Pepino

Pepinos originated in the temperate parts of the Andean region of Chile and Peru and are cultivated today in New Zealand, California, and other subtropical regions. Pepino is Spanish for “cucumber,” and the Rio Baba variety does resemble this vegetable. It is exotic-looking, having smooth golden and glossy skin streaked with violet. The size of the fruit varies from that of an apricot to a large papaya. Because its shape often resembles that of a melon, the pepino is known as melon pear, melon shrub, pepino melon, and tree melon. Other names include mellowfruit and mellow pear. Their flavor is rather bland eaten out of hand, so the fruit is mostly used in fruit salads or as a vegetable. In any case, and unfortunately, the pretty skin must be peeled.