Forgotten Fruit, Part II

Forgotten fruits are almost in need of their own column around here lately. Last week, quince was on the agenda. This week, we’re talking about loquats. The fruit, with a cherry-like flavor and a texture reminiscent of melon, makes an appearance in Southern California’s spring season, where it also tends to “grow like a weed.” For that reason, there is very little market demand, and as such, they’ve been almost entirely neglected by American farmers. (Sound familiar?) They’re also the divas of produce (read: are high-maintenance to farm). In the world of agriculture, the cards seemed to be stacked against the poor loquat. But what about in the world of cooking? We hear they make a lovely Indian chutney. Or you could eat them straight off of the tree. Either way, you’ll be one pome closer to discovering - or rediscovering, as the case may be - the weirder, less desirable cousins of apples and pears.Market Watch: Above the ocean in Malibu, a rare orchard of loquats from LA Times