- This week I visited St. Lawrence Market because it is a wonderful resource in downtown Toronto just minutes away from campus. During my stroll through the market the cherimoya caught my eye because I like that the skin looked like scales and it was rather large for a fruit. This fruit originates from the Annonna cherimola tree native to Ecuador and Peru and can now be grown in California. The season for this fruit usually runs from winter through summer and into the fall. This fruit is high in sugar and fiber, a good source of vitamin C and calcium and contains niacin and phosphorus. 300 grams of fruit has approximately 170 calories and I paid $5.99 a pound for mine.
When I purchased the fruit, I was unsure of what to expect. After cutting the fruit open I was no more sure. I did a little research and read that the easiest way to eat it is to just cut it open and spoon it out like ice cream. So, I cut it open and poked at it a little bit and it had a similar texture to an avocado. My first taste of the fruit reminded me of cotton candy due to its intense sweetness. The cherimoya reminded me of a mixture of sweet tropical fruits and I would be inclined to use it in a smoothie or dessert, however it is too sweet for my taste to eat on its own. Therefore, I might make a cherimoya sorbet. It is very sweet and has a strong flavour of its own and therefore does not need a lot of excess. Below is a link for a recipe.http://www.finecooking.com/recipes/cherimoya-lime-sorbet.aspx
Overall, it was a good experience; I enjoyed the flavour and am excited to try some new recipes that incorporate the cherimoya.
Sources:
1. http://www.specialtyproduce.com/produce/Cherimoya_944.php
2. Popenoe H, King SR, León J, Kalinowski LS, Vietmeyer ND, et al. (1989) Cherimoya. Lost crops of the Incas: Little-known plants of the Andes with promise for worldwide cultivation. pp. 228–239. National Academy Press, Washington, D.C.
