Overview
Feijoa is the fruit of Acca sellowiana (syn. Feijoa sellowiana), a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. It is native to the highlands of southern Brazil, eastern Paraguay, Uruguay, and northern Argentina. The fruit has a sweet, aromatic, and slightly tart flavor often described as a blend of pineapple, guava, and mint, with a gritty, granular texture similar to a pear.
Origin and history
The feijoa is native to subtropical highland regions of South America, where it grows wild in the Serra do Mar and Serra Geral ranges of southern Brazil and adjacent areas of Uruguay, Paraguay, and Argentina [1]. It was first described botanically in the 19th century and named after João da Silva Feijó, a Portuguese naturalist. The plant was introduced to Europe in the 1890s and to New Zealand in the early 20th century, where it became widely cultivated as a garden fruit tree. New Zealand is now the largest commercial producer and exporter of feijoa fruit [1].
Varieties and aliases
- Also known as pineapple guava or guavasteen in English.
- In South America, it is sometimes called goiaba-serrana (mountain guava) in Portuguese.
- The scientific name Feijoa sellowiana is a synonym; the currently accepted name is Acca sellowiana [1].
Culinary uses
Feijoa is most commonly eaten fresh, scooped out of the skin with a spoon. The entire fruit is edible, though the skin is often discarded due to its bitter, astringent quality. The flesh is used in fruit salads, smoothies, and desserts such as crumbles, cakes, and ice cream. Feijoa can be cooked into jams, chutneys, and sauces, and is sometimes fermented into wine or cider. The fruit pairs well with citrus, ginger, apple, and mint.
Cross-cuisine context
Feijoa has no widely recognized analogue in Mexican cuisine. Its flavor profile and texture are closest to guava (Psidium guajava), which is common in Mexican aguas frescas, ates (fruit pastes), and desserts, but feijoa is distinctly more tart and minty. In the broader LA-relevant corpus, feijoa is most familiar to cooks from New Zealand and Australian cuisine, where it is a common backyard fruit. It is not a staple in any of the platform’s primary non-Mexican cuisines (Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese, Filipino, Cambodian, Armenian, Persian, Salvadoran, Guatemalan, Russian, Arabic, Peruvian), though it may appear in specialty fruit markets or fusion preparations.
Notes for cooks
- Feijoa skin is edible but often bitter; most recipes call for scooping out the flesh.
- The fruit is ripe when it yields slightly to pressure and has a strong, sweet fragrance. Unripe feijoas are hard and astringent.
- Feijoa flesh oxidizes quickly when cut; toss with lemon or lime juice to prevent browning.