The cherimoya may look like something out of Fred Flinstone's pantry, but it's actually a tropical fruit native to the Andean-highland
valleys of Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador and Peru. Found at my local farmer's market, the fleshy fruit is soft and sweet and, to me, tastes like a cross between an Asian Pear and a melon, with the slight texture of a banana. It's creamy and almost custard-like and probably one of the oddest fruit textures I've ever had.
Due to it's banana-like consistency, I decided to make a smoothie out of it. With a mix of the fruit {sans seeds}, ice cubes, milk, and a splash of lime, my cherimoya smoothie tasted like a tropical, almost pina colada-like, icy treat.
{photos by Oh Joy}
I am now VERY curious and I can’t wait to try one. I wonder if whole foods might carry them?
I´m from Chile and the correct name is CHIRIMOYA, taste really good with orange juice!!!
I am SO intrigued by this. Will have to get my hands on one soon…
I’m from Peru, and this is my favorite fruit! Try it with condensed milk or orange.
Great description- “Fred Flintson’s pantry” 🙂
umm… I mean Flintstones (*sigh* typos)
wow that looks cool! Great photo, love the liberty print and striped straw!
The Design Dish
“…a cross between an Asian Pear and a melon…” hmmm. How do I get my local grocery to carry this?!
looks yummy. LOVE the straw 😉
I grew up in Ecuador… this is only one of the many amazing fruits the Andes region has. I used to pick the cherimoya straight off the tree, yumm-o. They can grow to be the size of a really large grapefruit.
What an interesting looking fruit. I will search the market for it.
Here in Australia we call these “custard apples”. They are best just cut up and eaten with a spoon, the pips spat out like watermelon seeds. It is slightly stringy and creamy (rather like Durian fruit in texture) sometimes getting a pear-like roughness near the skin. It should be super soft – not ripe enough and you get a bitter firm little thing that belies its “custard apple” name. Lovely post – good reminder to get these next time they’re in season over here!
I’m fascinated by this and need to track one down at my local farmers market.
-Caitlin
They’re also known as custard apples. They also grow in Asia and readily available in tropical climates. I love these, juicy and fleshy and yum!
that sounds amazing, i love your descriptions!
We call it Sirsak in Indonesia. It’s my favourite fruit for a smoothie! I start to miss it!
These are found all over southern Spain, as well. When I lived in Spain, we used to pick them each morning before breakfast. I wish they were able to be found somewhere in Pennsylvania!
mmm, I’ve tried the fruit by itself before, the smoothie sounds so delicious, especially the one comment to add oj!
The fruit looks like an “atis”, which is what we have in the Philippines. It’s known also as sugar-appple. Only the skin of the cherimoya is debossed.