Ubajay

What it is

The fruit is Eugenia myrcianthes, also known as Hexachlamys edulis, in the myrtle family. Yellow fruits gathered in Maldonado, Uruguay, measured 3–5 cm (1.2–2 in) across. Beneath the fine skin, the flesh is juicy and can be fibrous.

Sweetness comes with a sour edge. The strong aroma is part of its character: some people enjoy it, while others find it less appealing. Inside sits what looks like a single small stone.

Where it comes from

Ubajay grows across parts of Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, Brazil and Bolivia. In Uruguay, its native home includes the river woods and islands along the Uruguay River in Artigas, Salto and Paysandú. Its wider habitats also include sandy coastal ground, open woodland and forest growing back after disturbance.

How it's eaten where it grows

In Uruguay, María Isabel Cárcamo made jam, a chilled milk drink, ice cream and cheesecake from fruit gathered near Maldonado. For the jam, the seeds came out but the thin skin stayed in; fruit and roughly the same weight of sugar cooked down together.

The milk drink blended deseeded ubajay with milk and sugar and was served cold. On the cheesecake, ubajay jam took the place of the sweet topping. These preparations carry the fruit’s sour-sweet flavour into a spoonful or a glass.

How it's grown

Ubajay is a tree with white flowers, and new plants can be raised from seed. Fresh seeds go into individual containers in partial shade. Established trees need sun and tolerate drought. In Uruguay they grow wild in the woods along the Uruguay River, and planted in parks such as one near Maldonado.

When and where you'll find it

Uruguayan growers include Chacra Ibira Pita in San Luis, Canelones. Near Maldonado’s old El Jagüel airport, planted trees carried ripe fruit in late December 2007. At a planting in Moreno, Buenos Aires province, fruit ripened in the last three weeks of December in both 2019 and 2020. Fresh ubajay deteriorates quickly; jam is another way to encounter it.