Nespola

It's been a long long long long time since the last time I was enthused or bedazzled by anything, so I think it deserves an announcement. I have descovered a fruit I never had before and I really really like it!

It's skin is pretty ugly, but you peel it away before you eat it and though it seems pretty banged up and bruised most of the time from the outside, looks can be decieving. The flavor is a bit difficult to describe. It's sour and sweet, but not in a drippy, peach like way. It's not very moist, but has the texture of a melon, or pumpkin. When you reach the centre of the nespola you're rewarded with a precious looking pit. Super smooth, glossy and shiny, the pits (1-3 per fruit from what I've found) of this fruit are 30% of it's fun.

In ancient times the nespola was a symbol for a virtuous woman. It was even given as a gift. It's plant is part of the rose family and was brought to ancient greece from the orient. Now it can grow in any temperate climate which doesn't have a humid or chalky soil. It's full of fibre, fructose, mineral salts, organic acids and vitamin A.

Apparently you can make a pretty great liquer from the fruit and their pits as well.