Food

Food Information

Fruit

Tropical

LOQUATS

The loquat, like the Iychee, is of Chinese origin. Although popular withAsians, it has yet to make significant inroads in Western culture.

Loquats look like small, downy-skinned apricots, which they only resemblein shape and color. Unlike the apricot, which contains a single stone, theloquat has three or four pits. When loquats are ripe, they are fairly sweetand taste somewhat like a Royal Anne cherry. However, they have more pitthan edible flesh. Their peak of season is mid-March to May. They are oneof the earliest of the summer stone fruits to arrive on the scene. At onetime this early debut added much to their desirability. Today, when so manyfruits once limited in season are now available year-round, loquats areno longer prized for their early arrival. Unless you want to try them asa curio, they are usually too costly to be a good buy. Serve as a raw fruit.

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