Caribbean Compass Yachting Magazine - February 2018

LOOK OUT FOR…
Sapodilla,
the ‘Nice’ Fruit
As you travel through the Caribbean, every month there’s something special to look
out for.
Sapodilla has an elusive flavour, hard to describe. Upon our first introduction to
this fruit, when we asked what it tasted like, we were told, “It tastes nice!” We had
no doubt that it tasted good, but nobody could give us a straight answer as to what
it tasted like.
We picked the “ripe” but not “ready” fruit, and wrapped it in paper for a couple of
days, as we were told to do, so it could become “ready” — slightly soft to the touch.
What did it taste like? Well, it tasted nice! It has a flavour that could be described
as a honey-cinnamon blend, combined with a bit of pear. We then understood the
FEBRUARY 2018 CARIBBEAN COMPASS PAGE 34
Sapodillas on the tree and
on the plate — wait till
they’re ready and they
sure taste great!
descriptor of “nice” for the
fruit. We have enjoyed it in
other places, too, with
remarkable differences in
the taste, like the sweetness
being more like brown sugar
rather than honey, but all
are “nice”. The flesh has a
granular texture much like
that of pears.
The sapodilla originally came from Central America, but made its way through
tropical South America and into the Caribbean islands. Since the seeds can remain
viable for up to four years, the tree grows fairly easily from seed, and no special care
is required, it is not surprising that it spread quickly. Its propensity to grow in
almost any soil, its ability to withstand dry spells, and its tolerance of salty soil make
it a natural for the Caribbean. The Portuguese and Spanish took it to other parts of
the tropics, where it has thrived and has become right at home.
Left to their own devices, the trees can grow to a height of about 30 metres (100 feet),
however, they can be controlled and pruned when being grown commercially or decoratively,
with solid trunks and enough spread to create suitable shade for humans to enjoy
or undergrowth to flourish. The leaves are quite abundant, and are from eight to 12
centimetres long, and about three centimetres wide. The flowers are unremarkable.
The tree produces an extremely sticky latex, which can be discovered if picking the
fruit a little early. The gummy substance is known in Central America as chicle. Yes
— the chicle in Chiclets. It was, and still is, used as a chewing gum source. The latex
adheres to skin, and requires soap and diligent scrubbing to remove.
The fruit looks a great deal like a kiwi, but without the fuzz. While growing, there
is a small spike that grows from the bottom, and the fruit is deemed ripe when that
point falls off. However, that does not make the fruit “ready.” The fruit must be
allowed to sit for a couple of days until it becomes a little yielding to the touch; this
process can be accelerated by wrapping the fruit in newspaper or a paper bag.
Eating it too soon will cause a case of dry mouth, and the flavour will not be fully
developed. “Ready” fruit can be kept refrigerated for a week or two, and can be kept
frozen for a month. Each fruit has from one to six seeds, which are big enough to
find and discard as you eat it. The skin is edible.
Sapodilla can be eaten out of hand, or makes a (dare we say?) nice addition to
smoothies, desserts and fruit salads.