Unusual fruit and vegetable varieties

Mexican sour gherkin (Melothria scabra)
Spring has sprung, which means it’s time to plant some seeds! First up, and all the way from Mexico and Central America, is the cucamelon (above), aka the Mexican sour gherkin (Melothria scabra). Sow in a sunny, well-drained spot and this perennial climber will thrive, as will your summer salad repertoire in three months when you harvest the grape-sized fruits. They look like tiny watermelons and taste like cucumber with a squeeze of lime. mrfothergills.com.au

Snow Queen ‘VicTall’ Skinny Plum
Here’s one for those who yearn for an orchard but have limited garden space: the latest arrival in the ‘Skinny’ range of fruit trees. While its name, Snow Queen ‘VicTall’ Skinny Plum, is a mouthful, its fruit is delightfully diminutive and mild in ­flavour – just right for kids’ lunches and snacking. Left to its own devices, the tree can grow up to 5m, but its girth is a trim 2m. Expect white blossom in spring (above right), followed by yellow-­fleshed, thin-skinned yellow fruit that ripens to plum-red. flemings.com.au

Paris Market carrots
An heirloom French variety that produces sweet-tasting little orange globes, which are less fussy about their soil conditions than some of their longer, pointier counterparts. mrfothergills.com.au

Shimmer tomato
Meet the Shimmer tomato, an indeterminate variety that produces red almond-shaped fruit streaked with green-to-bronze markings. Sized somewhere between a cherry and a plum tomato, these will add a touch of je ne sais quoi to your salad bowl. mrfothergills.com.au

Capsicum ‘Cubanelle’
Commonly known as the Italian frying pepper, Capsicum ‘Cubanelle’ is embraced by cooks for its mild flavour and sweetness – even when green, which is when the fruit is traditionally picked. The plant grows to about 45cm high and wide, with profuse thin-skinned conical fruit up to 15cm long. It grows in most areas, provided it gets a regular watering and at least six hours of sun. Add these peppers raw to salads, or try them fried whole in a hot pan with a little olive oil and salt to aid caramelisation, then serve with a generous scattering of shaved or grated parmesan. Or split them lengthways, remove the seeds and bake in the oven until just tender. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar and serve with grilled meat or fish. Delizioso! diggers.com.au

Text by Sally Feldman