Exotic fruit

[suealpha]

A party invitation has requested guests to bring a piece of exotic fruit.

I'd be pleased if people could suggest fruit that is at least as delicious as it is unusual, perhaps adding ideas for how to serve it/recipes using it.

[suealpha]

(I should have added that we are talking of round about now, things that will be available - possibly not ever so widely - in the next week or two.)

[Justasjolly]

Are you sure your friend wants the fruit for eating not for a game or something? Maybe is just the phrase 'a piece of exotic fruit' that made me think that.
To be honest exotic fruit is fairly easy to come by these days, so 'unusual' tends to be unusual because there's not that much demand for it because it doesn't taste that great! I'd just go for a regular, nice tasting, exotic fruit, Mango or something like that.

[suealpha]

That never crossed my mind, Justasjolly, the fruit being for a game. I suppose it's possible... but I actually don't think it's more than a novel variation on "Please, no presents". A few years ago, when we went to what rather grandly I could call a house-party weekend, I took a selection of nice fruit as a present/contribution. Mostly it was grapes, peaches, mangoes (can't really remember), but what I do remember being there was a "dragon fruit", something I'd never seen before and which was both very unusual looking and very pretty. But its taste was decidedly disappointing, and it was this experience that prompted me to write this post.
But maybe it would be worth checking with the person who sent the invitation whether there's anything in what struck you... Thanks for the thought.

[TheDropBear]

Black Sapote- has mushy black flesh inside that looks like compost. Flavour is quite mild and almost nutty/chocolatey. Often used in milkshakes. Not my favourite fruit ever but very unusual looking
Papaya/paw paw- completely delicious, meant to be good in thai style salads
Custard apple- not tried this but unusual looking and meant to be tasty.
Monkey finger bananas- mini sweeter bananas, grow looking like a hand
Coconut- not that unusual but fun to crack open if you take a whole one.

Not sure if these are all available in the UK. I've just moved next door to a fruit market in a tropical area. Planning on trying all the weird stuff I don't recognise

[suealpha]

Planning on trying all the weird stuff I don't recognise

Good for you, TheDropBear!

I hadn't thought of pawpaw - must try it. ( A long time ago, as a young child - so a VERY long time ago! - I lived with my family in Nigeria for a while and although I don't remember eating pawpaws I do vividly remember the smell - sickly and overwhelming - of rotting dropped pawpaws underneath the trees.)

[1frenchfoodie]

Rambutans are delicious, or what about longans - like smooth lychees but a smokier taste. Pomelos - look like grapefruits on steroids - are unusual though not very tasty. All the above should be available in any chinatown or asian superstore.

N.b. The papayas in thai salads use green underripe fruit not the ripe stuff.

[DrownedGirl]

Sharon fruit

[suealpha]

Thanks for the rambutans and longans suggestions, 1frenchfoodie. I shall look for them next time I'm visiting family in sophisticated north London. Here in rural Herefordshire I guess they probably are just too exotic to be found! But I have tried to commit the names to memory.
DrownedGirl, are sharon fruit actually nice if you get them at the right stage of ripeness? I think I tried one a long time ago and it was just extremely astringent.

[DrownedGirl]

Yes, they are. Slightly grainy, waxy texture.

[Iamthegreatest1]

Papaya. All big supermarkets have them.
Pineapple
Coconut

[whois]

Dragon fruit is defo exotic (and lovely) and reasonably easyish to come by in oriental supermarkets.