A kiwifruit is a small, oval fruit with fuzzy brown skin and bright green flesh dotted with tiny black seeds arranged in a starburst pattern. When you slice one open, it looks almost too pretty to eat. The flavor is sweet and slightly tart, like a mix of strawberry, melon, and banana.

The fruit originally came from China, where it was called yang tao, but New Zealand farmers began growing it commercially in the early 1900s. They renamed it “kiwifruit” after New Zealand's national bird, the kiwi, because both are small, brown, and fuzzy. Today, most people just call it a kiwi, though that can be confusing since kiwi also refers to the bird and to people from New Zealand.

You can eat kiwifruit by cutting it in half and scooping out the flesh with a spoon, or by peeling off the fuzzy skin and slicing it. Some adventurous eaters even eat the skin, which is edible and nutritious, though most people prefer to peel it off. The fruit is packed with vitamin C and adds a tangy brightness to fruit salads or smoothies.