Crispy Christophene
Requires: christophenes. One is plenty.
Also useful: some oil, some celery salt or other topping
Christophenes, when peeled, leave a sticky, stinging residue on your hands. To avoid this rub your hands lightly with oil beforehand. Peel the christophenes, halve them and discard the cores. Slice thinly with a potato peeler or cut into small strips with a knife. Chill in a bowl of water for about 12 hours. They will then be crisp with a slightly sweet apple taste.
DAVE SAYS: Christophene is a fruit native to the Caribbean, which Lynda turned up at a co-op in Iowa City. It is also called chayote and mirlitan. The taste is something like a cross between honeydew and cucumber with a hint of apple. I sprinkled a little celery salt on the slices before I served it, and even so, the taste was kind of bland. I think it would work well in salads or dips.
EMILY SAYS: I thought it was quite tasty. Nice and cool and refreshing. And I liked the way the celery salt worked with it. I liked it by itself as a nibble-thing to go with so much cooked food. It filled the place of something fresh very nicely.
LYNDA SAYS: Take a little honeydew and mix in some cucumber and just a touch of apple, and you've got the flavor down just about right. Fresh and crisp and gentle. This was a beautiful contrast to the stronger flavors elsewhere. I liked the thin slices; I don't think much thicker ones would have had the same effect.