A flavor somewhere between pineapple and strawberry: this is how you might describe the pineapple guava, also called feijoa (fay-YOH-ah).
This is a high-altitude South American native that has an oval fruit about 3 inches (7 cm) long. It has a granular cream-colored flesh with a jelly-like center filled with tiny seeds. It sometimes is mistakenly called guava.
The pineapple guava is grown for a late fall harvest in California. New Zealand grown feijoas come to market in the northern hemisphere in spring and early summer (which is, of course, is late fall in the southern hemisphere).
Choose. Pineapple guavas should have a rich, perfume-like fragrance. The green to reddish-pink blushed skin should give slightly to the touch.
Ripen. The fruit will ripen after a few days if placed in a paper bag with an apple at room temperature.
Serve. Remove the bitter peel and serve fresh and ripe. Use in fruit salads or as a garnish.