Kiwi fruit

In the 1980s and the days of nouvelle cuisine, when portions were small and prices high, the fruit in

fashion was the kiwi. The fruit, denuded of its brown, fuzzy skin, was served ad nauseum in everything from soups to desserts. Chefs liked kiwi fruit because it was different (for about five minutes, anyway), colourful and - when used correctly (it often was not) - added a unique flavour.

Kiwi fruit are nutritious, containing high amounts of vitamin C (more than an orange), vitamin E, fibre and potassium. They are also known as Chinese goose-berries, although they taste nothing like that fruit. The flavour of the kiwi fruit is sweet-tart, acidic and faintly reminiscent of strawberry. You can scoop the flesh from the skin, or peel off the skin with a paring knife (the skin is supposed to be edible but its rough texture is unusual and few try it). The flesh is usually green, but there are also golden kiwis, which are yellow.

When buying kiwis, press them lightly with your fingertips - they should give slightly and not be rock-hard. They can be ripened at room temperature, out of direct sunlight.

The most obvious use for kiwi fruit is in a fruit salad. They look especially good mixed with bright, contrasting-coloured fruit, such as strawberries and mangos. Toss together with passion-fruit pulp to make the classic topping for pavlova.

Pastry chefs like to use kiwi-fruit puree to dress up desserts. Process the kiwi flesh in a blender or food processor and add caster sugar and fresh lemon juice to taste. This puree is also delicious served over ice cream, or mixed with fizzy water for a refreshing drink. For something more potent, mix the puree with judicious amounts of vodka or rum, add soda water and a splash of sugar syrup (sugar boiled with an equal weight of water) and serve with ice.