Malcolm Manners
In spite of its relatively small size and plain look, Italian loquat fruit or nespolo as it is called by locals, is a blessing for Italian fruitless season starting in early April, when winter fruits are over already, and spring fruits have not come into season yet. Nespoles have orange tint and its ripeness depends on the shade: the darker – the better. Brown bruises do not spoil the taste of its juicy flesh. Nespole trees happen to grow almost in every yard in the countryside and are available at local markets. They were introduced in Italy at the end of 18th century. People eagerly planted nespole trees as they were believed to protect households from evel witches and bad luck.
