit. =)
omg i am only 12 and i saw this at kroger. i am taking it to school tomarrow...i have a feeling i am about to be popular. B)[[/u]
I think they taste great. For those wondering, I've eaten the seeds several times with no problem.
I find that this fruit is delicious when used as a topping for plain yogurt. Spoon out the fruit and reduce in a saucepan with turbinado sugar, some lemon zest, and a little water. Strain to get the seeds out of the sauce and chunky bits of fruit. Then serve on top of chilled yogurt. Sweet, tangy, and wonderful. :)
ok i just bought a kiwano from foodtown NZ and i had to laugh when reading the review as i encountered the same problem at the checkout however i am now home and sat with my kiwano and to be honest im looking at its disected presence and im not quite sure what to do next it almost reminds me of a pomegranate with a slightly more upmarket feel to it!!! it was decribes in the store as a cross in flavours between a banana and a lemon well im getting the lemon but im still awaiting the banana. whatever happens though i look forward to eating my hokey pokey ice cream from it later on!!!
I've never tried this fruit but I've decided to grow out 50g of seeds in our heirloom garden. From the flavors that people have described here I'm thinking this will be lovely mixed with some coconut rum on ice (seeds and all). A slice of lemon on the glass will look especially nice with the green seedy cocktail. I can't wait to try it! Thanks for posting this article.
I got some of this a couple of days ago while at a grocery store. I saw it, and the label said" Kiwano fruit imported from New Zealand". I was intrigued and brought it home. My evil sister cut it in half almost immediately after I brought it home and I got half. The fleshy part of the fruit had seeds inside it(Each seed was surrounded by eatable looking stuff) , so it was hard to use for juice. I tried straining it and the seeds went through the strainer over time. I usually just put water soaked in the fruit in my tea, and later cleaned the rind out, froze it and used it as a festive cup of tea. The rind was Orange( one of my fave colors) but I probably won't buy it again unless I can get it local.
I grow them in my greenhouse.
Yesterday my dog run in and stole one still green kiwano off the bush and ate it all...
So I pulled the few biggest to try them. Sure it must have something to it when even the dog likes it?!
I tasted a bit of the unripe thing. I tastes like a cucumber with a drop of lemon on it... and as i thought of it as of a cucumber when i planted it, i was quite happy about the taste.
So today, i'm looking around searching what to do with them - should i use it as an ordinary cucumber for salad or as gherkin and pickle it or prepare it somehow different - and i feel very confused.
I read on at least one occasion to avoid eating them unripe but in most cases the unripe state is not mentioned or where it is, they say to let it ripen the possibility of consumption in that state not considered...
Does somebody _know_ if it is edible unripe / WHY should you not eat them unripe?
hello, My dad gave me some seeds and I knew that it was a vine. It has taken over about a 12 foot section of fence about 4 foot tall. It is a very pretty vine with yellow flowers and as of now 9-28-09 in tennessee I have about 40 to 50 fruits on it. I cut one open yesterday that was a dark yellow and it was pretty good. It did have a taste between cukes, lemon, and maybe a hint of kiwi. I will try some with sugar. I have read that the fruit is better when it is orange. I will have to try that and let you know. It goes from a dark green to orange then yellow. You don't ever know til you try Right?
I am 13 years old and I really like buying weird fruits at th grocery store. I just got one today but I didn't cut it open yet (I'm waiting to see if it ripens) Anyway over the summer my family went to New York and my sisters and I LOVE China Town. There is some really cool fruits there. So anyway I really like trying new fruits so if anybody has any suggestions I'm open. Oh by the way, what is the easiest way to get the seeds out of a Pomagrante? Thanks :)
I just bought one of these last night - just to try something unusual. The sign said the flavor was banana / cucumber / lemon. My 12 year old daughter was both intrigued and disgusted by how it looked ("eeew the inside looks like snot!!") but she was right there with a spoon as soon as I cut it open.
I had to google exactly how to eat it and it even said you could eat the peel with salt or sugar and was a good source of fiber & Vitamin A. I'll take their word on that!
I scooped the insides out with the intention of mixing with yogurt at lunch today. I haven't had it yet, but I succeeded in grossing out many people in the office with it - LOL!
Sooo, it was interesting as a one time thing, but I doubt I'll be buying any more - unless to use as a decoration.
I just ate my first one of these and I will definitely buy them again. As soon as I split it open (lengthwise) I thought of a pomegranate. The horned melon has more payoff, though, because the seeds in their little jelly sacs squirt easily out of the fruit fibers, which are not as woody or bitter as the flesh of a pomegranate.
There seems to be a wide variety of interpretations of the taste on this website. I did find mine to be cool and refreshing (at room temperature) and the flavor seemed to me like a cross between kiwi fruit and pomegranate, with a hint of cucumber. Also perhaps a suggestion of lime.
I thought it was delicious, easy and quick to eat, and a perfect snack for a warm spring or summer evening after a walk. :)
For ages I have been trying to find out what the thing is that is growing rampant among my fruit trees, strangling them. Strange fruit which I gallently tasted a small amount of (in case it was poisonous ) and found it was similar to cucumber. My comment is that this vine is so hard to get rid of and anyone trying to remove it should wear extra thick gloves.
My parrot LOVES them. Its a shame they cost so much, personally I think they are an aquired taste, not bad but weird.
There just weird. I found these melons several years ago and loved them, I buy them whenever I can find them, they cost about $4-$5 dollars. They really aren't bad, most people have a problem with all the seeds, the taste and texture is similar to jello, each seed is in it's own pouch, think of it like you're eating a sunflower seed only your going to do the opposite, when you eat them you scoop out the fruit and you can eat the seed or squeeze them out with your teeth.
My dad and I were in publix a few years ago and, as he was single at the time, we tried new things for dinner all the time. We saw this funky fruit and picked it up, but decided not to get it. As we continued walking around the store we began to notice that out hands felt weird when we touched things. we then noticed that there were little hair-like spine things covering our hands where we touched the fruit. it wasn't particularly painful just unusually unpleasant. this couldve been because we live in Alabama and don't get good fruit but just a warning to everyone: wipe it off with a damp paper towel before you start messing with it just in case![/b][/i]
Just bought 2 of these this weekend...$2.49 each, not bad. Tried one this morning & it tasted a little like a banana with a hint on honeydew melon. It was so good!! I will definitely buy more of these.
Well i have the same feeling about the kiwano. To me it has a taste like under ripe banana and the consitancy of a star fruit. It also smells like freshly cut grass. Me and my family will always go to the store and pick 1 exotic fruit to try when we go grocery shopping. The 1 fruit you really need to try is the star fruit. It has a very small hint of grapes and a little bit of pear. Surprizingly i like the taste very much.
personally i like the fruit and everything about it but my family didnt like the slimy feel so i just turned it into lemonade sort of strain the seeds out and add sugar and water or in my case lemon juice to accentuate the lemon flavor kiwi juice cucumber juice or water and pureed banana with milk all yummy and better than water. im gunna grow them in my garden this year. i think theyll sell well if i process it into a juice. the slimy texture is what throws most people off in my experience. my husband absolutly adored it after i made it into a juice. :) try it if you dont like them fresh.
Was given the fruit from a local market did know what to do with it, threw it in the garden and when the rains came was surprised at what I saw, now wondering the commercial and healty benefits from the fruit
We grew these for the first time this year and in their green state they make a wonderful cucumber with no bitterness or burping. In their ripe state the flavors vary with how ripe they are. I do not find them bitter but rather sour as in eating a lime with a hint of banana.
I eat them green as you would a cucumber...
I cut the melon in half and mixed the seeds and pulp into a fruit smoothie which I poured back in the 1/2 melon "cup" for a tasty snack!
That friut is like a cucumber here in Africa we call it a horned cucumber. Its more edible when it is still green and fresh. When it turns yellow it becomes sour and we use the yellow ones for regeneration.
Tina disliked the look of the horned melon immediately because it reminded her of a particularly gross caterpillar variety she encountered as a young child.
I cut my horned melons in two different directions to show the cross-sections from two different views. The first was cut from pole to pole. You can see that the seeds are interspersed among green juice vesicles.
Sliced across the equator, you can see the vesicles are connected to three main positions on the mesocarp. It seems that at each of the three positions two closely set short stalks spread out to all the vesicles, so maybe it's actually six connection points. In any case, I think it's pretty.
I then cut off a slice to taste.
I did some more research online about this fruit and found a couple recommendations to serve this in a salad or as a garnish with roast meats (see Melissa's World Variety Produce). A really cool recommendation from Melissa's is to use the scooped out shell as a service for ice cream. Unfortunately, I didn't like the taste and Tina didn't like how they looked, so we did not pursue these uses. I'll leave it to my readers to comment on how they use horned melons and what their experiences have been.