Feijoa

A New Zealand obsession

Feijoa was introduced to New Zealand from South America in the early 1900s and thrived in the climate — most New Zealand suburban gardens have at least one feijoa tree. Each May, the country goes through “feijoa season,” when neighbors share enormous bags of fruit they can’t possibly eat alone.

Feijoa is an obsession unique to NZ — they appear in everything from breakfast yogurt to vodka, from school lunchboxes to fine-dining desserts. The country’s annual feijoa harvest is essentially a cultural festival.

A fruit that doesn’t ship

Feijoas have very thin skin and don’t transport well. Once picked, they have a shelf life of days, not weeks. This is why feijoa is virtually unknown outside places where it’s grown — by the time fruit reaches an export market, it’s bruised and overripe.

The world’s commercial feijoa production is concentrated in: New Zealand (largest), Colombia, Azerbaijan, and pockets of California. Each region’s harvest is mostly local consumption.

How to eat one

Feijoas are usually eaten scooped from the skin with a spoon — the skin is bitter and chewy. Cut in half, scoop out the jelly-translucent center plus the pulpier flesh, discard the skin. The flavor is intensely fragrant — hints of pineapple, guava, mint, and quince.

A common ritual: eat them while still warm from the tree, scooped in the orchard.

Pineapple guava

The alternative name pineapple guava is technically a misnomer — feijoa isn’t a guava (different genus, different family — feijoa is Acca, guava is Psidium). The “pineapple” in the name refers to the fruit’s tropical fragrance, not its flavor profile.