You may think of kiwifruit as green, but in the wild they are found in red and yellow as well.

In the late 1970s, New Zealand kiwifruit growers began experimenting with the breeding of a golden kiwifruit (in the U.S., we call it “kiwi” for short).

In 1992, Zespri—the world leader in premium quality kiwifruit—selected one offspring plant from the breeding stock to create the the golden-fleshed berry* now known as Zespri© SunGold© Kiwifruit. It is available at supermarkets nationwide from May through October.

SunGold is sweeter than a green kiwi, and tastes like a cross between a mango and a strawberry with just a hint of tangyness. We adore it.

NOTE that SunGold is a proprietary strain from Zespri. You may find other golden kiwifruit; we can’t vouch for it. Look for the Zespri label.
 
 
ENJOY KIWI ANYTIME

Like regular kiwi, SunGold offers healthy amounts of vitamins C and E, potassium. Its sunny yellow sweetness boosts the nutrition and color on the plate.

You can simply scoop it and eat it with a spoon, or peel it for just about any fruit recipe. A few examples:

 
 
HOW TO RIPEN KIWIFRUIT

Golden kiwi is usually ready to eat when you buy it. It should feel slightly soft to the touch, like a ripe peach. Once ripe, it should be stored in the refrigerator (the same for green kiwi).

Green kiwi may be a bit firm when you buy it, and will usually ripen at in three to five days at room temperature. The firmer the fruit, the more tart it will taste.

[2] All you need is a spoon.

By the same token, any ripe fruit should be stored away from ethylene-producing fruits—never in the same produce drawer. If you want to store the fruit for longer than a few days, keep it in a plastic bag in the fridge.
 
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*Yes, kiwi is a very large berry. It grows on a vine.

[1] Kiwi-banana cocktail. [2] Baked Brie with kiwi compote (photos courtesy Zespri).

RECIPE #1: KIWI-BANANA-TINI COCKTAIL

Ingredients For 2 Cups

 
Preparation

1. MUDDLE the kiwi and rum in a shaker. Add the Bärenjäger and shake with ice. Strain into a Martini glass.

2. PLACE the cream and Liquor 43 in a shaker. Shake for 30 seconds until frothy.

3. PLACE a teaspoon (flatware) against the inside edge of a Martini glass, with the well facing the glass. Slowly pour the cream mixture over back of spoon onto the kiwi mixture, creating a layered effect. Garnish as desired and serve immediately.
 
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†A serrated peeler works best for peeling kiwifruit.

‡You can substitute another honey liqueur and can also easily make your own honey liqueur.

**Licor 43 is made from citrus and other fruit juices, flavored with vanilla, herbs and spices. You can substitute another vanilla liqueur or a citrus liqueur.

Ingredients For 16 Servings

Prep time is 10 minutes, total time is 25 minutes.

 
Preparation

1. HEAT the oven to 350F. Unwrap the Brie; trim and discard the top rind. Place the Brie in a baking dish or pie plate. Bake for 15 minutes or until the Brie is softened and beginning to melt. Meanwhile…

2. STIR together in a microwavable bowl the jelly, mustard and pepper. Fold in the kiwi and microwave on high power for 1-1/2 minutes, stirring halfway through heating, until hot.

3. TRANSFER the Brie to a serving plate. Top with the kiwi compote and serve with crackers or breads.
 
 
VISIT ZESPRIKIWI.COM FOR MANY MORE RECIPES
  

[1] Grilled watermelon steaks with walnut gremolata (photo courtesy McCormick). [2] Use seedless watermelon (photo courtesy Bridges Produce).

We’ve previously recommended cauliflower steaks and grilled cabbage steaks. Today’s “field meat” steaks are made with watermelon. The sweet fruit is grilled with savory seasonings to create a special first course.

Seedless watermelon is cut into thick “steaks”; marinated in a mixture of white balsamic vinegar, lemon juice and rosemary; and topped with a walnut gremolata.

What’s gremolata? It’s a lively, fresh-chopped condiment that typically includes parsley and/or other green herbs, plus lemon zest and garlic. It’s the traditional accompaniment to osso bucco, braised veal shank; but it’s a tasty accent to many dishes. Bonus: Because it’s so flavorful, you can cut back on salt.

Here’s more about gremolata, including the classic gremolata recipe.
 
 
RECIPE: GRILLED WATERMELON STEAKS WITH WALNUT GREMOLATA

Prep time is 10 minutes, cook time is 8 minutes. Some people like to cut the watermelon into rectangles, in line with the steak theme. You also can cut the grilled watermelon into bite-size squares and serve them as hors d’oeuvres.

Ingredients For 8 Servings

 
For The Gremolata

1. CUT four 1-inch-thick, half-moon slices of watermelon. Reserve any remaining watermelon for another use.

2. MIX the vinegar, oil, lemon juice, rosemary, salt and pepper in small bowl. Reserve 2 tablespoons for drizzling over the grilled watermelon. Place the watermelon steaks in glass dish and add the rest of the marinade. Refrigerate for 20 minutes, turning the watermelon halfway through. Meanwhile…

3. MAKE the walnut gremolata: Mix the walnuts, parsley and lemon peel in a small bowl and set aside. Remove the steaks from the marinade, reserving the leftover marinade for basting the watermelon during grilling.

4. GRILL the steaks over high heat for 2 to 4 minutes per side or until grill marks appear, brushing with the leftover marinade after the 2-minute mark.

5. SERVE: Cut the watermelon steaks in half. Drizzle with the reserved marinade. Sprinkle with the gremolata.
 
WHICH IS BETTER: SEEDLESS OR SEEDED WATERMELON?

We turned to the National Watermelon Board to learn that:

Here’s an easy way to turn any cold drink into a July 4th drink: red, white (clear) and blue ice cubes.

You don’t have to purchase special star-shaped ice cubes trays, but they add to the fun. You can use whatever trays you have.

You can color ice for any occasion. McCormick even makes black ice cubes for Halloween! Ideas:

 
Yes, we do feel a bit silly providing the recipe for ice…but here it is:
 
 
RECIPE: COLORED ICE CUBES

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. MAKE one color at a time. First, measure the amount of water your ice cube tray holds. Fill the tray and pour the wanter into a glass measuring cup.

2. USE food color to tint the water to the desired color. Pour it into the ice cube tray(s) and freeze.

3. REMOVE the frozen ice to a storage bag, and repeat until you have the amount of ice that you need.
 
 
OTHER WAYS TO COLOR YOUR ICE

[1] Color your cubes for July 4th (photo courtesy MeetTheDubiens.com. [2] Three colors, one cube (photo courtesy OneMartiniAtATime.com). [3] You can make ice in any color (photo courtesy GlassShakenTogetherLife.com).

Yankee Doodle Brandy: Combine white wine and Grand Marnier orange brandy for July 4th (photo courtesy Elegant Affairs).

This fun and arty sangria recipe is from caterer Andrea Correale of Elegant Affairs (www.elegantaffairscaterers.com):

RECIPE: JULY 4TH SANGRIA

Ingredients For 1 Large Pitcher

 
The Fresh Fruit

1. MAKE the simple syrup: Boil 1/2 cup water, then add 1/2 cup granulated white sugar. Turn the heat to simmer and stir until dissolved. Turn off the heat and let the syrup cool.

2.COMBINE all ingredients except the fresh fruit (but including the simple syrup) in a large punch bowl or pitcher. Stir well and add the fruit. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours.

3. SERVE well-chilled with a good scoop of fruit floating in each drink. If you plan to serve over ice, consider making star-shaped ice cubes.
 
FOR A MOCKTAIL

Here’s a mocktail option for kids and adults who don’t drink:

Native to Southeast Asia and India, starfruit was brought back to Europe by sailors and traders in the late 1700s. Rare and costly, it became popular among wealthy Europeans.

Starfruit was brought to Hawaii by Chinese traders in the late 1800s. Yet, it was introduced to mainland America—Florida—only about 75 years ago. Today the state is the largest producer of American-consumed starfruit. Puerto Rico and Hawaii are the other major producers. These domestic fruits are sold in the U.S., because of import restrictions due to potential pests that often accompany the fruit.

The closer you are to the orchard, the better. Like most fruits, starfruit has much more flavor and sweetness when it is allowed to ripen on the tree or vine.
 
WHAT ARE STARFRUIT?

Starfruit or carambola (star fruit is an alternate spelling) is the fruit of a species of tree (Averrhoa carambola) that is native to Southeast Asia. The tree is now cultivated throughout the subtropical belt.

Named for the five-pointed star shaped slices it yields when cut horizontally, the pale yellow, juicy flesh with a distinctly tropical orange-pineapple flavor contains a few small, flat seeds. If the fruit is greenish, it isn’t fully ripe but will have white flesh and a tart apple flavor and texture.

 
HOW TO USE STARFRUIT

For July 4th, Christmas or any other starry occasion, these “edible stars” can be used just about everywhere, with savory as well as sweet foods.

 
BUYING TIPS

 
 
NEED RECIPES FOR JULY 4TH?

Here are “patriotic” recipes for everything from breakfast to after-dinner drinks.

[2] Greenish, but still fine to eat (photo courtesy Melissas.com).

[3] A starfruit upside-down cake (here’s the recipe from Noshon.it).

[4] Starfruit drink garnish, cocktail or mocktail (photo courtesy STK | LA).