Kiwano

So I accomplished a new goal last night. It was never an "official" goal on my list, but something I've always wanted to try...

I've always been very curious about this fruit...

I thought they were called prickly pears, but it turns out they are actually called Kiwano which in some other language means "horned melon". A prickly pear is a kind of redish pinkish or green colored, oval shaped fruit that actually come from cacti. They have little prickly things (surprise, surprise) coming out of them, not spikes like the kiwano. 

Anyways, I have seen this fruit in the store from time to time and I've always been curious about it. I did not know anything about it. I actually had to Google how to eat it because I wasn't completely sure if there was a special way to go about it or if part of it was poisonous or something. I think a general rule in life is that it’s always best to double check if it's poisonous first when your food has spikes growing out of it. As it turns out I found seven step instructions on how to eat Kiwano. Yes, seven steps. Glad I checked! 

I assumed the inside of the Kiwano would be similar to that of a grapefruit. So I did not expect a bright green inside with little gelatin like sacs each containing an individual seed. The Kiwano eating instructions said to cut it in half, squeeze the bottom and suck out the little sacs. The seeds are OK to eat, but I preferred to spit most of them out. It tasted like sour banana with hints of orange and cucumber and the texture was like a liquidy gelatin. It was definitely weird to me and I’ve never tasted anything like it. 

I didn't finish the whole thing because, to be honest, it was a lot of work to eat! Instead Kylie (friend and new nanny of Lilly) and I decided to dissect it to see what all the stuff inside looked like… It reminded me a little of pumpkin guts. Except even slimier. 

I am glad I tried it. I have always wondered what kiwano tastes like. Now I know. I think it is worth trying if you like to try new things. I would not buy them regularly because they are $4.99 each which is absolute ridiculousness. Here are the rest of the photos. Again, I went Instagram crazy. You probably don’t want to follow me on Instagram because every so often 47 photos will show up and you will be very annoyed. I’m just sayin’.

KIWANO WARNING: the “Seven steps to eating Kiwano” were very clear to eat ripe orange Kiwano only and never to eat it if it has not yet ripened or if it is rotted because you will die a horrible death. No, actually it didn't give a reason why, it just said don’t do it, but I’d listen if I were you.

My pretty new Kiwano. I'll call him Jeff.

SLICE!

Not what I expected.

I don't know if you can tell but each of those seeds is in its own little gelatin-like sac.

Tasting! I kept saying, "I'm almost done. I'm gonna stop eating it in a minute..." but I kept going. Eventually I stopped so we could mutilate one of these suckers and see it's insides. I'm so violent with my fruit.

Kylie Tasting!

Kiwano BARF