White sapote

What it is

A white sapote is often about 6–11 cm (2½–4½ in) across. Beneath its tender skin, the flesh is pale and creamy, with a custard-like texture. Named varieties don’t come true from seed, so growers keep them going by grafting.

The pulp is the part to eat. The seeds are poisonous and must be discarded. Bruising also changes the eating experience: the skin can blacken, and the flesh beneath the bruise can turn bitter.

Where it comes from

This highland fruit comes from central Mexico and Central America. Franciscan monks brought it to California around 1810, where it is still grown on a small scale in the south of the state. In Central America, the tree has another job alongside feeding people: its canopy shades coffee plants.

How it's eaten where it grows

In Mexico and Central America, white sapote is eaten fresh, sometimes in slices with cream and sugar. Its pulp also goes into milkshakes and ice cream.

In Mossman, Australia, Bev Zillfleisch’s white sapote cake mixes the pulp with butter, eggs, self-raising flour, sugar, vanilla and a little milk. Another preparation, White Delight, blends it with cherimoya, frozen banana and apple juice into a drink.

How it's grown

White sapote grows into a large tree with dense shade. Seed-grown trees take about seven or eight years to bear, while grafted trees begin in three or four. Grafting joins wood from a chosen variety to another plant’s roots, preserving its fruit qualities.

Harvesters clip the fruit from the branch with a short piece of stem attached. The thin skin and easily bruised flesh make gentle handling part of picking it well.

When and where you'll find it

In Mexico, white sapote usually ripens from June to October. In California it sells best at local stands; Latin markets and specialty produce stores are other places to look for it fresh. Its tender skin makes it a delicate purchase: even an unripe fruit can bruise, with bitterness developing under the damaged area.