Common Name: Pepino
Vernacular Name: Pepino dulce, Pepino melon, Melon pear
Botanical Name: Solanum muricatum
Specimens From: China
Specimens Weight: 185 gm [6.52 oz] (Average weight per fruit)
Pepino, the exotic multi-colored fruit, native to South America in the region of Peru, Chile and Colombia. Although it is sometimes known as a melon, it is not a melon at all. Some cultivars only look and taste like a melon. It is in the same family as the popular tomato instead.
Pepino is a Spanish word, meaning "cucumber" But why would they want to name it 'cucumber' when it does not even looks like one? Probably, some taste like one.
Pepino is an attractive fruit as it differs greatly in colors, shapes and sizes. It can be purple, green, yellow or cream colors, with or without purple stripes. (Specimens shown above is the cream with purple stripes). The flesh is either from yellow to orange or green to white.
The shape may be round, oval, oblong or teardrop shapes. Seeds count ranging from numerous seeds, few to none.
The taste is sweet, similar to honeydew but the poorer quality fruits can be totally tasteless with an unpleasant soapy aftertaste. Though the skin is edible and thin, it is tough to bite on it.
Fruit: Pepino; Solanum muricatum; Solanaceae.
Other fruit in the same family: Cape Gooseberry
Click here to view other types of fruits
Click here to add your favorite fruits
This is a new fruit to me, too.
ReplyDeleteSize apart, they look like rubber seeds in shape and skin features. Their colors make them beautiful additions to a fruit display.
Yet another fruit that is new to me. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThis is new fruit to me too, btw, I had to laugh on the name, sounds so Italian, lol. Anna :)
ReplyDeleteThink I'd love Pepinos. Hope I have a chance to taste one someday.
ReplyDeleteWild wave to Fruity, dear friend!
Hugs, JJ
That is interesting that it has the same name as cucumber. They do look related.
ReplyDeleteHey, Fruity, TAG, You're it. http://foodnetworkmusings.blogspot.com/2008/02/tag-were-it.html
Never heard of it but it looks very tempting and very exotic to a Norwegian of course. Your way of presenting it is excellent as always!
ReplyDeleteWishing you a great week ahead :-)
Wow, looks well yummy...
ReplyDeleteThanks to all for your comments. Anyway, it is not a common fruit
ReplyDeleteFruity
It does look like part of the squash family - funny that the tomato is it's relative!
ReplyDeleteThe one i've tried had no taste whatsoever and the soapy aftertaste too, just like you said... it was a huge disappointment!
ReplyDeleteIt is actually quite a good fruit but usually expensive.
ReplyDeleteViva Chile!
Lovely color , Informative text, enhancing beauty, attracts me.
ReplyDeletesuman
------------
Free Satellite TV
I tried a Pepino this morning and found it to be melon tasting... like a honeydew, but with a bit of an aftertaste. It came from a plant grown in the SF Bay area of California.
ReplyDeleteAttractive fruit and plant.