Refreshing Summer Fruits
Melissa’s Heirloom Figs are various varieties of figs including: Black Mission, Tiger Stripe, Kadota, Sierra or Brown Turkey. All grown fresh in California’s Central Valley, figs are a luscious fruit, high in fiber and full of flavor! Great for eating out of hand, in desserts, on fruit plates or made into sauces.
Black Mission Figs are actually deep purple and one of the more popular figs. They get their name from the missionaries that were said to be the first to plant these figs in San Diego California.
Tiger Stripe Figs are a beautiful yellow-green with darker stripes and a raspberry colored interior. They are a very sweet fig, making them popular for desserts. All figs are a good source of calcium and various vitamins, making them a healthier snack! Figs are seasonal so get them while you can!
Organic Drinking Coconuts
This delicious coconut is refreshing and delicious. Just pop the tab and insert the straw that comes with the coconut, and you will be in for a treat straight from the fruit. Once you drink all the liquid, the flesh can be used in savory recipes or desserts.
Coconuts are a good source of fiber and potassium and the liquid is rich in electrolytes making it a perfect drink for athletes-free of additives and preservatives. Organic Drinking coconuts are available year around making them a very popular fruit!
Sweet Young Coconuts
The Sweet Young Coconut is traditionally used for the sweet, delicious water it contains. It also contains a sweet pudding-like flesh that is delicious right out of the shell, and can also be used in fruit salads and custards. The easiest way to enjoy the water is to carefully pierce one of the “eyes” on the coconut using Melissa’s Coconut Opener. Once you pierce the hole, insert a straw…then enjoy the delicious coconut water as a refreshing drink.
Sweet Young Coconuts are available year around with a shelf life of about 2 weeks refrigerated.
Jackfruit
Melissa’s fresh jackfruit is one of the newest items to the marketplace. Jackfruit is the largest tree fruit grown; one fruit can grow to over 30 pounds! It is commonly grown in Southeast Asia as well as Mexico. Jackfruit has become popular in the vegetarian community for its hearty flesh and unique flavor. It contains several vitamins and minerals, and is a rich source of vitamin B6 and a good source of potassium. Jackfruit needs special care when opening as it can be very sticky…but well worth the mess.
Passion Fruit
Passion Fruit originated in South America, most likely Brazil; now it is grown worldwide. It is generally purple, but can also be golden, and has jelly-like golden flesh filled with soft edible seeds. It looks like a purple egg, with a thick, hard shell that gets wrinkled as it ripens...the more wrinkles, the riper the fruit will be.
Contrary to popular belief, passion fruit is named for the bloom of the passion fruit flower. This bloom is thought to symbolize various parts of the Passion of Christ (such as the crown of thorns and the nails of the crucifixion) and not because of any “passionate powers” it was once believed to contain.
It is generally eaten fresh but may be cooked for use in sauces and fillings. Simply halve the fruit and scoop out the pulp and seeds with a spoon. Passion fruit is best stored at room temperature. Once ripe, the flesh can be frozen once it removed from the shell. Passion fruit is very low in calories, with about 18 calories per medium fruit and contains vitamins A and C.
Rambutan
This unusual looking sub-tropical fruit contains a white grape-like fruit with a large seed. Remove the hairy looking shell, take out the seed and enjoy the tutti-frutti flavored flesh. They are a great snack, containing nutrients that are high fiber and said to be helpful as an anti-cancer fruit. They are low-calorie and refreshing to enjoy anytime!
Organic Plum Bites
Delicious and juicy, Melissa’s Plum Bites are organically grown for the best all-natural flavor around! They are a smaller sweet fruit that is perfect as a snack or made into desserts, sauces or preserves. Plum bites are a good source of vitamin C and fiber as well as low in calories. The perfect summer treat!
GRAPES
Jelly Drops®
These juicy purple grapes are a cross between a Thompson seedless and a Concord grape, giving them a delicious grape jelly flavor! Eat as a snack or freeze as a special treat. They are plump, sweet and healthy, filled with anti-oxidants and contain about 60 calories per cup. Available in both conventional and organically grown.
Muscatos™ Grapes
Melissa’s Muscato™ Grapes are grown specifically to produce a better-tasting, sweeter taste than conventional grapes. They are available in Red, Green and Black. These grapes are grown on high trellis systems that allow the grapes to get more sunlight for better growth and higher sugar levels. Muscato™ grapes are delicious in fruit salads or eaten as a healthy snack anytime. They offer plenty of vitamins A and C. They are also a great low-calorie treat with about 60 calories per cup.
Champagne Grapes
These tiny grapes are actually a Zante Currant (also known as Black Corinth) variety that is seedless. These miniature grapes grow on vines in clusters of as many as 300 grapes! It is believed that Champagne Grapes get their unique name because of their California usage: draped over a glass of champagne or wine as an edible garnish. They are a very sweet grape that is generally eaten as is or used in desserts, smoothies and sorbets.
Champagne grapes should be washed before being eaten. Keep them stored in the refrigerator for longest shelf-life and eat within a few days for best flavor. Grapes are a good source of potassium with about 65 calories in a three-ounce serving.
Candy Sweets®
Smaller than most other grape varieties, Candy Sweet® grapes are super sweet, just like candy! They are perfect for snacking, fruit salads or garnishes. They are the perfect summer snack.
Kiwano Melons
Also known as the African horned melon, this very interesting piece of fruit contains a lime green, jelly-like interior with the texture of a cucumber. The taste is a subtle combination of cucumber, banana, melon and lime. The outer shell is spiky golden-orange and is often used as a serving dish filled with fruit salad, dip or other delicious fillings. Kiwano melons are also used to create exotic tropical drinks or delicious sauces for seafood, poultry and vegetables.
Kiwano melons last for several weeks without refrigeration. Once they “give” to the touch, they are ripe and ready to eat. Do not store them near apples or bananas, as these fruits will shorten their shelf life. They are low in calories with only 24 calories in 3½ ounces, and contain more potassium than a banana. They are also high in Vitamin C.
Cherimoyas
Also called Custard Apple or Custard Fruit, this delicious heart-shaped fruit is a delicacy in the exotic fruit aisle. They are a hand-pollinated fruit, which makes them a time-consuming commercial crop. However, since they are grown in so many areas now, supply is not a problem. The flesh of the cherimoya is cream colored with large, black, inedible seeds. They have a flavor similar to a blend of strawberry, mango and pineapple. To eat one, simply cut it into wedges and spoon out the creamy flesh, while discarding the seeds. They are generally eaten as is, but they can be used in drinks, fruit salads or desserts.
Cherimoyas should be kept at room temperature until they turn almost black and ready to eat, and can then be stored in the refrigerator for a few days. Cherimoyas contain about 94 calories per 3 ½ ounce serving. They are also a source of vitamin B and fiber.
Asian Pears
Asian pears or apple pears taste very similar to a pear, but resemble an apple, which is where their name is derived. There are hundreds of varieties of Asian pears available today, making them available just about all year around. They are delicious eaten out of hand, firm and crunchy with plenty of sweet juice. They are great on fruit platters, in salads, in pies, or desserts, or where ever you may use an apple.
Most Asian pears will last about 30 days when refrigerated, but it is always best to eat as soon as possible. Store them in the refrigerator, wrapped carefully so they will not bruise. Most are handpicked and individually wrapped to prevent any bruising in shipping. Asian pears are a good source of Vitamin B and potassium. They are also low in calories (about 44 per 3 ounces) making them the perfect snack.
California Green Keitt Mango
Keitt Mangoes have completely green skin with no red/orange/yellow colorations like more common mangoes. They are large, plump and juicy and stay green when ripe. These delicious mangoes have buttery, soft, fibreless yellow-orange flesh and a relatively small seed, making for an exceptional eating experience. These domestic mangoes are not hot water treated, so you can enjoy a delicious tree-ripened eating experience. California Green Keitt Mangoes are one of the best tasting mango varieties grown and available in the US. They are only available August and September, so don’t miss out!
Cactus Pears
Also called Prickly Pears, Indian Figs or Tunas, cactus pears are a fruit indigenous to Mexico and the Southwestern U.S. They are now grown across the country and are becoming more and more popular among consumers. They are an egg-shaped fruit covered with spines which are carefully removed before selling. However, caution should still be taken when handling them. Cactus pears are delicious simply cut in half and eaten out of hand. The vibrant red flesh is full of edible seed and can be used in jams, sauces, salads or drinks.
Cactus pears are low in calories and a good source of vitamin C. They are also an excellent source of magnesium. Ripen fruit at room temperature, and then refrigerate until ready to use, no more than a few days. Cactus pears have a limited shelf life, so they are best eaten as soon as they are ripe.
Black Mission Figs are actually deep purple and one of the more popular figs. They get their name from the missionaries that were said to be the first to plant these figs in San Diego California.
Tiger Stripe Figs are a beautiful yellow-green with darker stripes and a raspberry colored interior. They are a very sweet fig, making them popular for desserts. All figs are a good source of calcium and various vitamins, making them a healthier snack! Figs are seasonal so get them while you can!
Organic Drinking Coconuts
This delicious coconut is refreshing and delicious. Just pop the tab and insert the straw that comes with the coconut, and you will be in for a treat straight from the fruit. Once you drink all the liquid, the flesh can be used in savory recipes or desserts.
Coconuts are a good source of fiber and potassium and the liquid is rich in electrolytes making it a perfect drink for athletes-free of additives and preservatives. Organic Drinking coconuts are available year around making them a very popular fruit!
Sweet Young Coconuts
The Sweet Young Coconut is traditionally used for the sweet, delicious water it contains. It also contains a sweet pudding-like flesh that is delicious right out of the shell, and can also be used in fruit salads and custards. The easiest way to enjoy the water is to carefully pierce one of the “eyes” on the coconut using Melissa’s Coconut Opener. Once you pierce the hole, insert a straw…then enjoy the delicious coconut water as a refreshing drink.
Sweet Young Coconuts are available year around with a shelf life of about 2 weeks refrigerated.
Jackfruit
Melissa’s fresh jackfruit is one of the newest items to the marketplace. Jackfruit is the largest tree fruit grown; one fruit can grow to over 30 pounds! It is commonly grown in Southeast Asia as well as Mexico. Jackfruit has become popular in the vegetarian community for its hearty flesh and unique flavor. It contains several vitamins and minerals, and is a rich source of vitamin B6 and a good source of potassium. Jackfruit needs special care when opening as it can be very sticky…but well worth the mess.
Passion Fruit
Passion Fruit originated in South America, most likely Brazil; now it is grown worldwide. It is generally purple, but can also be golden, and has jelly-like golden flesh filled with soft edible seeds. It looks like a purple egg, with a thick, hard shell that gets wrinkled as it ripens...the more wrinkles, the riper the fruit will be.
Contrary to popular belief, passion fruit is named for the bloom of the passion fruit flower. This bloom is thought to symbolize various parts of the Passion of Christ (such as the crown of thorns and the nails of the crucifixion) and not because of any “passionate powers” it was once believed to contain.
It is generally eaten fresh but may be cooked for use in sauces and fillings. Simply halve the fruit and scoop out the pulp and seeds with a spoon. Passion fruit is best stored at room temperature. Once ripe, the flesh can be frozen once it removed from the shell. Passion fruit is very low in calories, with about 18 calories per medium fruit and contains vitamins A and C.
Rambutan
This unusual looking sub-tropical fruit contains a white grape-like fruit with a large seed. Remove the hairy looking shell, take out the seed and enjoy the tutti-frutti flavored flesh. They are a great snack, containing nutrients that are high fiber and said to be helpful as an anti-cancer fruit. They are low-calorie and refreshing to enjoy anytime!
Organic Plum Bites
Delicious and juicy, Melissa’s Plum Bites are organically grown for the best all-natural flavor around! They are a smaller sweet fruit that is perfect as a snack or made into desserts, sauces or preserves. Plum bites are a good source of vitamin C and fiber as well as low in calories. The perfect summer treat!
GRAPES
Jelly Drops®
These juicy purple grapes are a cross between a Thompson seedless and a Concord grape, giving them a delicious grape jelly flavor! Eat as a snack or freeze as a special treat. They are plump, sweet and healthy, filled with anti-oxidants and contain about 60 calories per cup. Available in both conventional and organically grown.
Muscatos™ Grapes
Melissa’s Muscato™ Grapes are grown specifically to produce a better-tasting, sweeter taste than conventional grapes. They are available in Red, Green and Black. These grapes are grown on high trellis systems that allow the grapes to get more sunlight for better growth and higher sugar levels. Muscato™ grapes are delicious in fruit salads or eaten as a healthy snack anytime. They offer plenty of vitamins A and C. They are also a great low-calorie treat with about 60 calories per cup.
Champagne Grapes
These tiny grapes are actually a Zante Currant (also known as Black Corinth) variety that is seedless. These miniature grapes grow on vines in clusters of as many as 300 grapes! It is believed that Champagne Grapes get their unique name because of their California usage: draped over a glass of champagne or wine as an edible garnish. They are a very sweet grape that is generally eaten as is or used in desserts, smoothies and sorbets.
Champagne grapes should be washed before being eaten. Keep them stored in the refrigerator for longest shelf-life and eat within a few days for best flavor. Grapes are a good source of potassium with about 65 calories in a three-ounce serving.
Candy Sweets®
Smaller than most other grape varieties, Candy Sweet® grapes are super sweet, just like candy! They are perfect for snacking, fruit salads or garnishes. They are the perfect summer snack.
Kiwano Melons
Also known as the African horned melon, this very interesting piece of fruit contains a lime green, jelly-like interior with the texture of a cucumber. The taste is a subtle combination of cucumber, banana, melon and lime. The outer shell is spiky golden-orange and is often used as a serving dish filled with fruit salad, dip or other delicious fillings. Kiwano melons are also used to create exotic tropical drinks or delicious sauces for seafood, poultry and vegetables.
Kiwano melons last for several weeks without refrigeration. Once they “give” to the touch, they are ripe and ready to eat. Do not store them near apples or bananas, as these fruits will shorten their shelf life. They are low in calories with only 24 calories in 3½ ounces, and contain more potassium than a banana. They are also high in Vitamin C.
Cherimoyas
Also called Custard Apple or Custard Fruit, this delicious heart-shaped fruit is a delicacy in the exotic fruit aisle. They are a hand-pollinated fruit, which makes them a time-consuming commercial crop. However, since they are grown in so many areas now, supply is not a problem. The flesh of the cherimoya is cream colored with large, black, inedible seeds. They have a flavor similar to a blend of strawberry, mango and pineapple. To eat one, simply cut it into wedges and spoon out the creamy flesh, while discarding the seeds. They are generally eaten as is, but they can be used in drinks, fruit salads or desserts.
Cherimoyas should be kept at room temperature until they turn almost black and ready to eat, and can then be stored in the refrigerator for a few days. Cherimoyas contain about 94 calories per 3 ½ ounce serving. They are also a source of vitamin B and fiber.
Asian Pears
Asian pears or apple pears taste very similar to a pear, but resemble an apple, which is where their name is derived. There are hundreds of varieties of Asian pears available today, making them available just about all year around. They are delicious eaten out of hand, firm and crunchy with plenty of sweet juice. They are great on fruit platters, in salads, in pies, or desserts, or where ever you may use an apple.
Most Asian pears will last about 30 days when refrigerated, but it is always best to eat as soon as possible. Store them in the refrigerator, wrapped carefully so they will not bruise. Most are handpicked and individually wrapped to prevent any bruising in shipping. Asian pears are a good source of Vitamin B and potassium. They are also low in calories (about 44 per 3 ounces) making them the perfect snack.
California Green Keitt Mango
Keitt Mangoes have completely green skin with no red/orange/yellow colorations like more common mangoes. They are large, plump and juicy and stay green when ripe. These delicious mangoes have buttery, soft, fibreless yellow-orange flesh and a relatively small seed, making for an exceptional eating experience. These domestic mangoes are not hot water treated, so you can enjoy a delicious tree-ripened eating experience. California Green Keitt Mangoes are one of the best tasting mango varieties grown and available in the US. They are only available August and September, so don’t miss out!
Cactus Pears
Also called Prickly Pears, Indian Figs or Tunas, cactus pears are a fruit indigenous to Mexico and the Southwestern U.S. They are now grown across the country and are becoming more and more popular among consumers. They are an egg-shaped fruit covered with spines which are carefully removed before selling. However, caution should still be taken when handling them. Cactus pears are delicious simply cut in half and eaten out of hand. The vibrant red flesh is full of edible seed and can be used in jams, sauces, salads or drinks.
Cactus pears are low in calories and a good source of vitamin C. They are also an excellent source of magnesium. Ripen fruit at room temperature, and then refrigerate until ready to use, no more than a few days. Cactus pears have a limited shelf life, so they are best eaten as soon as they are ripe.
