(the) unknown fruit: nespole/ loquats/ neffle du Japon/ japonische Wollmispel

It is never too late to learn/try something new...in Calabria i
saw/tried a new (at least for me and the rest of people with me)
fruit! It looks like an apricot, its juicy like a watermelon and
tastes like .....hmmmm... a mixture of melon, peach and orange?!:-)

This (unknown) to me tree, the fruit junkie, is home in southern parts

of Mediterranean Europe. Mostly like Calabria, Spain and Greece. It
originates from Southeastern China. Sometimes (and in some languages)
the loquat is called also Japanese medlar (for all Bulgarian readers
name should be "японска мушмула"). Japan is also the leading producer
of loquats (from January till June) and has been cultivating this
fruit for more than 1000 years!!! A distant relative of his is the
apple.The loquat is low in saturated fat and sodium, and is high in
vitamin A, dietary fiber, potassium, and manganese.

The loquat is an evergreen shrub or small tree and grows easily in

tropical till mild temperate climate. A big thanks goes to Michelle
for her picture of the loquat-tree above!