What is a Cherimoya? Perhaps the Greatest Fruit on the Planet.

The cherimoya (pronounced chair-uh-MOY-yuh) is the king of fruit. This is no surprise given that this ancient Incan fruit was originally reserved for royalty.

From external appearances, the cherimoya isn't exactly captivating. It looks more like something out of The Flintstones rather than an exquisite fruit. Don't let its pre-historic appearance put you off. Slice open a cherimoya and you will discover a fragrant, ivory, custard-like flesh, hence its common name "custard apple."

When selecting cherimoyas, look for green skin with a gold hue. Some fruits may be tinged with brown, which is ok; however, avoid fruits that are black or shriveled. Allow cherimoyas to ripen at room temperature. A ripe cherimoya, like a ripe avocado, should yield to gentle pressure, and will have a browner skin. (Note: In the first photo, the green cherimoya in the forefront needs a couple more days to ripen, while the browner cherimoya in the back is ready to eat.)

Once ripe, cherimoyas can be refrigerated for 1-2 days, but they will lose their flavor if kept longer. They are best eaten as soon as they reach full ripeness; their flavor is most intense when eaten at room temperature or just slightly chilled.



What does a cherimoya taste like? A perfectly ripe cherimoya is an intoxicating combination of tropical flavors like bananas, coconut, strawberries, and mangoes. Some people also taste pineapple and papayas. Don't think one fruit could possibly have all of those ambrosial flavors? Then try one to see for yourself.



Slice the fruit in half, and using a spoon, scoop out the flesh. You could sprinkle it first with fresh lime juice; you could add the flesh to a smoothie; you could even make sherbet with it. But don't. It's best unadulterated, when you can truly appreciate its unique flavor and texture. Just be sure you don't eat the shiny, large black seeds inside. Chomping on those will just send you to the dentist's office.

Once you taste a cherimoya's luscious, creamy flesh, you'll understand why Mark Twain called it "the most delicious fruit known to man."



Where can you buy cherimoyas? Most U.S. cherimoyas are grown in CA and are available from early January through April. However, since they're sensitive to temperature changes, the season varies from year to year. Few major supermarkets will likely carry cherimoyas; try specialty and organic markets, or go online to reputatble sites such as Melissas.com. Though they're pricey, they're worth every penny.

You might also like these California winter fruits and recipes:

Strawberry Guavas


Wild Arugula and Blood Orange Salad with Prosciutto

Shrimp Tacos with Citrus-Avocado Salsa

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Strawberry Guavas: The Antithesis to Christmas Cookies

(Strawberry Guavas)

What is the complete opposite of Christmas cookies? I just did some research; turns out that the complete opposite of a Christmas cookie is a strawberry guava. The Cherimoya comes in a close second, so it's getting its own post in a couple of days.


(Cherimoyas)

It's no wonder this sexy fruit is native to Brazil, the land of beautiful bronzed bodies and gorgeous beaches. Everything about a strawberry guava says, "look at me."

Eating a strawberry guava is a memorable sensory experience. First it entices you with its intoxicating perfume of ripe summer strawberries and tart pink grapefruit. Its butter cup yellow rind is smooth and soft to the touch, evoking warmth and sunshine. One bite of a strawberry guava will make you understand why it's called "exotic." The creamy, fruity flesh is the color of roses, while the flavor is a beautiful combination of tangy, sweet grapefruit, juicy, ripe strawberries, and late summer grapes.



Most U.S. guavas are grown in Hawaii and Florida, though the strawberry guavas you see here were grown in Southern California and generously given to me by our friend, Adel. These strawberry guavas have a pastel yellow skin yet also come in bright red or deep purple. When buying strawberry guavas or any variety of guava really, look for a fragrant fruit that is free of blemishes and soft to the touch. Hold it in your hand, and give it a gentle squeeze; it should give slightly, being neither too hard nor too squishy.

If it's unripe and hard, then place the guava in a paper bag with a yellow banana. The banana will produce ethylene, which will speed up the ripening process. Keep unripened guavas at room temperature. Though fully ripened guavas can be refrigerated for several days, they are best eaten sooner and fresher. Also note that the entire fruit is edible, from the rind to the flesh to the small white seeds.

You're probably wondering, "Where can I buy strawberry guavas?" Given their status as "exotic" fruit, strawberry guavas, along with most guava varieties, can be difficult to find. Your best bet is try a high-end organic store such as Whole Foods or the online site Melissas.com. Or take a vacation to San Diego, where they can currently be found at our farmers' markets. (Plus, if you do it before January 1st, you can use it as a write-off on your taxes from all your blogging money. Hahahahhaha.)



Though most guavas are eaten simply out-of-hand, they can be made into jams and sauces, or blended into drinks. I have done none of them. In fact there is no recipe today. Just luscious strawberry guavas. Because after posting 228 Christmas cookies, this is truly the anti-Christmas cookie post.

You might also like:

Winter Jewel Fruit Salad




Pancakes with Fresh Raspberry-Strawberry Sauce




Honeyed Orange Ginger Muffins (Quat, Optional)




Cranberry, Banana, and Honey Smoothie




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