Pronounced “Joo-Joo-Bee,” these exotic little fruits have a unique flavor and medicinal uses in Eastern medicine including stress relief and infection prevention. Immature jujubes are green but turn mahogany as they ripen.
Jujubes have a date-apple-like flavor and texture at this stage with an apple's crispness. Every part of the fruit is edible except for the olive-like pit. First cultivated in China, India, and some Middle Eastern countries, this fruit has now found a fan base among California fruit growers and consumers throughout the state. You'll find them at farmers' market specialty growers.
The Lowdown
Season
Fall
Color
Yellow/brown
Select
Choose firm fruit with clear skin free of mold or softness. Jujubes are sold at farmers’ markets in their ripe or dried form.
Store
Fresh, ripe jujubes will keep for a week in the refrigerator but taste the best directly after purchase.