Cuties are a hybrid fruit that’s a cross between a sweet orange and a Chinese mandarin. There are actually two types of Cuties: Clementine mandarins and Murcott mandarins. Both are held to the same high growing standards, so they’re always sweet, seedless, easy to peel, and the perfect size for kids and grownups alike. Grown in the sunny San Joaquin Valley, Cuties undergo rigorous inspection to ensure superior quality, high sugar levels, and minimal seed content.

It’s amazing how much goodness is packed into Cuties. In addition to being loaded with vitamins and minerals, Cuties are minimal in fat, trans-fat, cholesterol and sodium. Plus, they help curb hunger thanks to their natural fiber content. All in all, they’re a tasty way to add more fruit to a healthy diet.

Did you know?
Two Cuties are only 80 calories!

The kiwifruit, or “kiwi” for short, is a small fruit with a fuzzy brown skin, a green, somewhat creamy flesh, and a white pulp center surrounded by little edible black seeds. Native to China, the kiwifruit was originally known as Yang Tao. After being brought to New Zealand from China by missionaries, it was re-named the Chinese gooseberry. In 1962, an American distributor who initiated the import of the Chinese gooseberry to the US changed its name to kiwifruit, in honor of the native bird of New Zealand, the kiwi, whose fuzzy brown coat and small stature resembles that of the fruit.

Aside from being absolutely delicious with a flavor that hints of strawberry and banana, kiwis are jam packed with nutrients. In fact, a study conducted by Dr. Paul Lachance of Rutgers University found that out of the 27 most commonly consumed fruits, kiwifruit is the most nutrient dense. It is rich in dietary fiber and a good source of potassium, copper, magnesium, and vitamin E. Most impressively, kiwis are a great source of Vitamin C, more dense in the vitamin than even oranges. In fact, just one kiwifruit contains 120% of the recommended daily allowance for Vitamin C.

Look out for gold kiwis in your baskets or boxes. Similar to the traditional kiwi but with a smooth skin and a yellow flesh.

Did you know?
Despite its size and fuzzy skin, the kiwifruit is actually a berry!

The Beurre Bosc pear is the most easily recognizable of all the European pears because of its unique appearance. It has a long, slender neck, a bulging round base and a warm, russet brown coloring. Its flesh is firm, yet tender with a sweet spiced flavor. Bite into a Bosc before it’s softened and you’ll find that there is already good sugar content, making it one of the few pear varieties that is preferred almost crunchy. Bake, broil, or poach a Bosc and you’ll find that its dense, firm flesh is ideal for cooking.

Bosc pears, like many other fruits, have an unresolved history. They were discovered in the early 1800s in either Belgium or France. At that time, pears were named on a two-name system, one name referring to it’s identifiable characteristics and the other to it’s origin or propagator. The Beurre Bosc name identifies the pear as “buttery” and gives reference to M. Bosc, a distinguished cultivator. The Bosc was first planted here in the U.S. in the early 1930s. They are now grown largely in the Pacific Northwest states of Oregon and Washington, as well as in California.

Did you know?
In some countries the Bosc is called the Kaiser Alexander.

Everyone needs someone or something they can depend on to deliver every time. For Hi5 Produce, that something is the Fuji apple. The Fuji is a Hi5 staple. Its skin can be a colorful blend of yellow and green with red highlights, but it will sometimes have a pinkish blush or be nearly all red. Its white flesh is deliciously crisp, juicy, and sweet. In my opinion, it’s the best apple on the market, and that’s why Hi5 Produce delivers more Fuji apples than any other apple variety.

The Fuji apple was developed in Japan. It became available in the U.S. in the 1980s and since then it has grown considerably in popularity. It’s no surprise Americans love the Fuji. After all, the Fuji is the result of a cross between the ever popular Red Delicious and the Ralls Janet, an heirloom apple that goes back to Thomas Jefferson in 1793.

Most believe that the Fuji was named after Mount Fuji, the highest mountain in Japan, though some claim that the apple derives its name from a town called Fujisaki, located in an apple growing region of Japan called the Aomori Prefecture. I believe it is called the Fuji because its almost as fun to say as it is to eat. Enjoy!

Did you know?
Apples are a member of the rose family.

The Asian pear is by far my favorite fall treat. It differs from the traditional European varieties because of its round shape and crisp, refreshing bite. Because of these attributes the Asian pear is often referred to as the “Apple Pear”. Also, The Asian pear is best when tree-ripened and is ready to eat right after picking where as traditional pears such as the Bartlett and Comice are usually picked green and are not ready to be eaten until they are slightly soft.

Asian pears became increasingly more popular in the U.S. in the early 1980’s, with the increased population of Asian people. Soon, high prices stimulated new plantings of Asian pears in California in 1982. Now, they are grown all over California with most new Asian pear plantings in Fresno, Tulare, and Kern Counties.

The most common Asian pears in the U.S. are the green-gold Japanese Nijisseiki (in your baskets this week), the bronze-toned Hosui (delivered occasionally), and the pear-shaped Ya Li (also available in your baskets this week.) All of them have slightly different characteristics when it comes to appearance and texture, but their delicious, refreshing taste is common throughout. Enjoy!

This weeks varieties:
• Thompson Seedless - Sweet, seedless, and greenish gold in
  color.

• Red Flame Seedless - Red, round, sweet, and delicious.

• Concord-Deep bluish-black, sweet and unique in flavor, but
  tricky to eat.

• Squeeze the pulp out from the skin and spit the seeds, or just
  swallow it whole!

The best honeydew are chosen for their size, shape, smell, and weight. They have a round to slightly oval shape and are usually between 4-8 lbs in weight. The rind of the honeydew ranges from white to creamy yellow with a thick, juicy flesh ranging in color from pale green to white and in some varieties, orange. In choosing a good honeydew, it should be heavy for its size and fragrant through its rind. Basically, if it smells good, it will probably taste good!

There are so many wonderful, enticing stone fruits available in the summertime in California. One topic that comes up a lot in discussions between Hi5 drivers and customers is the confusion brought about by all of the plum and apricot hybrids available at the market. Read the posted labels and signs and be blown away by names like Flavor Grenade and Blue Gusto. Take a bite of one, and often times the flesh is a completely different color than the skin.

Where did all of these varieties come from?
What the heck are they?

Nectarines are essentially the same fruit as peaches, the main difference is that nectarines have a smooth skin and firm flesh and peaches are fuzzy. This smooth skin that defines the nectarine is a minor genetic variation, and so it is not uncommon for a peach tree to produce a branch that bears nectarines, or vice versa. To put it simply, nectarines are funny peaches.