Cool kiwi

Kiwi fruit are berries that grow on vines, similar to grapevines across trellises. Native to China where they grew wild, they were introduced to many countries including New Zealand, which is credited with improving the Chinese gooseberry, as it was known, to produce a larger and more flavourful variety. The improved fuzzy fruit with bright green flesh was renamed kiwi after the small brown, flightless national bird of New Zealand.

In Canada, imported kiwis are available year-round. A cherry-sized cold hardy variety is grown in parts of Canada. Usually processed into juice or wine, they can also be found in specialty stores and markets.

Description: Kiwi is refreshingly sweet yet tangy, smooth and crunchy. A recent addition from New Zealand is gold kiwi, with a smoother brown skin, yellow flesh and a pointier top with a honey-like tropical flavour.

Selection and storage: Kiwi fruit travel well and the fruit ripens slowly after being picked. The fuzzy skin provides some natural protection against bruising and splitting, making them good keepers, with a longer shelf life than many fruits. Avoid mushy, blemished, shrivelled or rock-hard fruit. Kiwis are ripe when they yield to slight pressure, like a peach. Soft fruit can be mushy or mealy and flavourless. Keep at room temperature while ripening. To hasten ripening, place near apples, bananas or pears. When ripe, kiwi fruit can be stored in the refrigerator for two to three weeks wrapped in a plastic bag.

Nutrition: A proverbial powerhouse, kiwi fruit are loaded with phytochemicals and antioxidants that help provide defence against heart disease and some cancers. Low in calories at about 45 per fruit, kiwi fruit is an excellent source of vitamin C, a good source of vitamin E, magnesium, potassium and folic acid and fibre. One serving of kiwi fruit (two average-sized kiwi) has 4.2 g dietary fibre or more than a 2/3 cup serving of bran flakes.

Serving suggestions: One of the easiest ways to eat a kiwi is to cut it in half and scoop out the flesh. Or peel, slice or quarter and toss in salads, your breakfast cereal or purée into shakes, sauces or sorbets. Top fruit tarts, cake, cheesecake or add to trifle for a hit of colour and flavour. Kiwi fruit does not cook well as they tend to lose their bright colour and texture. If adding to cooked dishes, add it at the end of cooking and just warm through. Kiwi fruit contains an enzyme that prevents gelatin from setting but also makes it a natural meat tenderizer. Their natural acidity prevents them from discolouring and makes them a good fruit to prepare ahead.