Pitomba

What it is

This pitomba is Talisia esculenta, a member of the soapberry family. Each fruit is about 2 cm (0.8 in) across, with a hard shell that opens easily; inside, the white flesh wraps closely around an elongated seed.

Most of the fruit is seed. The juicy covering is the part to eat, so a bunch offers small mouthfuls of sweetness rather than thick wedges of flesh.

Where it comes from

Pitomba grows across Brazil, from the Amazon and Atlantic forests to the Cerrado and Caatinga. Its range also reaches Bolivia and Paraguay. In Brazil it grows both wild and in cultivation. Around Manaus, home orchards grow the trees for their fruit and their shade.

How it's eaten where it grows

In Brazil, pitomba is eaten fresh and turned into pulp or liqueur. A caipiroska de pitomba puts the fruit into a vodka drink: peeled pitombas are blended with sugar into a smooth cream, then vodka and ice are added. The sweet pulp carries the fruit into the glass.

In Manaus, makers grow a fruit cluster inside a glass bottle on the tree, then cut it free and add cane spirit. The fruit steeps inside the bottle to make a liqueur.

How it's grown

The pitombeira is a leafy tree that reaches 5–15 m (16–49 ft). It is widely grown in Brazilian home orchards; around Manaus, people plant it for shade as well as fruit. Flowering usually runs from August to October; the little white to yellowish flowers are strongly scented.

When and where you'll find it

Fresh pitomba is a market fruit in northern and northeastern Brazil. In Manaus, sellers tie several fruit clusters into one bunch for roadside stalls, street corners and public markets. The same way of selling shows up in Fortaleza, Teresina and Cuiabá, so the fruit reaches the stall still in its clusters.