ANNONA CHERIMOLA
CHERIMOYAS (also called custard apples) range from the size of a baseball to a soccer ball. Their inedible light green skin is made up of
slightly concave, pentagon-like sections, which give
it a scaly look. But inside is an incredibly delicious, pure white flesh that’s meltingly soft, juicy, sweet, acidulous, and very fragrant. Its flavor lies some-where between a strawberry and a bowl of vanilla custard with hints of lemon, kiwifruit, pineapple, banana, papaya, and mango. It’s sweet without being cloying; Mark Twain called it “deliciousness itself.”
The only places in the United States where cherimoya is grown commercially are in southern Florida, Hawaii, and the coastal regions and foothills of southern California. Since much of that precious land is taken up by developments and state parks, there’s not a lot space for cherimoya cultivation. Not only is its growing range severely limited, it must be hand-pollinated because none of the plant’s native pollinators of its home region in the cool, tropical inter-Andean valleys of Ecuador and Peru exist in the United States. The fruit has been cultivated in South America since pre-Columbian times, and the name cherimoya comes from the Inca language of Peru.
It migrated to North America aboard ships in the 19th century.
THE ORGANIC FACTOR
Cherimoya is likely to be organic, whether there’s a USDA Organic seal on it or not. No chemicals are registered for use on cherimoya, so that means it’s illegal to use pesticides, herbicides, or fungicides on the tree or fruit. Not only that, cherimoya responds to organic soil amendments with lusher growth and larger harvests of bigger fruits.
Nutrition
Cherimoyas are good sources of dietary fiber with 7 grams per fruit, vitamin B6, folate, and potassium. They are a very good source of vitamin C, supplying our entire day’s requirement in one fruit.
SEASONALITY
If you live in California, you may occasionally see it in specialty fruit markets during its October to May season. Some Florida, Mexican, and Central American cherimoya, which also has a winter to spring season, makes its way to large markets in eastern states—but not much.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
Very little California cherimoya leaves the state because it is a soft fruit that doesn’t travel particularly well, and there’s precious little left after Californians take their share. Production is on the increase, however, as plantings are coming on line in Hawaii, Australia, and Spain. If you do find it, it will be expensive. Look for unbruised fruit that has a little give when gently squeezed.
STORAGE AND PREPARATION
This fruit is not for storing. Eat as soon as you can. The flesh is studded with large black seeds come out easily with the tip of a knife or fork.
USES
Cherimoya is commonly eaten raw. You cut it in half, remove the black, inedible seeds, and spoon it from the skin into a bowl or straight into your mouth because it is just so good that way. Each of its segments contains an easily removed seed. The pulp can be seeded and pureed and made into ice cream or sherbet or used to make a cooling fruit drink.
VARIETY
There are fifteen cultivated varieties of cherimoya, but the names are rarely given on any label that might attach to the fruit. Still, if you can ask the grower, do, because the following four are worth seeking out. ....read more
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