Alternative:Pepino

| Ingredients | Fruit

The pepino or pepino melon is also known as treemelon, bush melon, and mellowfruit. It is native to Chile and Peru, but is now also grown in California and New Zealand. Pepinos are teardrop-shaped and have a smooth skin that is striped with yellow and dark purple. The flesh of this fruit is fragrant and combines the tastes of cantaloupe and honeydew.

Selection, Storage, and Preparation

Pepinos are available late fall to mid-spring. Fruits with a light yellow or green skin are not ripe, while fruits with dark purple stripes are ripe. Ripen at room temperature until as firm as a slightly ripe plum, then refrigerate ripe fruit for up to 3 days.