One of the strangest, yet tastiest fruit I encountered in China were yangmei, also called “hairy strawberries”, that are not at all related to strawberries.Yangmei has been trademarked as “Yumberry” for marketing purposes, so if you ever see yumberry yogurt, that’s what that is.
Yangmei are the fruit of the Myrica rubra tree and are about the size of large grapes. They have a beautifully intense dark red coloring, and these little bubble-like growths that feel slightly hairy on the tongue. The whole fruit can be eaten, but comes with a pit. The flavor is an interesting mix of mildly sour with enough sweetness to be completely addictive. The flesh is firm and also crimson.
Yangmei are very low in calories (28kcal per 100g) and very healthy, as they are high in antioxidants, ellagic acid, vitamins, and minerals, including vitamin-C, thiamine, riboflavin and carotene. And very, very tasty!
On a less scientific note, they are also great for pretending to have lost several teeth in a fist fight!
Are there any other Chinese fruit you have particular questions about? Or would you like more detail on those I’ve talked about so far?
P.S.: Is anyone planning on attending the Fabulous Food Show in Cleveland, OH, next weekend?
Healthy Foodie Travels 
We have a similar looking fruit over here but I am sure whether its the same. However I have not tasted and maybe let is buy some, try and let you know further.
If you do, let me know for sure! 🙂 I’d love to try myself through more non-European and non-American fruit.
So interesting!!! I would love to try these.. and they make your mouth look scary!! 🙂
They were delicious, too! 🙂
And that’s actually just some pulp and the pit that I was displaying because I clearly wasn’t ready for a portrait shot, haha.
Amazing! I had never heard of these before. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks! And they were 🙂
Oh, I’ve never heard of these! Hope we start seeing them here in the states 🙂
PS…can’t wait to see your apple strueselkuchen (not sure I spelled that right!).
I’d love it, but I’m not sure when. I suppose we might, since Europe has branded that “Yumberry” version…
Haha, thanks! Not much of a baker here, so I won’t ever aspire to your gorgeous treats, but at least it tasted good! Streusel, not struesel, by the way, though i guess that’s how it’s pronounced here. 🙂
Did you try eating Yangmei on Halloween ? You are lucky to travel and explore so many goodies.
No, we were there in May, but I probably could have used the teeth-effect for a good costume!
Yes, it was wonderful. I love traveling and exploring 🙂
Wow- gorgeous fruit! And hilarious picture…
Yes, and so yummy!
Thanks! It came out way more awesome than expected. My wife jokingly calls it the favorite from the trip…
Cool! I’ve never heard of yangmei before, they actually looks very similar to lychee.
Yes, except you eat the entire fruit, so it’s not like a lychee-rind. They were completely new to me, too! 🙂
sounds interesting…never tasted this before..now cant wait to giv a try…
Tasty Appetite
If you do try it, let me know what you think!
Never heard about this food, would love to try it sometime.
I hadn’t heard of it before our China trip either, but mmm!
I’ve heard of Yummy Berries and just read something tonight about hairy strawberries! Thanks for the introduction!
Anytime! If you can find them over here, let me know!
Great post, very cool:)
Thanks! 🙂
That’s great – love the picture! I’ve never heard of these. This is what I love of food blogging – I always learn something new.
Thanks, haha!
And I agree, so many inspirations and interesting tidbits 🙂 I’m glad I decided to finally do this blog!
Very interesting! Probably a wise marketing decision to market it as yumberry and not “hairy strawberry!”
Haha, yes, definitely! Though I might up such a yogurt out of sheer curiosity 😉
Yumberry!? Best berry name ever 🙂 That looks pretty delish. And you make a convincing ‘fist fight victim!’
Isn’t it? We were very amused when my wife discovered it. It is!
And thanks, I try so, so hard 😉
So cool! I must admit, yumberry sounds silly but more appetizing than hairy strawberry! Great post 🙂
Definitely true! it would probably only attract a few adventurous people. 😉 Thank you!
I love yang mei 杨梅and this fruit is usually out after the season of lychee.
They were wonderful. Thanks for the information about their season! 🙂
Now that is a new fruit to me!! Is is similar to lychees? We eat a fruit in Sri Lanka that I love called Rambutang that I love(similar to lychees)! Rambutant is also a hairy fruit, but you cannot eat the outside skin to my knowledge. Now I have to keep my eye out next time I am at my local Asian market to see this new fruit. : )
No, Rambutan is quite different, and actually related to lychees, but yang mei are a completely separate species of fruit. The taste and consistency is also completely different from rambutan, much less sweet. If you find them, let me know how you like them! 🙂 I thought they were fantastic!
I’m totally intrigued!
I was too! But they’re really delicious!
Wow! These sound delicious! I had never even heard of yangmei before!!! I wish I could taste one!
Maybe one day the yumberry wave will hit us 😉
Hahah! I can’t get over that picture of yours! The fruit does look scary but i’d love to give it a try! 🙂
I know, it turned out so hilarious! I should get a batch of these for next Halloween 😉
It looks weirder than it feels, so there wasn’t a textural oddness when I ate them at all. 🙂
Such an interesting fruit and I’d love to try. There are so many fruits in this world that we’re not really familiar with. I grew up in Japan, which is fairly closer than the US, but I’ve never heard or had these fruits. And heheh, I liked your picture. 😉
Agreed! I was in Japan twice, and loved the food, including all the vegetables I hadn’t previously known, but fruit weren’t so numerous. Maybe you’ll find them some day, they’re really tasy! 🙂
Ok, you did concern me with I saw the photo of you! I really thought something happened! Whew! Darn yumberry…speaking of yumberries thank you for sharing this. I bought a yumberry tea and it was by far my second most favorite of all time and I had no idea what it was!
Haha, sorry! I didn’t even plan for it to turn out that way, I just wasn’t ready for my portrait!
Really? Where did you find the tea? I’d love anything yang mei flavored that’s available over here! 🙂
I have never even heard of this fruit before but it sounds like a good treat 🙂 I love something healthy and delicious like this.
I was very suspicious at first, but it was really, really good! 🙂