Sapodilla is a sweet tropical fruit with many names, grown in Mexico, the Bahamas, the Virgin Islands, and India. The fruit is oval or round, with a tough skin and seeds that should be removed before eating. The tree can grow up to 100 feet tall and produces chicle, a gummy resin used for chewing gum.
Sapodilla refers to the deliciously sweet tropical fruit with a caramel or cotton candy flavor and the tree that produces it. The tree may have originated in or near Mexico and its scientific name is Manilkara zapota. There are many different names for the fruit, and it is now grown not only in much of Mexico and islands such as the Bahamas and the Virgin Islands, but also in India. In India the plant may be called the tree potato or buah chicku. The name chicle is common, and varieties include chicoo and chicozapote. Other variant names are zapote, mispel, nispero, and neeseberry.
Tree potato perhaps best describes what sapodilla fruit looks like. The outer skin, which is much tougher than potato skin, is tan or brown in color. Shape varies, with oval and nearly round shapes being the most common types. The length of each fruit also ranges somewhat, but usually averages two to four inches (5.08 to 10.16 cm).
In tropical or near-tropical climates, the tree bears fruit twice a year. Sapodilla trees can grow exceptionally large, up to 100 feet (30.48 m) when fully mature. For those who prefer a smaller tree, there are dwarf varieties, but even these can reach up to 26 feet (7.93 m) tall as they mature. The trees require tropical or near-tropical temperatures and in the United States, the only place they tend to grow well is Florida.
Most sapodilla fruits contain seeds and these should be removed before consumption. The seeds have a small hook that can get stuck in the throat and cause choking. Commonly these seeds are large, conspicuous, and easy to remove when the fruit is cut in half.
Sapodilla is often served by halving the fruit and eating the center with a spoon. The outside of the fruit retains a somewhat hard shell, which keeps the structure well intact, perfect for digging. It is important to eat fully ripe fruit.
Unripe Sapodilla contains tannins that can wrinkle your mouth. Most fruits are harvested unripe, but ripen off the tree, usually within a week. The fruit is ripe when it gives a little pressure to your fingers, but you shouldn’t wait to serve it after it’s ripe, because it can quickly become overripe and mushy. Generally a ripe fruit will keep for about a week without degrading, or it is possible to extend the refrigeration time.
Some recipes use cooked sapodilla. The fruit pulp can be added to the custard. In the Bahamas, chopped fruit is added to pancake batter for a sweet variation on an old favorite. The pulp could also be a great ingredient in smoothies or made into a sweet sauce. There are also some sapodilla cake recipes.
An important byproduct of M. zapota is chicle, a gummy resin that can be exploited by trees. This was often a primary choice for chewing gum, although it has been replaced to some extent by other materials. In the 1930s, the sale of chicle was very high and countries growing large quantities of these trees, especially Mexico, exported about 14 million pounds (about 6350 tons) of chicle on an annual basis.
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