Summer weather is here, and Brookshire Brothers is THE place to get your favorite refreshing fruits, as well as try something new!
We've been working hard to bring you new fruits and varieties throughout our produce departments. Here are a few of the exciting new items you might find at your local Brookshire Brothers; we can't wait to hear what you love!
Blood Oranges
Named for their deep red flesh and rosy blush on the skin, Blood Oranges are the perfect blend of juicy, sweet and tart. Traditionally grown in Italy, Blood Oranges are popular with chefs for use in creating amazing sauces, sorbets, desserts, cocktails, dressings, and marmalade.
Choose Blood Oranges that are firm and heavy for their size. Blood Oranges may have a full-colored blush or have no blush at all. Avoid blemishes and shriveled or moldy spots. For the juiciest, sweetest fruit, look for Blood Oranges with a sweet, clean fragrance. Store at cool room temperatures for up to one week or refrigerate for up to two weeks.
Dragon Fruit
The Dragon Fruit is an exotic cactus fruit that has a delicately sweet and mildly acidic flavor, reminiscent of watermelon, cactus pear, and kiwi. All Melissa's Dragon Fruit plants flower at night and emit a jasmine-like fragrance. The fruit itself is round and its exterior ranges in color from a hot pink to red. The interior color of dragon fruit ranges from white to red. Both types have tiny, edible black seeds (very similar to those found inside kiwi).
This fruit does not grow well in winter cold or summer heat, so its availability is limited, making it a highly prized treat. The melon-like texture of the Dragon Fruit makes it ideal for blending into drinks as well as using in sorbets.
Melissa's Dragon Fruit are hand-selected for excellent quality. Melissa's Dragon Fruit should be kept refrigerated, unwashed, for up to 5 days. Best served chilled.
- Imported Dragon Fruit (white flesh) is available year-round.
- Domestic Dragon Fruit (white flesh and red flesh) is typically only available August through December.
Yellow and Orange Watermelons
Melissa’s Orange Watermelons are deliciously sweet and juicy with a bright orange interior. Large and round like a basketball, the orange watermelon is seedless and has a thick green rind.
Look for a light green rind with dark green stripes for orange watermelons. Melissa’s Orange Watermelons are great for summer dishes, adding a variety of color and flavor.
Delicious eaten sliced or as "melon balls," orange watermelon can also be topped with a sprinkle of ginger, salt, or a squeeze of lemon or lime. They add a sweet flavor to fruit salads or when used in fruit drinks.
Melissa's Yellow Watermelons: With the consumption of around 3 billion pounds annually, it’s no surprise that the watermelon is considered one of America’s favorite fruits. A native of Africa, it was supposedly a source of water for thirsty traders who began to sell the seeds in cities along the Mediterranean trade routes. Available year-round, yellow watermelon is a perfect picnic snack on a hot summer day.
Pinkglow® Pineapples
The Pinkglow® will enhance your dishes and impress your Instagram followers with its radiant beauty and splendor. Experience the taste of a remote paradise with this pink-hued majestic wonder!
Pinkglow® Pink Pineapples grow on a select farm in the South-Central region of Costa Rica, which has the ideal soil and climate for growing pineapples. Fresh Del Monte has been developing and testing the Pinkglow® pineapple for over 16 years to ensure the perfect taste and aromas, creating a blend that’s just right.
What does Pinkglow® taste like?
- Delicious and unique flavor with notes of candy pineapple aromatics
- Juicier, sweeter, and less sour than a traditional pineapple
- Consumers say it tastes like a hybrid between pineapple and another citrus fruit
- It contains lycopene, a natural pigment that gives some produce its red color, which makes this pineapple pink! Lycopene has been associated with numerous health benefits, such as antioxidant properties, and is an excellent source of Vitamin C, which helps support and maintain a healthy immune system.
- Pinkglow® Pink Pineapple Salad
- Pinkglow® Pink Pineapple and Mango Ceviche
- Pinkglow® Pink Pineapple Pina Colada
- Grilled Pink Pineapple Margarita
Cactus Pears
Cactus Pear, also known as prickly pear, is the delectable, elongated, egg-shaped fruit of several varieties of Opuntia cactus. The purple-red (and sometimes green) prickly skin of the Cactus Pear can be peeled away, exposing a soft, ruby-red or golden-colored flesh with tiny, edible seeds. The flavor varies by variety, but is most often similar to a sweet melon. The flowery aroma and juicy texture are like watermelon.
Cactus Pears are usually served cold, peeled and sectioned with the seeds and served in fruit salads or sprinkled with brown sugar, lime juice and topped with whipped cream to create a unique dessert.
To prep a Cactus Pear, wear gloves to protect your hands. Cut off both ends of the fruit. Using a paring knife, make shallow lengthwise cuts about 3" apart. Starting at one end, peel off and discard skin or cut the skin off from top to bottom.
Store ripe fruit in a crisper drawer of the refrigerator up to one week.
Find more information and recipes at melissas.com
We'd love to hear from you! Let us know what you're loving or what you'd like to see in our stores next by emailing us at customerexperience@brookshirebros.com. We appreciate your feedback and business!