Instructions: Go ahead, strip away the gift wrap. The fragrant prize inside is worth the effort.

Citrus fruits, their juice-packed segments tidily arranged like succulent spokes of a wheel, are colorful flavor gems bound in sunlit peels. and now, the flavor (and visual) possibilities seem endless. Many markets sell a larger variety of fruits than ever before.

No longer limited to oranges, tangerines, grapefruit, lemons and limes, growers and importers are providing a whole new citrus world: piles of pomelos and blood oranges, troughs of oro blancos and kumquats.

"Theres been a boom of citrus specialties in the last four years," says Robert Schueller, assistant marketing director at a Los Angeles produce store. "A lot of these were chefs secrets, but now the cat is out of the bag.

"But it can be confusing because there are so many choices, so many flavors, so many colors and sizes." So venture beyond the basics.

Pomelo

At first glance, the pomelo appears to be a huge green grapefruit. And it is an ancestor to the grapefruit, but it can be the size of a healthy cantaloupe.

Wildly popular in Asian cuisine, pomelos range in flavor from tangy with a slightly tart edge to spicy-sweet. This tropical citrus has extremely thick rind and white to deep-pink flesh, which varies from juicy to slightly dry. Like other citrus fruits, pomelos are high in potassium and vitamin C. A fourth of one pomelo provides 130 percent of the vitamin C recommended for the day. Choose pomelos that are heavy for their size. Store in the refrigerator up to a week.

Anjou pears

The firm-fleshed Anjou is now the most abundant pear variety in the United States. Available in green or red, Anjous are delicious eaten fresh or added to salads and desserts.

Pears are loaded with carbohydrates, your bodys main source of fuel. Pears also are rich in potassium, vitamin C and fiber.

Select pears that are firm (not hard), well-shaped and free of blemishes.

Dont rely on color, because Anjou pears do not change color as they ripen.

Kumquats

These beauties look like tiny oval oranges, generally about 1 inch long. The entire fruit, native to China, is edible, both sweet rind and tart interior.

"In Cantonese, kumquat translates as gold orange, a nod to the fruits role as a symbol of prosperity," Georgeanne and Ethel Brennan write in their book "Citrus." Although they can be thinly sliced, seeded and used raw in green salads, they also shine when cooked.

Kumquats are delicious candied with juice or sugar and water. Spoon it over pound cake or ice cream.

Kiwi fruit

Kiwis refreshingly tart and sweet flesh has more nutrition per bite than many other fruits. Two medium kiwi fruit provide more than twice the amount of vitamin C found in an orange and as much fiber as a serving of bran-flake cereal.

Select plump-looking fruit. Firm kiwi will ripen quickly at room temperature.

When ripe, it yields to gentle pressure when squeezed in the palm of the hand.

Mangoes

Spicier than peaches, mangoes are exceptionally juicy and wonderfully sweet.

Mangoes are a rich source of beta-carotene, a nutrient that converts to vitamin A in our bodies and helps to keep our eyes, skin and hair healthy.

A ripe mango will have a sweet aroma and be slightly soft to the touch, similar to a peach. The skin should show a blush of yellow-orange or red, which will spread as the fruit ripens. A few brown speckles on the skin are a normal sign of ripeness.

Store unripe fruit at cool room temperature to soften and sweeten. Keep out of direct sunlight.

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