Fun fruits

I went to the market with my mom ereyesterday. I was quickly distracted by the massive specialty produce section filled with exotic fruits. There were jackfruits, kumquats, starfruit, whole cacao pods, and rambutans (whatever those are). But two that caught my interest were the Mamey sapote and fresh papaya. I’d never heard of sapote and only had papaya as a flavor. My mom was nice enough to let me get them, and that’s just what I did!

Mamey sapote

The sapote is native to Mexico and Central America. Roughly the size of a large avocado, it possesses a rough, brown skin. The sweet and creamy flesh is salmon-colored and tastes like sweet potato, almond, or brown sugar. Unfortunately, in a shameful lapse of judgement, I cut it open before it ripened, and it was too hard to consume. The small bit I did have, however, had a superb flavor. I can see how this could be amazing when ripe.

Fresh papaya

Papaya is a giant, fast-growing herbaceous plant also native to Mexico and Central America. They are oval shaped and are yellowish when ripe. After the “sapote-slipup”, I let it ripen in the window for about a week. And it paid off! When I cut into it, I found tons of black shiny seeds, and smooth reddish-orange flesh. I scooped out the seeds, skinned it, and cut it into cubes. It had a sweet flavor; like a mix between mango and cantaloupe, with an earthy undertone. And a soft, buttery texture. I found the flavor particularly delicate; it may have been a little overripe.

Even though I made a few mistakes, it was a very fun experience. I’ll have to try again on the sapote. Maybe someday I’ll try starfruit, kumquat, or even jackfruit. What a remarkable, unusual, and delicious world we live in!