Who doesn’t love fruits? They are refreshing and full of many essential nutrients. Whether cooked or raw, fruits make a great addition to your diet. In order to get a complete balance of nutrients, one should include ample fruits in their diet.
There aren’t many fruits that start with ‘Q’ but you can use them in a variety of recipes. From the sweet quince to the tart quandong, which ones are your favorites?
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8 Fruits That Start With Q
Quandong
Quandong (Santalum acuminatum) is also known as desert peach, native peach or wild peach. The fruit grows wild in Western Australia, South Australia, New South Wales, Victoria, and in smaller numbers in Queensland. It was an important food source for Indigenous Australians. In fact, Central Australia’s Pitjantjatjara people also used it as a substitute for meat.
The Quandong is one of Australia’s most versatile bush foods, that can be dried and stored for up to eight years. The seed also holds a nut, called the Quandong nut, which is roasted and eaten. The Quandong fruit is visually appealing due to its bright yellow-to-red exterior. It has a pleasant taste when ripe, but is also tart and dry. The level of sweetness usually varies but the texture is usually dry.
Quandong fruits are used in jams, pies, tarts, preserves, and juices. They are rich in antioxidants and folate which promote the health of the immune system.
Quince
Quince (Cydonia oblonga), also known as honey apple and marmelo, is a popular fruit in Moroccan, Romanian, and Persian cuisine. It is native to Iran and available all year long. Although they were considered a staple item in many kitchens around the world including the United States, they are now mainly found in China and Turkey.
The Quince fruit is like a large and lumpy pear, bright yellow in color. The most prominent feature of this fruit is its aroma, which is musky and tropical at the same time. While the flesh is too sour and astringent to consume raw, it turns into a rich paste with floral and honey notes when slow-cooked. In some cultures, the Quince fruit is a customary addition to meat dishes such as stews.
The best way to prepare this fruit is by slow cooking it into a jam, jelly, or candy. You can also poach it in wine or use it in cakes.
Quenepa
Quenepa (Melicoccus bijugatus), also known as Mamones, Gineps, and Spanish lime, is a tropical fruit native to northern South America and the Caribbean. They are related to rambutan and lychee. Although these fruits look like small, unripe limes, they are not a citrus fruit.
Quenepa fruits grow in clusters of twelve or more and are usually sold the same way. The fruits are small and round, with tough and leathery skin that is bright green. The flesh of the fruit is translucent and gelatinous like a lychee, ranging in color from yellow orange to pale yellow. Unripe Quenepas are sour and acidic, while ripe ones have a flavor similar to limes and lychee.
You can eat Quenepas fresh by simply peeling the skin to suck on the pulp. They can also be used in cocktails, desserts, and jellies.
Queen Anne Cherries
Queen Anne Cherries, also known Napoleon, Napoleon Bigarreau, and Royal Ann, Royal Anne Cherries, are a variety of sweet cherries native to Turkey. People often mistake Queen Anne Cherries for Rainier cherries, since they have a similar appearance.
These cherries are yellow to light pink colored, with a firm texture. They are more tart than Rainier cherries but with a natural sweetness. You can be eat them fresh, or use them in pies, jams, and sauces. Since Queen Anne cherries are easily bruised, they are also a great option for canning. These cherries are most often prepared as Maraschino cherries, which are used in cocktails.
Quararibea Cordata
Quararibea cordata, also known as the South American sapote, matisia, and chupa-chupa fruit, is native to the foothills of the Andes. It is grown in parts of Brazil, Venezuela, and Colombia. It mainly grows in hot, humid subtropical regions with lots of rainfall.
The fruit is very popular in South America but not cultivated on a wide scale.
The Quararibea Cordata is brown and round in shape. The flesh on the inside is orange, sweet, and fibrous. Some say the flavor is similar to a pumpkin with overtones of mango and apricot, while others describe it as a blend of mangoes, peaches, and strawberries. You can eat this fruit raw and fresh, while some people also use it in cocktails.
Querina Apple
Querina apple, also known as Florina, is a French variety of apples that combines the flavors and textures of the Jonathan, Golden Delicious, and Rome apples. It is a disease-resistant variety, created in the 1970s in France.
The Querina apple is large and covered with purple-red streaks. This is an attractive apple, since it is large and a deep red to purple color. Often, the side that faces the sun is a darker purplish red. The inside is creamy white, crisp, and delicious. It also has a cider-like aroma with a moderately sweet and tart flavor. These apples are best-suited for fresh eating since they are sweet and aromatic. Although, you can also use them to make apple cider.
Quinault Strawberry
The Quinault Strawberry variety has two harvests a year, earning it the title “everbearing strawberry”. If under ideal conditions, it can also produce as many as three harvests a year. This variety is particularly hardy, since it is resistant to disease and cold temperatures. Quinault strawberries thrive in the Pacific Northwest and Midwest.
Quinault strawberries are large, firm, and a deep ruby-like red. This variety is also great for home-growers since they can be grown in a container as well. The strawberries are a good balance of sweet and tart. You can use them in many recipes, or just enjoy their natural sweetness fresh.
Queen Victoria Pineapples
Queen Victoria Pineapples (Ananas comosus) have many common names including Common Rough pineapples, South African Baby pineapples, Zululand pineapples, Queen Baby pineapples, Queen pineapples, and Victoria pineapples. They are a smaller variety of pineapples, native to South Africa.
These pineapples are smaller than the regular pineapple and stand at four to five inches. They are available all year long and have an aromatic golden orange skin. The flesh is bright yellow and sweeter and more aromatic than a regular pineapple. Queen Victoria pineapples are often used as garnish, but can be eaten whole.
Their small size makes them perfect for use in juices, cocktails, fruit salads, and baked goods. Since they are very sweet, they make great pineapple juice.