Piles of this small brown fruit appeared suddenly in our Florida grocery stores. We couldn't find any information about it at all - but in the last month Wikipedia and other online resources have created articles on this tropical fruit - probably because of its sudden introduction to mainline groceries.
Curious, we bought one to try it out. This was before much info was available online, and we knew very little about the fruit. Should it be eaten soft? Firm? Green? We decided to try it as it was. ...
The inside of the fruit was pale yellow with a beautiful star-shaped seed pattern. We cut half moons and bit into the flesh in the middle and immediately had to wash our mouths out - it had the strongest mouth-puckering astringency we've ever tasted! Apparently the sapodilla has to ripen after it has been picked until it becomes very, very soft. It becomes creamy and sweet like its cousins the cherimoya and soursop.
We will get another one and try again soon. Another piece of trivia: the sapodilla tree, which originated in Mexico but has spread to many tropical locations like India and the Philippines, is full of latex. In fact, a lot of chewing gum is made from the latex found in its bark. In India the tree is called chiku, which is how Chiclets got their name.
This is one of my favorite fruits ever! I love globalization.
I know it as the chiku fruit where I am from - Singapore - and we have a little tree at my parent's house in a huge ceramic pot. It is like the juiciest candy when you get a super ripe one. Doesn't really have a "creamy" texture (to me that would be like the Durian - another gorgeous, and creamy fruit) but a silky, overripe pear would be a good description - one that tastes like brown sugar! :) And insanely good.
How we eat it back home: remove the skin, then slice in it segments lengthwise, the seeds kinda slip off so you can squeeze or spit them out. A light sprinkling of salt sometimes tastes good too. Street food hawkers cut them as above and skewer them on bamboo sticks and set them on ice to cool. *yum*
view grinNtonic's profile
I love, love, love this fruit. And its plentiful in the south of India where I come from and we call this sapotta. It should be really ripe before you eat it. Thats when its super sweet. then just split it in half and scoop the flesh out with a spoon, yum!!
view Anu's profile
In Indonesia it's called "sawo". You definitely don't want to eat it when it's still firm. GrinNTonic's got it right about the flavor when it's soft and ripe. It will taste and feel like a mealy, soft overripe pear mixed with rich brown sugar.
I hope I'll see this fruit in LA before too long!
How much was it?
view LiT's profile
Oh poo. I was getting all excited (I love strange fruits!) til I read about the latex content. That's right out for me - but it's really good to know I should steer clear! Damn allergies.
view erin in indy's profile
We call this "chico" in the Philippines where I grew up, and we had one tree in our yard. They're small and round, and you eat it when the thin skin is brown and the fruit is brown and soft. The seeds are black and smooth so you can spit it out easily. I think I remember eating it with its skin on. grinNtonic's description made me remember it as I don't know its other names. Sweet and juicy like brown sugar. Never tried it with salt though.
view RJD's profile
Looks intriguing, but it'll probably be a while before my suburb sees any of this fruit. Better start checking the local organic foods market...
view Jim of ChewOnThat's profile
Ohmigod, RJD - chicos! We had a tree in our yard too and I never ate the fruit, although our girls would always climb the trees (much to my fear that they would fall and land on our cement driveway) to harvest the fruits. I always got them confused with santols, which were also small and brown.
view GeorgeG's profile
Where can I get this fruit in Manhattan! I loved this fruit - growing up in India!!!
view SAG's profile