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[Adolph Archer]

1. Buddha's Hand - beautiful but tasteless



This fruit is commonly found in China or Northern parts of India. It goes by a few names including Fingered Citron and Bushukan but we think Buddha's Hand is by far the coolest and certainly the most apt. This fruit is made up of long finger like sections that all grow from the same base giving the illusion of a multi-fingered hand.
When it comes to eating it, this citrus fruit is nothing like your average orange or lemon. It has no juice or pulp, it is essentially made up of skin and pith. However unlike all other citrus fruit, the pith of the Buddha's Hand is not bitter. The fruit is often candied, dried or canned and used to complete all manner of sweet and savoury dishes.
This fruit is also extremely fragrant; many Japanese and Chinese families place this fruit around the home as it gives off a pleasant smell.

[Adolph Archer]

2. Miracle Fruit - miraculously changes the way you taste....



From the name of this fruit you can tell that we're about to fill you in on something very special indeed! The Miracle Fruit is a form of berry found in West Africa, it has a plum red outer and lightly sweet taste. However the real wonder occurs after you've eaten it. Miracle fruit has a miraculous effect on the taste-buds which alters the tastes of foods we're all accustomed to.
After eating miracle fruit you'll find that bitter and sour foods taste sweet. Just imagine a fresh lemon suddenly begin as sweet as a lemon drop or a pint of Guinness being as sweet as honey.
The secret behind the miracle lies in a glycoprotein called miraculin. This binds to your taste-buds and acts a sweetness inducer when it makes contacts with the acids found in sour foods. The effects only last 30-90 minutes

[Adolph Archer]

3. Kiwano Melon - looks like it came from outer space



This fruit looks like it was conjured up to play the baddie in a forties B movie. The severe spiked skin and the luminous green jelly like flesh certainly set it apart as one of the most striking fruits around. Also known as the Horned Melon, Horned Cucumber and English Tomato (not sure what that name is about!) this fruit is native to Africa but is now grown in warm climes across the globe. The taste of the kiwano melon is likened to cucumber and it contains many large white seeds which are completely edible. The best way to eat your kiwano melon is to slice it in half and scoop out the flesh with a spoon.

[Adolph Archer]

4. Ugli Fruit - the name says it all



It's pretty difficult not to judge a book by its cover when its title is as off putting as this one. The look and name of the Ugli fruit doesn't fill me with much culinary confidence. However this mottled yellow-brown dry looking skin is loosely wrapped around a sweet citrus offering. The fruit is made up of generously sized segments and sports a sweet tangy flavour and a pulpy texture.
The name Ugli is in fact just a trading name for what is really a Jamaican tangelo – similarly to how Pink Lady is a trading name for a pink crisp apple. The Jamaican tangelo is a hybrid of a pomelo, an orange and a tangerine. When the creators discovered this fruit, they thought it deserved the name Ugli!

[Adolph Archer]

5. Durian - one whiff and you'll run a mile



The durian is native to Indonesia & Zanzibar where it is commonly known by the deceptive name of 'King Of Fruits.' The reason we've dubbed this moniker misleading lies in the smell. The durian fruit possesses a pong which sees it banned from hotels, bars and public places all over South East Asia. The smell has been likened to all manner of un-savoury items from damp clothes, gym socks, rotten onions and even turpentine. Basically, it's so gross no one can quite put their finger on it.
The surprising thing however is that if you can get past the smell, not only do you deserve a medal, you will also be rewarded with a creamy texture and almond like flavour.

[Adolph Archer]

6. Jabuticaba - we promise this has not been photo shopped



The weirdness of this fruit lies mainly in the way it grows. The jabuticaba is a form of grape which grows on the Brazilian Grape Tree.
Unlike the grapes we're used to eating in the UK, jabuticabas do not grow in bunches and grow directly from the trunk of the tree rather than its branches. The fruits are dark purple and have a thick skin and have pleasant sweet taste. Similarly to grapes these fruits are also made into jellies, jams and wine.

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