non-Asian shoppers at Bi-Rite Market when yangmei made its debut there last year. Hu said she envisions yangmei becoming the new kiwifruit, also native to eastern China and once considered an exotic fruit before Australians commercialized it. “We believe (yangmei) can become a very popular exotic fruit on America’s dining table,” she said. “Plus, when you look at it—it’s so pretty.” Big potential for small fruit Lee, who is Chinese but grewup inMalaysia, had never experienced fresh yangmei until two years ago in Chen’s backyard and on a recent trip to China. He said he remembers dried, candied versions of yangmei as a kid and liked it, but now prefers to eat yangmei “straight up.” “It’s refreshing, so you think about it when it’s a hot day—like I’m thinking about it now and I salivate,” Lee said. He said he thinks yangmei could someday become a staple summer fruit in the U.S., with the market appeal of strawberries and raspberries, except it would be abitmore expensivebecauseof its limitedavailability and short season—about three weeks starting in late June and early July, depending on the weather.
Lucero said it’s been interesting to see the Instagram posts of people who bought yangmei at Bi-Rite and what they did with it—frommaking yangmei syrup to jelly, candy and ice cream. In China, yangmei has been used medicinally for centuries, he said, though it is most often eaten as a fresh fruit. In addition to being dried and candied, the fruit has beenmade into juice and yangmei-infused alcoholic drinks. Hu said frozen yangmei would make great smoothies. The fruit would also go well in a barbecue sauce or as a marinade for meat, she added. Lucero said Calmei hopes to bring yangmei out of obscurity in the U.S. by getting it “front and center to tastemakers and influencers” such as chefs, to develop recipes and more uses for the fruit. He noted the company has already received “a lot of inquiries” fromgrocery stores across the country and from restaurants as far away as Boston, saying they want to incorporate yangmei in their cocktail menus. “I’m excited for what the future brings,” he said. “It’s a great platform for people to do new and exciting things.”
Ching Lee clee@californiabountiful.com
MORE ONLINE To learn more about yangmei, watch the video at www.californiabountiful.com.
Yangmei from Chen's backyard made its debut last year at Bi-Rite Market in San Franciso, left and above, selling for $49.99 a pound.
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