Don't Eat the Kiwi!

Right. It's time for a quick bit of clarification.

You don't eat a kiwi. You've never eaten a kiwi. In fact, it's against the law to eat a Kiwi. You probably have, however, eaten a kiwifruit.

A kiwi is the national bird of New Zealand. It's a nocturnal, flightless, long-billed, grub-eating little thing the size of a small barnyard hen. They are indigenous and unique to NZ. Since there are no predators on the islands, the kiwi lost the need to fly. Now, it's a natural, national treasure.

A Kiwi (capital "K") is a person from New Zealand. The Rt Hon PM Helen Clark is a Kiwi. The All Blacks are Kiwis. The term is also commonly used by currency traders referring to the New Zealand Dollar.

A kiwifruit (or chinese gooseberry) is the fuzzy-on-the-outside, green-with-lots-of-small-seeds-inside fruit you slice up in a salad or in a posh drink. They're great by themselves, too! And they have lots of Vitamin C!

Now you know. Enjoy!