Not too long ago I posted photos of a fruit that was new to us called Chico Zapote. They were only available for a short time here in La Paz. They
were delicious when ripe and terrible when tried unripened.
A few weeks ago, CCC had another fruit that we had never tried before called Mamey. They looked a lot like the Chico Zapotes so we bought one. It was
rock-hard and when we looked it up on-line, we found it needed to ripen until slightly soft.
The first one never softened and the lady who watched our house for us while we were in Asuncion cut it open. She reported that it wasn't good at all,
but replaced it with another one.
When it finally softened I cut it and it was gross. Black and moldy inside. I wouldn't even try a taste and I've been known to sample almost anything
remotely edible put in front of me.
Back to CCC for another. It ripened. It was delicious. Trying to describe a taste is hard (unless something tastes like chicken), but suffice it to
say that it was sweet and avocado-like in texture.
Paula - 5-14-2009 at 05:24 PM
I've bought two of them here in Loreto. First one was like your overripe one, bought it 2 or 3 years ago. I found the second at the Sunday market
here, and it was perfect, like yours above, and very good. It had a tropical flavor, like starfruit, but with the avocado like texture.
Our market has been suspended for a while. They seem to think the dust in the arroyo is helping to spread the (not swine!!) flu that has been going
around here.Ken Bondy - 5-14-2009 at 06:56 PM
I am no expert in fruit, but that looks an awful lot like a guava. How far off base am I?Paula - 5-14-2009 at 07:24 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by Ken Bondy
I am no expert in fruit, but that looks an awful lot like a guava. How far off base am I?
well, if this were guava baseball, you'd be way out in left field, Ken
the 4 cut pinkish things down in front are guavaBMG - 5-14-2009 at 08:09 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by Ken Bondy
I am no expert in fruit, but that looks an awful lot like a guava. How far off base am I?
It might be time to change markets. It's definitely not like any guava I've ever seen.Ken Bondy - 5-14-2009 at 08:28 PM
I guess it's been a long time since I've seen a guava Paula - 5-14-2009 at 09:14 PM
You'd better come on down, Ken!
Mamey or Red Sapote (info)
David K - 5-14-2009 at 09:16 PM
Mamey sapote, also known as mamey colorado or sapote, is a tropical berry fruit that is produced by the mamey sapote tree, whose scientific name is
pouteria sapota. Although this tree is native to Mexico and Central America, it is also found in Puerto Rico, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, South
America, and Florida, USA. The mamey sapota tree is a tall tree with large spreading leaves and small white flowers. It thrives only in regions where
the temperature does not fall below 28ºF. In favorable conditions, it grows to heights that can average approximately 50 feet. In order to bear their
fruit, mamey sapota trees must be mature, which they become after the age of seven years. Once the trees mature, they produce approximately 250 to 500
mamey sapote fruits per year.
The mamey sapote fruit is oval shaped, similar to a football, and is 3-8 inches in length. Additionally, its skin is thick, woody, and brown in color,
and its flesh has an orange/reddish tint. Mamey sapote fruit can also weigh anywhere from 1-5 lbs. Within the fruit, a single large pit typically
exists. However, more than one pit may be found inside the fruit. Although you can eat mamey sapote raw, you must first remove its skin and any pits
inside. Because mamey sapote fruit has a sweet almond-like taste, raw mamey sapote is usually eaten with sugar.
You can purchase mamey sapote fruit in many specialty stores and some grocery chains from January to April and from June to September. When purchasing
mamey sapote, make sure that its skin is free of blemishes and that it is firm and ripe. You will know when a mamey sapote is ripe by looking near its
stem for a small cut. This cut allows you to view inside to the mamey sapote's flesh. If the inside flesh is green in color, the mamey sapote is not
ripe. A ripe mamey sapote should have an inner flesh that is red/brown in color. Although you can purchase unripe mamey sapotes, to ripen them at your
home you will need to leave them exposed to air at room temperature until the fruit softens a bit and the inner flesh is no longer green in color. For
ripened mamey sapotes, you can safely store them in your home for up to one week provided that the fruit is refrigerated.
Although mamey sapote fruit can be eaten raw, popular uses for it include adding it to fruit salads, desserts, milk shakes and other fruit drinks made
in a blender. It is also used commercially by some dairy product manufacturers to produce an exotic, tropical flavored ice cream. Because of its
interesting taste and texture, the mamey sapote fruit is rapidly gaining in popularity for cooking purposes. Additionally, mamey sapote is high in
vitamins A and C as well as in potassium. It is also an excellent source of dietary fiber. Regarding caloric content, one cup of mamey sapote contains
approximately 135 calories.
The mamey sapote fruit can be used as a tasty addition to many desserts and drinks. Its appearance in markets and in commercial products will continue
to increase because of this fruit's nutritional benefits and its exotic appeal to chefs.Bajahowodd - 5-14-2009 at 10:59 PM
I still wonder who the heck it was that thought an artichocke was edible. And here, you guys are extolling the virtues of a very obscure fruit that
you both admit to having thrown away at some time. Think I'll pass on this one.LOSARIPES - 5-15-2009 at 04:20 AM
Mamey is a very delicious fruit. It grows very well in the Pacific coast of Mexico from Sinaloa down and further south. It is popular and has good
demand almost like other fruits like mango.
The rick is to cut it open at the right time... just like avocados. Too soon is too hard and bad taste. Too late.... you know.
Avocados an mameys are very similar: Shell, pulp, ripening process.
