Vi Apples

At one of the seasonal gift/craft shows the wife and I went to in November, we came to this booth where the nice lady was selling fresh “Vi apples.”

The little stock she was offering took me back to my childhood days in Hilo, where a huge vi tree was growing in the backyard of a home one street down from ours. It seemed to always be filled with the hard, green fruit.

Also known as “Ambarella” (Spondias dulcis) or “Otheite apples,” vi fruit comes from Tahiti. It’s a bit on the sour side, crunchy, and is used in various forms, including preserves and fruit drinks. It’s definitely a “little boy adventure.”