Depending on where you live you can get a number of beautiful new fruits for Rosh Hashanah. In Bergen County in particular, there are grocery stores that sell upwards of 50 new fruits that you’ve probably never heard of.

 
That’s a lot of pressure! Which fruit will my family enjoy most? How am I supposed to eat it? So many questions arise!

To help you through the fruit buying process, we have compiled a list of 26 unique new fruits with informative info about each.

 
So next time you see fruits like Mangosteen and Kiwano Melon in the store, treat yourself to one, and remember to keep this article handy as a useful reference.

Dragon Fruit (Gold)

What it tastes like:
When perfectly ripe, Gold Dragon Fruit is similar in texture to a kiwi. It is juicy and sweet and tastes like a cross between a pear and kiwi.

How to eat it:
Slice the fruit in half. With a spoon, scoop out the flesh like an avocado. Alternatively, use your fingers to peel off the skin once halved. Then slice or dice to serve.

Dragon Fruit (White)

What it tastes like:
Similar to Gold Dragon Fruit, White Dragon Fruit tastes like a cross between a kiwi and pear. Slightly less sweet than the yellow, this one is more mild in flavor.

How to eat it:
Slice the fruit in half. With a spoon, scoop out the flesh like an avocado. Alternatively, use your fingers to peel off the skin once halved. Then slice or dice to serve.

Tamarind

What it tastes like:
Fresh Tamarind is tangy and tart. The more ripe, the sweeter it gets. Tamarind is often compared to a sour prune.

How to eat it:
Crack open the shell to expose the pod. Remove the veins, and chew around seeds. Discard the seeds when finished eating the fruity flesh.

Mini Pineapple

What it tastes like:
Mini Pineapples are sweeter than larger ones, and have a higher sugar content. The inner core is edible, unlike larger pineapples.

How to eat it:
Similar to a large pineapple, place your pineapple on its side and cut the ends off. Stand your pineapple upright, and cut downwards around the entire pineapple. (Leave as little flesh on the skin as possible.)

Lychee

What it tastes like:
Lychee fruit is sweet and tastes similar to a grape with hints of citrus and rose.

How to eat it:
Peel the skin off of fruit like you would peel an orange. With a sharp knife, score the flesh along one side and break fruit in half to expose the inner pit. Peel the white fruit away from the pit. Remove the pit and discard. The pit is poisonous.

Rambutan

What it tastes like:

Sweet, and mildly acidic. Similar tasting to a Lychee fruit, without the hints of floral. 

How to eat it:
Similar to Lychee fruit, under the shell, Rambutan has an inner white fruit with an inedible pit. With a sharp knife, peel away the skin, the white fruit should pop out easily. Remove the pit and discard. The pit is poisonous.

Star Fruit

What it tastes like:
Star Fruit tastes like a green grape. It is very juicy and mildly sweet.

How to eat it:
Wash the fruit and slice on its side for star-shaped slices.

Passion Fruit

What it tastes like:
Passion Fruit is sweet and tart with a very tropical and fruity taste similar to a citrus fruit.

How to eat it:
With a very sharp knife, cut the fruit in half. With a spoon, scoop out the pulpy center and enjoy. Discard the shell.

Asian Pear

What it tastes like:
Asian Pears are crunchy like a jicama and taste similar to a pear. Unlike other pears, Asian Pears are picked ripe and ready to eat.

How to eat it:
Wash the fruit and slice just like you would an apple or pear.

Cactus Pear

What it tastes like:
Cactus Pear has a juicy center that tastes similar to a melon. This fruit is somewhat sweet and often more on the bland side.

How to eat it:
Wear heavy duty gloves before prepping. Place the fruit on its side and cut off the ends and discard. Make a long vertical slice down the center, cutting the fruit in half. Peel away and discard the skin.

Gooseberries

What it tastes like:
Gooseberries are sweet and tart, very fruity and often compared to a lemon, tomato, or tropical fruit.

How to eat it:
Remove leaves and wash. The entire berry is edible.

Quince

What it tastes like:
Quince is very bitter when eaten raw and does not have much taste. Recommended to be eaten only once cooked, quince takes on a sweet flavor and is often used for jellies or jams.

How to eat it:
Wash and follow recipe directions. The entire fruit is edible.

Meyer Lemon

What it tastes like:
Unlike regular varieties of lemon, Meyer Lemons are more sweet than tart, resembling more of a tangerine than a lemon.

How to eat it:

Peel like you would an orange. Slice and use in salads or drinks.

Finger limes

What it tastes like:
Finger Limes have a fresh and tangy flavor. When cut open, the limes have what look like small citrus beads (similar in appearance to caviar). Often used in dishes like seafood, pasta, or any other dish that can use a hint of citrus flavor. The beads pop in your mouth when eaten.

How to eat it:
Cut in half and squeeze out the pulp, similar to squeezing toothpaste from a tube.

Young Coconut

What it tastes like:
Young Coconuts are sweet, with a gelatinous and moist meaty center.

How to eat it:
Take a very sharp knife and cut across the coconut until you see some of the inner flesh, then make a big hole. Hold the coconut upside down and catch the coconut water in a cup. Drink or reserve in the fridge for later. To eat the gel-like meat inside the fruit, take a heavy cleaver or hammer and crack open the shell. Scoop out the meat and enjoy.

White Coconut

What it tastes like:

White Coconuts have a sweet milky liquid inside, and are often sold with straws for drinking. 

How to eat it:

Take a very sharp knife and cut across the coconut until you see some of the inner flesh, then make a big hole. Stick in a straw and enjoy. 

Cherimoya

What it tastes like:
Cherimoya is sweet and tropical, tasting similar to a banana, pineapple and strawberry. The softer and more ripe, the sweeter it will be.

How to eat it:
Simply slice the fruit in half and scoop out the fruit. Because of the recommended way of eating this fruit, it is often called the “ice cream fruit”. Discard the seeds, as they are not edible.

Dates on the vine

What it tastes like:
Fresh Dates come in two forms, hard, yellow and soft, or light brown and slightly bruised. The brighter yellow are slightly sweet, and crunchy. The more ripe versions are soft and very sweet, just like the ones you would buy in the store year-round.

How to eat it:
Pick from the stem, wash, eat the flesh, and discard the pit.

Feijoa

What it tastes like:
Feijoa is sweet and aromatic, and is described as a cross between a star fruit, pineapple, and guava. The fruit is softer and sweeter towards the center, and gets sweeter and more soft as it ripens.

How to eat it:
Slice in half and scoop out the center fruit with a spoon.

Pink Lemon

What it tastes like:
These lemons are similar to the lemons we are used to, boasting a tart and lip-puckering taste. As the ripen they get sweeter.

How to eat it:
Cut the fruit in half and juice. These are ideal for drinks, dressings, and desserts that call for lemons.

Longan

What it tastes like:
Longans are usually compared to Lychee Fruit. The flesh is sweet, slightly tart, with a musky undertone. The texture is similar but more chewy than a grape.

How to eat it:
Press the shell firmly until it opens. Remove the peel and eat the white fruit. Discard the peel and pit.

Mangosteen

What it tastes like:
A mix between strawberry, lychee, and a peach. There’s a hint of tart and lots of sweetness. These are often called the “Queen of fruits.”

How to eat it:
Use a sharp serrated knife and cut around the perimeter of the fruit, not cutting completely through. Squeeze and break apart the peel. The inner fruit will pop out. You can eat them raw, in fruit salads, or smoothies.

Kiwano Melon

What it tastes like:
Similar in taste to a cucumber, kiwi, or banana as it ripens.

How to eat it:
Cut in half and scoop out the fruit with a spoon. Discard the peel.

Korean Melon

What it tastes like:
The Korean melon is crunchy like a cantaloupe, and tastes like a mix between a honeydew and cucumber.

How to eat it:
Skin the fruit with a sharp knife, and slice, like you would a cantaloupe. The seeds are edible, and often add sweetness if eaten with the rest of the fruit. Discard the peel.

Pepino Melon

What it tastes like:
The Pepino Melon tastes like a mix between a cucumber, tomato, cantaloup, and pear.

How to eat it:
Skin the fruit with a sharp knife, slice in half and remove the seeds, like you would a cantaloupe. Discard the peel and sides.

Mineola Orange

What it tastes like:
These oranges are sweet and tart, with the acidity of a grapefruit, tasting similar to a tangerine.

How to eat it:
Peel, segment, and enjoy in raw applications.