Rambutan

OK ~ this was a new one for me today….Rambutan.  To me, it looked like the Sid Vicious of fruits ~ wild, crazy and a lot out of the ordinary!  I wish I could say that I made a crazy recipe or vinaigrette out of this fruit; however, like Sid, it stands alone.  Just make a score around the perimeter...

Santa Claus Melon (Piel de Sapo)

This is the latest find at the grocery store.  My girls liked the name, of course, so we gave it a shot.  The look of the melon is green like a honeydew, but the flavor is sweeter like a...

White Eggplant

I bought this white eggplant last week…it was the first time I had seen one, or at least paid attention to it.  I enjoyed it ~ it was actually firmer and a little less bitter than its purple counterpart, which is perfect for my White Eggplant Dipping...

Dragon Fruit

This is such a beautiful fruit!!  For my own preference, it doesn’t have fantastic flavor all on its own.  It is as if a kiwi and a watermelon had a baby but didn’t add all of the sweetness.  However, it still has a little sweet ~ a little tart.  I made a vinaigrette in a garlic shrimp salad...

Ostrich Egg

So, I was shopping with my parents and my mom called me over to check out the weird melon they had in…I said, “Mom!  That’s an ostrich egg!”.  She said, “Oh”.  I then put it in my basket and she asked what I was doing.  I told her that I had never cooked one so I...

Beech Mushrooms (Shimeji)

Aren’t these gorgeous?!  I saw these at Whole Foods this morning and was in love!  The tag said that these mushrooms were traditionally used in Asian Cooking and were good in stews, soups and stir-frys.  And, apparantly, they pair well with seafood.  Shrimp Stir Fry came to mind and that’s...