Carambola

A show-stopper that lives up to its gorgeous appearance—sometimes—the carambola (kah-rahm-BO-la) may become the most important “new” fruit since the kiwi. As selected cultivars are planted in Florida, we have increasing opportunities to sample this exquisitely scented and stunning fruit. A carambola is easy to recognize, for nothing else looks anything like it: a glossy yellow (sometimes white) ellipsoid decorated with five deeply delineated longitudinal ribs or wings that form star shapes when sliced. It has a thin, slightly waxy skin that in no way interferes with the quality of the very juicy, crisp, almost translucent flesh. For an apparently fragile fruit, it stores for an uncommonly long time. Carambola is easy to prepare, requiring no peeling or seeding. It is unusually versatile, as delicious and appealing in a shrimp sauté as it is in fruit or vegetable salad, an ice, or mousse.