as seen in "The Dinner Diva" syndicated column
by Leanne Ely

continued from part 2

part 1 | part 2

Let’s finish off the fruit, shall we? We’ve already seen how much is out there that we probably didn’t even know existed, or if we did, we certainly had no idea what was bound inside those strange, little fruity bodies. I left you last week with new fruits, I thru R. That leaves us with S thru Z. Let’s get to it, shall we?

S is for star fruit, a yellow, oval shaped fruit with five prominent ribs, giving it its obvious name, after the fruit is cut open. The star fruit’s flavor is reminiscent of a tart apple and grape, mixed together. Nutrition-wise, star fruit excels in vitamin C and shines in the fiber department, too.

T is for tangelo, a hybrid of grapefruits and tangerines. Juicy and mildly sweet, varieties of tangelos include Minneloa, Orlando and Honeybell. High in fiber and vitamin C, tangelos can be a tasty add-on to your line up of citrus grazing.

U is for ugli fruit. Yes there is such a thing as ugli fruit. Google it and you’ll see why! This great big baggy looking thing is a heavyweight, and yes, that means juicy. A citrus fruit that also will give you high points in vitamin C and fiber.

And V is for Valencia oranges, great for juicing and delicious for eating. Not as popular as the thicker rinded navel orange, it is this writer’s opinion (and being a California native has certainly influenced it), that Valencia’s are more flavorful than navels.

W is for watermelon. Surprised? Well, not just your garden variety watermelon, but those cute little seedless guys, about the size of a cantaloupe. These extra juicy, extra flavorful watermelons pack about 25% of your daily value vitamin C and only 80 calories in a 2 cup serving.

X…eek. X. Well, X is for x-ray, xylophone and xtra special. That’s all I have for X.

Y is for Yuzu, also known as Japanese citrus. This bright yellow, orange-y looking citrus fruit contains a lot of pips (seeds) and is quite tart, with a tangerine, grapefruit-esque flavor. Yuzu can be used in place of lemon wedges or juice to add tart flavor to iced tea, seafood and salad dressings.

Z is for Zinfandel grapes, a deep, blue-black grape bursting with flavor and that same blessed resveratol, the antioxidant known for its cancer fighting properties. One is most likely to partake of zinfandel in a glass, but as they say, life is too short for cheap wine!

A Votre Sante! Enjoy your fruit, y’all!

part 1 | part 2