In May I was visiting Cyprus and came across a new (to me) oriental fruit. It was growing in a private garden attached to a restaurant in the south east of the island. I asked the restauranteur what the fruit was. It looked just like a smallish lemon size wise but had a smooth skin. he very kindly offered me some and insisted that I eat it. It was the size and rough shape of a meduim sized hen's egg, with smooth yellowy-green edible skin. It had a fairly hard brown with silvery tinge "nut" in the centre, which was not woodeny at all.. It tasted pretty much like a physalis...cape gooseberry...and was absolutely deicious. He could not remember the name but said it was oriental. I did not see any other trees like this on the island, although of course I saw only a few private gardens. I would be delighted to know if anyone could identify it. I do so wish that I had taken a photograph! Thankyou in advance for any information you might be able to provide. T.
Thanks Ron for your reply....it was dusk and we were eating under a canopy and the the tree was several yards away...so it was not easy to see. I truly thought the fruits were immature small lemons not being close enough to see the skin. The tree was no more than 15ft or so tall and from what we could see looked pretty much like the orange trees nearby. The centres of the fruits was a single brown "nut" with a silvery hue and not at all woody...which was slightly ovoid in shape and about the size of a twenty pence piece round. The fruit was not segmented and was fairly firm....tasting very much like gooseberries....especially the physalis...and was pale yellowish/green in colour with an edible smooth, slightly toughish skin. I have looked in all the local supermarkets here in the south of England in the tropical and unusual fruit sections without success. Sorry to be so vague...we so wish we had taken a photograph. Best wishes, T.
Thankyou....I have looked this up on the net and it is the closest that I have seen to date. I had remembered it as being a bit larger...but my memory does play tricks. The fruit I ate was obviously just turning colour...becoming yellowish and would perhaps have become wrinkled in time! Like all of us as we age! I do appreciate your help...and the description of "tastes of green apples" could equally be applied to gooseberries, couldn't it? Thanks again for your prompt reply and help. T.