Strange fruit, anyone know what this is?

[Bro-sephus]

Howdy ya'll, I picked some of this fruit from a picnic area next to a big fruit stand in southern California in December while we were moving down to Missouri from Washington. It's super fragrant, smells almost overpoweringly sweet , and looks kind of like a fig on the inside. Anyhow, I saw it laying all over the ground and figured, "I could probably make likker outta this" so I picked up a shirtfull and stuck it in the cooler in the back of my truck.

I've got no idea what it is, but maybe one of ya'll might have a good idea? Either way, it's gonna ferment and end up in my still!

[Tater]

looks like paws paws to me . http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asimina_triloba" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

[Bro-sephus]

They do look alot like pawpaws, but the insides are different, mealy with a lot of little seeds kinda like a cross between a pear and a fig. I'll post up a picture tomorrow when I get a chance, I've been digging around and can't seem to find anything that fits for sure. Just can't get over how strong they smell, it's really fruity and sweet and they taste mild but tart.

[Kiwikeg]

Hi There, They are Fejoia's. or i think i saw them called pineapple guauva once. Fejoia grow all over the place here in auckland N.Z....you can make almost anything from fejoias- fejoia cake, Fejoia wine, fejoia vodka, stewed fejoia, fejoia and apple pie, fejoia chutney mmm they are one of my favourite friuts , autumn is fejoia season round here... enjoy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feijoa" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=3309

[blanikdog]

Sure look like Feijoa's to me.

[August West]

I learn somethin' new every day.

AW

[heynonny]

I say fijoias. We had a few on the orchard where I was 1st raised. Those in the pic are getting old. Cut 'em in half and scoop out the flesh with a spoon. Called them guavas, but they're not, we had (real) (we called them) strawberry and banana guavas cause thats what they tasted like. Had a fruiting mulberry tree, I loved them! Even had a 'rangpour' (?) lime tree, those would turn your mouth inside out. Plus enough varieties of avocados to have them year round. (cut them (avos) in half, salt & lemon juice, and that same spoon again) -hey-

[Bro-sephus]

I scooped them all out tonight, my old lady told me to get them out of the freezer or she was gonna throw em! I'm thinking of stewing them up with a few pounds of sugar and fermenting them. Thanks to all y'all for the assist on identifying these!

Heynonny, sounds like you came from a little slice of heaven

Any thoughts on how you guys would ferment em?

[kiwistiller]

Hey mate, don't stew them - you'll set the pectin. I make feijoa cider, apple juice and feijoas. Use normal winemaking practices, pectinase etc. They aren't especially fermentable but the flavour carries through well. Don't push it too hard with sugar or the flavour will be diminished. I'd suggest fermenting with a cider yeast, they're pretty acidic and you don't want to have a flavour thieving neutral yeast wreck it. I like to blend them skins and all and leave them in muslin in the ferment for a week or so. heaps of that purfumed flavour in the skins.

They are hands down my favourite fruit. They grow prolifically here in NZ.

If you only have a few I'd suggest a maceration in neutral with a touch of glycerine for a really nice feijoa vodka. I've done a feijoa and lime zest maceration before then rerun, that was pretty cool. Or just use the fruit with limes in your mojitos, mmmm.

[Washashore]

This is killing me...wish they were around here...I'd love to taste one.

[Rod]

They taste a little lollies or as you may say candy

make an interesting jam or jelly

high sugar content , should ferment well

[Teddysad]

Following on from Kiwi's post, I halve and scoop and soak in vodka for 4 weeks or so.
Afterwards, the fruit is lovely with icecream as a desert, (a reasonably high octane one at that)
Another use is to freeze the (now) soaked fruit until well chilled and use as a base for a nice summer smoothie ( orange or apple juice works well)

[Bro-sephus]

Wish I'd picked alot more of these now, I only have about two pounds worth. Sounds like macerating them is the best use for such a small quantity, thanks for the great advice ya'll, that's what I love so much about this forum!

[frozenthunderbolt]

Wish I'd picked alot more of these now, I only have about two pounds worth. Sounds like macerating them is the best use for such a small quantity, thanks for the great advice ya'll, that's what I love so much about this forum!

They are best when picked up off the ground - they drop from the tree when they're ripe. They are way less sweet and more astringent when picked off the tree. Can be a mission to get the feijoa booze to clear

[Bro-sephus]

That's where I got them, picked them up off the ground, the ones on the tree were more firm and less pungent. I'm still kicking myself for gathering so little!!

[Bro-sephus]

Hey ya'll, figured I'd put up a picture of what I done with these lovely fruits from Kiwi-land! I'm macerating the lions' share in a quart of UJSSM (I just made some up and thought the tastes would compliment each other) and put the ones I couldn't fit in a half quart of spiced brown sugar rum I made last month! The UJSSM is starting to taste fantastic, I can't believe how much body they're imparting to the whiskey only after three days, can't wait to see how they taste in a month. Thanks for all the great input, I owe all ya'll at least one!
Cheers,
Brosephus

[frozenthunderbolt]

Taste it every week - if you are doing it on the skins you will get some crazy tannins pretty quick!

[Bro-sephus]

Right on, I scooped them out before I read the post about putting them in with skins so they're just the fruits in there. How long would you recommend macerating them for?

[Kiwikeg]

Right on, I scooped them out before I read the post about putting them in with skins so they're just the fruits in there. How long would you recommend macerating them for?

how did the maceration taste?
The feijoas have just started falling from the trees here, so ive scooped a dozen of the ripest and put them in some of my finest UJJSM white hearts i am gonna try a Feijoa version of the Strawberry panty dropper recipe.

[Bro-sephus]

Maceration turned out really nice, it's thick like syrup though and will probably need to be thinned out to drink by itself. Even shared some with a couple of kiwis up here who liked the taste of it. I'd definitely recommend leaving the skins off and just usin the fruit as it is plenty potent on its own. They'll be great as part of a strawberry panty dropper recipe!

Cheers
Brosephus

[Kiwikeg]

bottled the maceration today and sweetened it up with some liquid glucose. Sampled some with lemonade very tasty. not super fejoa taste but very strong, very nice pinapple-lime flavours with aftertaste of fejoia. I now think 42below must use artificial fejoia flavours in their fejoia Vodka. I have another gallon jar soaking that I havent touched yet

[Bro-sephus]

Right on!! Glad it turned out good for ya even if not as strong as you'd have wished. I sip it straight up in a glass, like a brandy. I'd give a knuckle to have a bearing feijoa tree in my yard so would be so darn miserly with my single jar of the good stuff! Who makes the feijoa vodka? You never know, might find some in a specialty store when head up to the big city next weekend.

Cheers brother!
Brosephus

[Daznz]

bottled the maceration today and sweetened it up with some liquid glucose. Sampled some with lemonade very tasty. not super fejoa taste but very strong, very nice pinapple-lime flavours with aftertaste of fejoia. I now think 42below must use artificial fejoia flavours in their fejoia Vodka. I have another gallon jar soaking that I havent touched yet

Hmmmm 42below with artificial fejoia flavours is it that easy ? I dont think Bacardi Ltd would of brought him out for $35 million if it was. Seven years after selling his first bottle of New Zealand-made vodka from his Wellington garage.
So anyway my mother inlaws feloia trees a full of fruit at the mo so I want to ferment a 25L batch and run through the pot still to see how much fejoia flavour I get.
Any suggestions on how may KG of fruit I would need / sugar and the best way to go about it I haven't done a fruit wash before.

Thanks Daza.

[frozenthunderbolt]

Just done this Daz;
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 11&t=39670
Its brilliant!

[Daznz]

Wicked Cheers

[Kiwikeg]

bottled the maceration today and sweetened it up with some liquid glucose. Sampled some with lemonade very tasty. not super fejoa taste but very strong, very nice pinapple-lime flavours with aftertaste of fejoia. I now think 42below must use artificial fejoia flavours in their fejoia Vodka. I have another gallon jar soaking that I havent touched yet

Hmmmm 42below with artificial fejoia flavours is it that easy ? I dont think Bacardi Ltd would of brought him out for $35 million if it was. Seven years after selling his first bottle of New Zealand-made vodka from his Wellington garage.
So anyway my mother inlaws feloia trees a full of fruit at the mo so I want to ferment a 25L batch and run through the pot still to see how much fejoia flavour I get.
Any suggestions on how may KG of fruit I would need / sugar and the best way to go about it I haven't done a fruit wash before.

Thanks Daza.

sorry I missed your question but it sounds like frozenthunderbolt has really nailed the recipe.
as for 42belw and flavouring essences give the fejoia vodka/schnapps essences from the hbs a go in some good neutral. its very close to 42blow. especially with a little liquid glucose added.
when you do a fejioa wash extraction the flavour is so much stronger its really good in vodka jellys except with green jelly that makes it way too sour.
chur
kk