A firm but yielding preserve made from the ripe fruit of the guava tree. The guava is considered by many to be a somewhat old-fashioned fruit, and though basically tropical, also grows in temperate zones, and is thus much favoured by grandmothers and great-aunts in the warmer northern-parts of New Zealand.
Sweet and slightly tart, the red/pink preserve is also made in the form of jam.
Can be enjoyed (in the jelly form) in thin slices with fine cheeses, or in the jam form in sandwiches or on scones.
It recently made something of a comeback, and now features on the menus of some fine New Zealand restaurants, among the cheeses.