The first time I encountered a Kiwi was in a hotel in Shanghai. One morning for breakfast, I got eggs, toast, bacon, and a bowl of fruit. The fruit bowl consisted of typical strawberries, grapes, and blueberries, and on the side was a weird, brown, furry thing. Something about it, whether it's the texture or look of it, has prevented me from ever trying a Kiwi. Maybe I correlated the fuzzy exterior to fur, and I thought it was an animal or something, I don't know. But today is the day that will all change.
First, a brief background of the Kiwi. The Kiwi first appeared in Southern China; they were known as Yang Tao or sunny peach. Kiwis are still considered China's national fruit. Kiwis were introduced to the Western world at the beginning of the 20th century after Isabel Frasier came back to New Zealand after visiting China on a mission trip. The first Kiwis were exported in 1952 to England. They took the name Melonette for a while but changed to Kiwi after high tariffs on Melons. The first Kiwis to be successfully harvested in the United States were around 1970 in California (Kiwi-Fruit Info, 2016). And that's how we got the famous Kiwi!
Now it's my time to try the Kiwi.
The kiwi was brown, fluffy, and a little squishy. My Mother told me it was perfect for eating, so I trust that I didn't eat an old one. I plan on simply cutting it in half and eating each half to get my initial reaction and my reaction to a second bite. Once I cut it in half, I got the half I was going to eat and peeled off the green interior. It was very slimy and had a lot of black seeds and a white interior. I ate the first half whole. It had a nice, tangy, refreshing taste to it. It was delicious! The seeds were interesting, reminded me of the mini seeds in a strawberry, too small to really notice. I was a bit surprised at how bitter it was, but it was a nice bittersweet kick. The Kiwi is so simple, the only trouble I had was peeling off the skin, I couldn't get it all in one go so I had to scrape off any remaining skin. But it was a great experience that has completely changed how I view Kiwis. They honestly might be one of my favorite fruits now, and I will 100% be eating more. I already bought 5 more! 10/10 Recommend.
Your description of the kiwi as a “weird, brown, furry thing” made me laugh because I had the same reaction the first time I saw one. But it’s awesome how you pushed past that hesitation and ended up loving it! . Do you think you’d ever try using kiwi in a recipe, like a smoothie, salsa, or dessert?
ReplyDeleteI've actually never had a Kiwi myself the fuzzy skin always gave my an chill. Fruit shouldn't have fur, so "a weird, brown, furry thing" is definitely correct. And I actually thought you are supposed to eat a Kiwi like a peach bit it guess not.
ReplyDeleteOverall your description on the flavor of kiwi got me curious. Perhaps on I should add it to my grocery list.
When you described the kiwi was slimy, I can't agree more. I'm a huge texture person, so the sliminess is something I'm not a fan of. I'm so happy you found a new fruit you like. Maybe you can try kiwi flavored drinks now since you know you like the taste!
ReplyDelete