feijoa love

It looks like I was a bit cryptic about the feijoas the other day (I was in a hurry and had extra children here, sorry.) If you don't know what they're about, here is an article (thanks, Alice) and this is what a feijoa tree looks like:

This is our neighbour's wee tree that spills through onto our side of the gate, which is nice. I read that feijoa trees are very common in NZ but because they are subtropical plants that still require some cold temperatures during winter, they don't produce fruit in many other countries. The plant originates from South America, and is a member of the guava family. It fruits in late autumn-early winter.

I remembered that Helen loves feijoas and after a bit of digging around in her old blog's archives I found this recipe here which I didn't get around to trying before the feijoa season finished last year. It looks yum so I might give it a go this weekend.

My Dad loves feijoas. We had three or four trees in our garden growing up that produced an amazing amount of large, juicy fruit. We would use a fruit dehydrator to make 'feijoa lollies' and fruit leather, and sometimes put them in crumbles and cakes. But last year Dad decided to make the most of his land's feijoa-growing potential to plant a whole orchard full- hopefully for export. The fruit should be ready to harvest in a couple of years or so.

This is a drink he makes from simply blending whole feijoas, skins and all (he freezes this pulp to last all year round!):

It's very thick and frothy and a little bit gritty, but if you like feijoa, this 'nectar drink' is pretty delicious.

In crafty news, I made Keira a little winter skirt yesterday. She put in an order for a new 'dancing skirt':

It's made from brown needlecord, with a pink vintage cotton border. I stitched the little ties onto the side after inserting elastic through the top, so I guess you could call it a 'mock-drawstring.' I thought the elastic would be more practical for pulling on and off. I used the same pattern I drew up for making these summer skirts. After I finished it I was looking for more skirt inspiration online when I found this twirly skirt tutorial. It's quite similar, but I like how it has more twirliness going on.

Hope you're having a great weekend!

Comments

[Jessicah]

Yummy feijoa's! I bought a bag and made feijoa pikelets today. Mum recommened feijoa and date as a good combination in cake form. What a cute wee skirt- will be perfect with some tights in the cooling months- officially winter soon- brrr!

[Taryn Domingos]

I'll have to try that sometime! My old horticulture professor showed me a huge feijoa bush on our campus way out in an out of the way spot. I'd make a stop after class and pick one or two. Yummy!

[Alison]

I tasted my first feijoa last week in fact. An acquired taste perhaps but I think I liked it!!

[heidi]

making one of those skirts today! how funny!

[alisonmc]

The other day I heard about feijoa sorbet. I'm DESPERATE to try it.

[rhiannon]

ohhh sweet sweeetr feijoas. Definitely one of my favourite fruits. As I type this I'm enjoying a huge bowl of porridge with stewed feijoa (bought a big grocery bag for $1 from the kids down the road.) and tonnes of creamy soy milk. Oh so good. Mum's been making feijoa and ginger loaf too, and we've been having multiple crumbles. Really the goodness never end with feijoas. I'm going to plant trees, it almost seems wrong to have to buy them in New Zealand.
Hope you're all well. The skirt is gorgeous too, I bet K looks super sweet twirling around in it. x

[kate Shuttleworth]

my favourite, I have a stash at home at the moment. I remember in Nelson as a kid there were fejoas aplenty. There's nothing like being hungry and just stroling up to a bush and taking some fresh fruit... beats the corner dairy for sure.
Are you a fejoa wine fan? I love organic fejoa wine - my absolute favourite.

[Emma]

It s a pity that the screen does not allow taste and smell to accompany text.

One can never have too many dancing skirts. They all twirl in different ways. :)

[caireen.todd]

Have a picture of a 'twirling skirt' on my inspiration wall, with a 'to do' of finding a pattern - will need to check this out! thanxx

[Ruth]

The skirt is gorgeous! You are making me very nostalgic with the feijoa posts! lol

[Tash]

I keep hearing about feijoas - apparently they can be grown in England too (we have a similar climate), but I hadn't heard of them until another blogger mentioned them the other day (serendipitous)! I'd love to grow one - I might be the first in Northumberland, who knows!

Love the skirt, you know if you made one in an adult size I'd be the first to nab it! Where did my age-3 waistline go? ;-)

[amisha]

so interesting to read about the feijoas... it is a unique climate that allows for subtropical fruit but still a freezing winter. there are so many lovely fruits that we can't grow because it's a bit too hot, alas. any relative of the guava is good by me! i love to have a guava smoothie in india and your dad's beverage looks very similar.
and k's new dancing skirt is very cute! i like that she knows what she wants to do in her clothing :)
xo

[emily]

Oh! I love feijoas!! They were one of my favourite things about living in NZ. Too bad I live in Canada...I don't think we can grow them here :( Eat lots for me!