MANDY FROM MY EXOTIC FRUIT USING OUR PRODUCE ON CHANNEL 4'S SUNDAY BRUNCH

Here at My Exotic Fruit, we are no strangers to the film and TV industry. However, it was a first for us when Mandy, one of our staff members, informed us that a recipe featuring our very own produce was included on a TV cooking show!

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN THE MY EXOTIC FRUIT WORLD?

2024 marks 10 years since My Exotic Fruit was founded! With each year that’s gone by, we’ve got bigger and better ...

MCLAUCHLANS PICK YOUR OWN BERRIES IN ESSEX

May 2024

In May 2024, co-owners Colin and Christina spent a weekend visiting farm shops to get inspiration for our new shop, The Greengrocer!

LIVE TO 100

If you saw the Netflix series Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones, you will know that purple sweet potatoes are so renowned for their health benefits that some people believe that eating them will increase your life expectancy!

WORKING WITH I’M A CELEBRITY … GET ME OUT

OF HERE!

In 2020, we were excited to be contacted by the team working on the hit ITV show I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here.

A Fruit Enthusiast’s Diary

June 2024

23. Durian – Musang King

My tastebuds are delighted every time I take a bite of the super creamy flesh, with the velvety smoothness combined with a fantastic sweetness.

A Fruit Enthusiast’s Diary

June 2024

22. Mango – Mankurad

The differences between mankurad and alphonso mangoes are a constant source of debate in India.

A Fruit Enthusiast’s Diary

June 2024

21. Pear – Marguerite

The smooth, delicate skin is creamy-yellow to golden in colour and is covered in small brown speckles: they look almost too good to eat!

A Fruit Enthusiast’s Diary

June 2024

20. Melon – Charentais

You can’t help but pick these small melons up for a smell! They have a sweet, mellow, melon aroma, with enticing hints of papaya and mango.

A Fruit Enthusiast’s Diary

May 2024

19. Papaya – Variety unknown

One of the most annoying things about papayas is when they have lots of seeds, as this means you have less flesh to enjoy, so I was pleased that this variety didn’t have many!

PROVIDING FRUIT AND EXPERTISE

FOR ITV’S LOOSE WOMEN

We received an email from ITV asking us to provide some fruits for a I’m a Celebrity-inspired ‘bushtucker trial’ for the cast and the celebrity guests for an upcoming episode – the guest happened to be Boris Johnson’s father, Stanley Johnson.

A Fruit Enthusiast’s Diary

April 2024

18. Apple – Envy

When most people go abroad, they buy mementos. I buy fruit!

A Fruit Enthusiast’s Diary

April 2024

17. Mango – Kartha Kolamban

The flavour is never a disappointment! Although the rich sweetness is delicious, I particularly enjoy the unusual notes of citrus, especially the hints of orange.

A Fruit Enthusiast’s Diary

April 2024

16. Custard Apple – Atemoya

Although we tend to sell 350-450g atemoyas, these fruits can grow gigantic: they can weigh up to 1kg!

GOING BANANAS FOR DR WHO!

Spring 2024

We were asked by a member of the prestigious production company filming the show in London whether we have a specific type of banana they required to shoot a scene recreating a religious ceremony.

A Fruit Enthusiast’s Diary

March 2024

15. Blood orange – Tarocco Gallo

Tarocco Gallo have a wonderful sweetness to offset the tartness: as someone with a sweet tooth, this perfect balance of sweet and sour made them a real treat!

A Fruit Enthusiast’s Diary

March 2024

14. Kumquat – di Giarre

Combined with their deep orange colour, they almost remind me of chunky Chantenay carrots!

A Fruit Enthusiast’s Diary

March 2024

13. Tomato – Iberiko

Beneath the tough skin of these soft fruits is a fantastic internal structure: because these tomatoes aren’t very fleshy, the interior is instead made of up of lots of cavities filled with juice and seeds.

A Fruit Enthusiast’s Diary

March 2024

12. Apple – Golden Delicious

When I first picked up a Golden Delicious apple, I noticed that they have a very similar appearance to Goldrush apples (although they are slightly greener and have less distinctive brown speckles).

A Fruit Enthusiast’s Diary

March 2024

11. Pear – Abate Fetel

I bought this pear on a Sunday – it was ready to eat by Thursday. Smelling the fruit, I noticed that it wasn’t very aromatic, and I could say the same about the flesh.

WORKING WITH HESTON BLUMENTHAL'S, THE FAT DUCK

Although Colin always loves to share his passion for, and knowledge of, unusual rare fruits, being brought in as an expert speaker to what was once voted the best restaurant in the world was an unparalleled honour.

A Fruit Enthusiast’s Diary

March 2024

10. Strawberry – Florida Pearl

I was immediately struck by the colour: instead of the bright red we usually associate with strawberries, these strawberries have an attractive, creamy-white exterior.

A Fruit Enthusiast’s Diary

March 2024

9. Apple – Goldrush

As soon as I took a bite of these crisp fruits, I was amazed by the rush of intense, sweet flavour these apples provide!

A Fruit Enthusiast’s Diary

March 2024

8. Spring onion – Cipolla Rossa di Tropea Calabria

These thick, firm vegetables stand out from the crowd due to the fantastic purple colour of their bulbs and their rich onion aroma.

We firmly believe that our shop will be the best fruit and vegetable shop in Essex

March 2024

My Exotic Fruit founder and managing director Colin was interviewed by the Southend Echo about his new fruit and vegetable shop opening in 2024!

Navel Chocolate orange

hits the sweet spot

February 2024

My Exotic Fruit founder and managing director, Colin, was interviewed by Maura Maxwell (@maurafruitnet on Twitter/X)

at Fruitnet.

We were chosen by Chelmsford City Council to feature in their

business e-newsletter.

February 2024

This edition spotlighted Essex food businesses. We were featured alongside three other brilliant local businesses.

A taste to die for

January 2023

In January 2023, My Exotic Fruit

founder Colin was asked to contribute to a newspaper article about one of the most renowned exotic fruits: Durian

A Fruit Enthusiast’s Diary

October 2022

5. Serving exotic fruit drinks at

Nestlé’s Product Technology Centre

Join me as we go on the road in the UK for an outing to the Nestlé Confectionery Product Technology Centre in York with the My Exotic Fruit bar.

A Fruit Enthusiast’s Diary

August 2022

4. Pick your own organic blueberries in Exmoor

A spontaneous activity after spotting a roadside sign advertising ‘PYO Blueberries in a rural setting with spectacular views’ on a weekend trip to Lynton in Devon.

A Fruit Enthusiast’s Diary

April 2022

2. Celina Pear

A small pear with gorgeous yellow and red soft peel.

Three exotic fruits you need

in your life!

January 2022

We all know that age-old adage: an apple a day to keep the doctor away.

But staying healthy on the same familiar fruits found in your local supermarket can get a little boring.