Autumn fruit makes the perfect Easter accompaniment, says Janice Marriott.
What could be more symbolic of Easter than a bowl of our egg-shaped seasonal fruits?
Tamarillos, passionfruit and feijoas are all fruiting now.
The red tamarillo most common in our gardens was developed in an Auckland nursery in the 1920s. Before that they were yellow or purple.
If you want to pickle tamarillos or make chutney as an Easter gift, you need an acidic variety like "Red Beau". For eating fresh, sprinkled with sugar, grow "Tango", which is less acidic and much sweeter. Tamarillos are packed with vitamins - A, B6, C and E - and are a source of iron and potassium.
I can't imagine an Easter pav without passionfruit on top. Passionfruit is so named because of the cross shape inside the flower. It was named by Spanish missionaries in South America, where it was discovered. To ensure your passionfruit is sweet and ripe, wait until the fruit falls from the vine and is starting to wrinkle.
Feijoas smell like pineapples, and a bowl of feijoas on the Easter dining table will perfume the whole room.
Feijoas crop heavily, so explore ways of using them in sweet or savoury dishes. Try them in smoothies, sorbets or even salsas, or make a feijoa crumble for Easter dessert.
