Feijoas - what to do with these delicious fruit.

The feijoa, a beloved fruit of New Zealand, has long been associated with the transition to autumn and evokes feelings of nostalgia for Kiwis living abroad. Kate Evans' beautiful new book Feijoa: A Story of Obsession & Belonging offers a fascinating look at its rise to icon status in our country.  It's worth a read, we loved it.

As the Feijoa has a short season, you need to gather, eat and cook Feijoas fast. This is our favourite way to use Feijoas - Peter Gordon's Roast Feijoa Chutney - Roast feijoa and manuka chutney - NZ Herald.  Featuring the tart and fragrant flavors of feijoa, it makes for a unique pickle but we also like it as you use the whole feijoa, even the skin which means less work. For baking, there are endless recipes utilizing the smaller and softer fruit, such as the decadent Upside-Down Feijoa Caramel Cake or subtly tangy Feijoa Skin Muffins. Alternatively, the flesh can be frozen and saved for future baking endeavors.

And don’t forget your smallest visitors: the wild birds! Cut leftover feijoas in half and put them out for hungry tauhou (waxeyes), finches, yellowhammer and sparrows. At this time of year when food sources are becoming scarce, the birds will be more than happy to clean them up for you.