Kate Evans: Kiwi author on her research and book 'Feijoa: A Story of Obsession and Belonging'

A highly controversial fruit, feijoas have long held a special place in New Zealand culture. 

They’ve become a feature of kiwi iconography, their popularity seeing the flavour crop up in the least expected places. 

Kiwi author Kate Evans thinks of herself as the nerdiest of feijoa nerds, travelling the world and researching the fruit. 

She’s recently published a book on the subject, ‘Feijoa: A Story of Obsession and Belonging’. 

Evans told Newstalk ZB’s Jack Tame that her obsession started with the fruit tree in her parents’ house, sitting under the tree as a child and eating them by the bucketful. 

“I lived overseas for about a decade, and when I was away, I just missed feijoas so much.” 

She said that whenever she managed to find one overseas, cutting it open would fill her with an intense nostalgia for home. 

“When I moved back to New Zealand in 2014, I was so excited to be here for an entire feijoa season.” 

The fruit is so ubiquitous in New Zealand despite not being native, which got Evans wondering how this South American fruit became such a cultural touchstone. 

Feijoas originated in South America and were imported over to New Zealand in the early 1900’s, where they were found to grow incredibly well. 

“It’s quite easy to grow them, you don’t really have to do much.” 

Despite the cultural love for Feijoas, the Colombians might have us beat with their festival dedicated to the fruit.  

“They make so many more things with them than we do,” Evans told Tame. 

Recipes for some of which, she has included in her book: feijoa mousse, carpaccio, and more, for those desperately searching for a new way to consume their crop. 

Learn where you can donate your excess feijoas here.

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