Just when it seems the fruit section of produce markets will be barren for the cold months ahead, exotic winter fruits enter -- and with them, hope. But these specialty fruits look different from those we know so well, and it's not always obvious how to eat or cook with them. Here's the lowdown on six of winter's most delicious: blood oranges, clementines, kumquats, persimmons, pomegranates, and quinces. Learn how to choose, store, and best enjoy each one. Once you're more familiar with them, you'll never dread the less bountiful produce shelves of winter again.

Blood Oranges: Brilliant on the inside

The thin orange and often reddish skin of this fruit doesn't prepare you for the brilliant color within -- solid or streaked crimson to deep violet. Somewhat expensive, the blood orange is prized for its bright citrus flavor as much as for its color. Moro, a variety usually available from December through March, is less acidic than common oranges, so is also sweeter. Some berry flavor adds depth and complexity.

A red blush (if any) on the skin does not predict internal color or flavor. The fruit's skin may be pitted or smooth, and blood oranges are usually smaller than traditional oranges. They keep refrigerated for 2 to 4 weeks. When cooking with the blood orange, consider different ways to highlight its beautiful color. Squeeze the fresh juice, or use the peeled sections as a garnish, for example.

Clementine: The sweet and the tart

The clementine may be the ultimate portable fruit. Unlike naval oranges, they peel effortlessly, break easily and cleanly into sections, and have no seeds. Children seem to love the slightly tart, sweet flavor as much as adults do -- they're perfect for box lunches.

Clementines, like tangerines, are in the Mandarin family of fruits, but clementines are smaller and juicier. One story has it that the clementine was created in 1902 as a hybrid between a sweet orange and a tangerine, but some believe it to be identical to an existing Canton Mandarin. Although clementines have a brighter, zippier flavor than most sweet oranges, you can often use them in recipes calling for orange sections, saving yourself a lot of work.

Clementines flood the supermarkets in December and January, but their season seems to start earlier and stretch later every year. They'll keep refrigerated for a week. The simplest way to enjoy clementines: Peel and eat.

Kumquat: A golden gem

One of the most striking aspects of the kumquat is that the skin is sweet and the flesh very tart. These beautiful 2-inch oblong fruits are golden orange and can be served whole or chopped. The juicy fruit has an intense sour-orange flavor, which is why you'll often see them candied, pickled, or preserved. Kumquats can thicken sauces while adding a bittersweet note, and are often prepared to accompany roast meats and game. The name of the fruit comes from its native China, where kumquat translates as golden orange. While the fruit has been cultivated in China and Japan for centuries, it is a relative newcomer to the rest of the world, having graced tables in the United States for only about 150 years.

Kumquats are in season as early as October and as late as June, but they're most plentiful from December through April. Test with a gentle squeeze, and buy only firm fruit. Because of their thin skin, kumquats don't keep particularly well. Store them at room temperature if you'll eat them within a few days; keep them for up to 2 weeks when refrigerated. You can eat kumquats whole, seeds included. The piquant flavor is a nice addition to chutneys and marmalades paired with beef, pork, or chicken. Use them whole and uncooked to garnish holiday platters and grace ornamental fruit bowls.

Persimmon: Dual identities

Knowing which variety of persimmon you're about to eat is very important. There are two distinct categories -- astringent and nonastringent. Our Persimmon and Fennel Salad calls for the Fuyu variety, a nonastringent persimmon shaped like a tomato. This and all other nonastringent varieties are firm when ripe and have a sweet-spicy flavor, with notes of banana, plum, and winter squash.

Hachiya persimmons are the most common astringent (or tannic) variety, and must be soft and ripe when eaten, or they'll make you pucker. Both Hachiyas and Fuyus are delicious raw. Fuyus can be eaten like apples. Hachiyas are rather messy, but -- when ripe -- are worth the effort. Cut a Hachiya in half, and eat the soft fruit right out of the skin.

Look for persimmons from October through December. Fuyus should be crisp, smooth, and hard, like apples. Avoid ones that are green, broken-skinned, or mushy. Unlike many other fruits, black marks on the skin don't affect the flesh. Depending on ripeness, Fuyus keep refrigerated for up to a month. Hachiya persimmons keep 1 to 3 days in the refrigerator.

Pomegranate: Ruby-hued skin and seeds

This ancient fruit changed the course of the Greek goddess Persephone's life when she ate its seeds. It symbolizes fertility in China, as well as in some Middle Eastern cultures. Cut one open and you'll understand why pomegranates have intrigued people for millennia. You'll find hundreds of seeds that are surrounded by glistening, luminescent ruby-red pulp, which has an intense sweet-tart flavor. Pomegranates were originally the basis for grenadine syrup, and are still used to make pomegranate

molasses, a Middle Eastern staple (now available in specialty food stores in the United States).

Throughout the Middle East, pomegranates are often used to season foods. The juice makes a wonderfully vibrant syrup when reduced. The seeds provide a tart, crisp addition to salads and creamy desserts. The flesh that surrounds the seeds, though, is encased in an inedible, bitter membrane. To remove the seeds intact, cut the fruit in half and turn the skin inside out.

Pomegranates are available from late August through December. Look for heavy, large, and richly colored fruit, which yield the most juice and the highest proportion of pulp to membrane. The skin should be uniform, free of blemishes, thin, and tough. Refrigerate whole pomegranates for up to 3 months, and freeze the seeds in an airtight container for up to 3 months. For a colorful bolt of sweet-tart flavor, sprinkle the seeds on salads, roasts, ice cream, or pies.

Quince: Heavenly fragrance and taste

The quince, long considered an emblem of love, has a heady scent. In fact, leaving a few quinces out on the table will infuse your home with a wonderful aroma. But don't let that keep you from cooking with them. Slow cooking yields a pale apricot-colored, firm-textured fruit that tastes like a cross between an apple and a pear, with slight pineapple flavors. Quinces are often used in the United States to make jams and jellies because of their high pectin content, but in much of the Middle East and northern Africa, quinces are more commonly cooked in stews and with roasts. They stay firm through long, slow cooking and develop beautiful color.

Available from September through December, quinces bruise very easily, but can be kept in the refrigerator for as long as 2 to 3 months. A noticeable perfume is the best indicator of ripeness. Peel and core them just as you would an apple or pear.