Cupuacu

What it is

The oval fruit measures about 12–25 cm (5–10 in) long and weighs up to 1.5 kg (3.3 lb). Its woody shell wears a rusty-brown covering. Inside, abundant cream, white or yellowish pulp clings around 15 to 50 seeds, usually arranged in five rows. The pulp is thick and sticky, with a strong aroma and pronounced acidity. It is the part eaten fresh, made into drinks or turned into mousse.

Where it comes from

Cupuaçu is native to the Amazon. In Brazil it occurs in Pará and northern Maranhão, and Amazonas has a regular harvest. Its scientific name is Theobroma grandiflorum, and it belongs to the same family as cacao. It grows from sea level up to 1,000 m (3,300 ft) and thrives on river banks.

How it's eaten where it grows

In Brazil, mousse de cupuaçu blends the tart pulp with condensed milk and cream, then chills until firm. Pavê de cupuaçu puts a similar cream between layers of biscuits moistened with milk. Both turn the fruit’s sharpness into a cool, sweet dessert.

Cupuaçu also goes into savoury cooking. In pirarucu ao creme de cupuaçu, grilled fish gets a sauce of onion, fruit pulp and cream before a short spell in the oven. The sauce uses the same tart pulp as the sweets.

How it's grown

Cupuaçu is a tree of humid tropical conditions. Wild trees reach 15–20 m (50–65 ft); cultivated trees usually stay below about 8 m (26 ft). Young plants grow under shade in the nursery. The harvest begins with a fall: ripe fruit drops from the tree and is gathered from the ground.

When and where you'll find it

In Amazonas, Brazil, the crop usually runs from October through June, with its largest harvest in March. The fruit and its pulp are easiest to find in northern Brazil; elsewhere in the country, a Casa do Norte shop or an online shop may sell them.