If you recall from [this post], I had just started harvesting African Horned Cucumber, also known as Jelly Melon and also known as Kiwano. Then there was my own nickname for them, “evil cucumbers.” The vine was prickly and itchy, and the fruit themselves were spiked with hard thorns across the firm surface. It grew across everything, covering the basil and other plants I wanted to harvest.
I couldn’t decide if I liked them enough to plant them again.
Then, I discovered [Sun Tropics Tapioca Pudding] and now I’m partial to the taste of kiwano, as well as the texture kiwano lends to being served over the pudding alongside cinnamon sugar, fruit and zest of orange. In fact, when kiwano begins to turn orange, it has a hint of tangerine alongside the tart cucumber flavor essence.
I think I would plant them again, but for now I have about two dozen fruit that can keep for a few more weeks. Also, I have no idea where I would plant them, knowing how much area the vines can take up and how defensive the plant can be to human touch. In any case, it was an adventure.