Carolina's Fruit Pick of the Week: Cherimoyas

Photo credit: Felicia Friesema

Cherimoya: This fruit is one of my absolute favorites! It brings me back to my childhood memories of seeing its peculiar green (brownish when ripe) scales in Spanish markets and handing over my pesetas (now Euros) to the frutero and running home to cut it open and indulge in its custard-like white, creamy flesh. When it's perfectly ripe, it melts in your mouth.

How to choose: Make sure the fruit is firm, but soft to the touch. The fruit will be soft when ready, similar to the feel of a ripe avocado or pear. If the fruit has brownish stains, don't worry. The ripest fruits are almost completely brown, and those are the most tasty!

Ripe Cherimoyas

How to store: Keep them in a cool, dry place. They ripen quickly, so keep an eye on them. If you can't eat them all before

How to eat/prepare: Rinse fruit under cool water. Dry it and cut it in half with a knife. Scoop out the flesh with a small spoon and enjoy! DO NOT EAT THE SEEDS OR SKIN! They are highly poisonous. 

Season: In the USA, it starts in December and runs through May/June. In the off-season, you can find them from Chile and/or Brazil, but often they arrive to the store hard as rocks and never ripen.

Where to buy: This is a tough fruit to find. If you live in California, you can find them readily at farmers markets and natural food grocers like Whole Foods. Alternatively, you can order it offline.

Nutrition: 
Serving size: 1 medium fruit
Calories: 175
Fiber: 7.1 grams
Protein: 3.7 grams
Fat: 1.6 grams
Carbs: 41.6 grams (these are good carbs!)
Cherimoyas are also high in antioxidants, Vitamin C (29% of daily value), B6 (46% of daily value) and many other vitamins and minerals.

 What are some of your favorite fruits?