For a lot of us, we go to our grocery store and choose whatever is in season. The most exotic thing you might eat today is a mango or kiwi, but here are some truly unique fruits and vegetables from around the world.\r
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8. Black Radish\r
Youre likely familiar with the traditional radishes, with pink or purple coloring. But the black radish is a unique variety. They are slightly larger and have a more intense flavor, not to mention their stunning black skin. Eaten raw, theyre slightly pungent. So to enjoy them fully, cook them down slightly, but leave their crisp texture.\r
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7. Buddhas Hand\r
Dont be alarmed by this fruits wild appearance. It is often called the fingered citron and is most closely related to the lemon. The fruit is prized because of its deliciously intense smells. Fingered citrons smell sweet and lemony, with a hint of lavender. Because of this, the zest from the outside is often used in cooking or perfumes. Fingered citron also has no pulp or seeds, so it is essentially all rind. However, unlike other citrus fruits, the pith of Buddhas Hands is sweet, rather than bitter. \r
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6. Canistel\r
For a lot of people, the texture of food is a big deal. If thats true for you, youll either love or hate the canistel. The fruit has the texture of a hard-boiled egg yolk, giving it the nickname “egg fruit.” Although they can be eaten raw, many people choose to use them in desserts because of their strange texture. Their flavor lives up to the name as well, being described as a sweet egg custard. Their egg-like consistency makes them a wonderful choice for vegan recipes, particularly eggnog or cheesecake.\r
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5. Jabuticaba\r
These plum-colored fruits grow very close to the tree and can ually cover an entire trunk when in the height of their season. The berries themselves are beautiful: theyre deep purple, nearly black orbs with a thick and shiny skin. When you cut one open, youll see that the inside is like a white jelly which tastes like grape juice. For this reason, these berries are often used to make wine or jams.\r
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4. Romanesco\r
This is one of those vegetables thats almost too beautiful to eat. Its a little bit psychedelic and a bit like looking at a kaleidoscope. Romanesco is a mathematicians dream, having a geometric pattern that seems to follow the Fibonacci sequence. Romanesco is related to broccoli and tastes a lot like cauliflower, only a little nuttier. \r
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3. Red Bananas\r
Red bananas are a lot like your average Cavendish banana available in nearly every supermarket--but better. They are mostly popular in Asia, Central America, and South America. They start off reddish, but as they ripen, their color deepens nearly to purple. When theyre ripe, theyre creamier and smoother than your morning breakfast banana and they have hints of mango, raspberry, and sometimes cinnamon!\r
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2. Salak\r
Dont be put off by the scaly, snake-like skin of the salak fruit. Once the outer shell is peeled away, the inside of the salak or snake-fruit is revealed to be three or four cloves, like garlic. But dont worry, although it looks like garlic on the inside, it tastes nothing like that. The taste is sometimes mild but sweet, with hints of pineapple, honey, and apple.\r
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1. Black Sapote\r
If you were looking for the perfect food, you might have just found it. This is the black sapote or “chocolate pudding fruit.” The outside is nothing to write home about, looking a little like a green tomato. But, like most things, its the inside that counts. The black sapote is so popular because the inside flesh looks, tastes, and has the texture of chocolate pudding but with only about 130 calories per serving. The pulp can be eaten with a spoon, but because of its chocolatey flavor, its often used in dessert recipes as well.