Happy Monday!

I stopped at the grocery store on the way home from school to pick up some fruit & veggies for the week. In the display of tropical and exotic fruits, I came across a yellow spiky fruit I had never seen before.

Here’s what it looks like from the outside:

When I got home, I jumped on Google and soon discovered that this strange spiky fruit is called the horned melon, also known as the kiwano melon. It is native to Africa, but is also now grown in California, Chile, Australia, and New Zealand, too. It is apparently rich in Vitamin C and fiber. The skin is edible, but most people eat it by cutting it open and slurping up the pulpy insides. So that’s what I did:

Surprisingly, the horned melon reminded me most of a cucumber in its taste. The little seeds inside are safe to eat but are pretty much tasteless. The jelly texture is interesting. It’s a messy fruit, though — it’s hard not to get some on your face and clothes, so be sure you have some napkins on hand if you try the horned melon!

I think it’s so fun to try new foods — it makes me more aware of what a big, wide world we live in. Fruits that are natural and familiar to us are exciting and exotic to people living in other places. If I lived in Africa, the horned melon might be my breakfast every day! What are some of your favorite exotic foods?

Have a great week!
Dallas ❤