My neighbor gave me a bag of these… anyone know what they are? How do you eat them?

Ask yourself:

Is it a fruit or a vegetable?

Does it grow on a vine, a tree, or underground?

Is the skin thick, thin, fuzzy, waxy, or papery?

Does it smell like anything when cut?

Take photos in good light. Slice one open if it’s safe to do so and note:

Seed placement

Flesh color

Texture (crisp? starchy? juicy?)

These clues narrow things down fast.

The Most Common “Neighbor Gave Me These” Culprits

While it could be something rare, most mystery bags fall into a few repeat-offender categories. Here are the usual suspects—and how people eat them.

1. Sunchokes (a.k.a. Jerusalem Artichokes)

What they look like:
Knobby, ginger-like tubers. Beige to tan. Ugly in a lovable way.

Why they’re confusing:
They look like roots, but taste nothing like potatoes.

How you eat them:

Roasted until caramelized

Sliced thin and eaten raw in salads

Pureed into soup

Important note:
They’re delicious but can cause… digestive enthusiasm if eaten in large quantities. Start small.

2. Chayote Squash

What it looks like:
Pale green, pear-shaped, with a single large seed inside.

Why it’s confusing:
It doesn’t look like “squash” as most people know it.

How you eat it:

Sautéed like zucchini

Added to stir-fries

Pickled or eaten raw with lime and salt

Mild, crunchy, and extremely forgiving.

3. Loquats

What they look like:
Small orange-yellow fruits, kind of like mini apricots.

Why they’re confusing:
They ripen quickly and don’t ship well, so stores rarely sell them.

How you eat them:

Fresh (remove the large seeds)

Made into jam

Baked into tarts

Sweet, floral, and wildly underrated.

4. Persimmons (The Tricky Ones)

What they look like:
Orange, tomato-shaped fruits.

Why they’re confusing:
Some varieties are sweet when firm; others will turn your mouth into sandpaper unless fully soft.

How you eat them:

Slice and eat fresh (once ripe)

Bake into bread or pudding

Dry into chewy snacks

If it tastes awful, it’s not ripe yet. Trust this rule.

5. Fiddlehead Ferns

What they look like:
Tightly coiled green stems that look like baby ferns.

Why they’re confusing:
They look ornamental, not edible.

How you eat them:

Always cooked (never raw)

Blanched, then sautéed with butter and garlic

Earthy, springy, and very seasonal.

Step Three: Ask (Yes, Really)

Here’s the simplest solution, and somehow the hardest one for many of us: ask your neighbor.

Gardeners love talking about what they grow. You’re not bothering them—you’re validating their efforts.

Try:

“Hey, thanks again for these! I realized I should probably ask… what are they, and how do you like to cook them?”

You’ll likely get:

The name

A family recipe

A warning you really needed

Step Four: Start Simple in the Kitchen

Once you know what you’re dealing with, don’t overcomplicate it.

For most mystery produce, the safest first approach is:

Olive oil

Salt

Heat

Roasting or sautéing reveals flavor without masking it. From there, you can decide if it wants spices, acidity, herbs, or sweetness.

Why These Moments Are Actually a Gift

Beyond the initial confusion, being handed unfamiliar food is a quiet kind of magic.

It’s:

A connection to someone else’s time and labor

A reminder that food doesn’t have to be branded to be valuable

An invitation to learn something new

Some of the best foods you’ll ever eat won’t come with instructions. They’ll come in reused grocery bags, handed over a fence, with a smile and a shrug.

Final Thoughts

So if your neighbor gives you a bag of “these,” don’t panic. Don’t toss them. And don’t assume you won’t like them.

Take a closer look. Ask a question. Cook them simply.

Worst case? You learn something.
Best case? You discover a new favorite food—and maybe a new reason to talk to your neighbor.

And honestly? That’s a pretty great trade for a mysterious bag of produce.