I’m back in Lafayette for the summer, and I celebrated by scoring a new find in the exotic fruits aisle: the cherimoya! {if you missed my post back in April about our adventure eating the horned melon, here it is}

I’ve actually been on the lookout for a cherimoya for quite a while, after I found a quote by Mark Twain describing the cherimoya as “the most delicious fruit known to man.” Wow! Its taste is described as a mixture of banana and pineapple. I just had to try it for myself!

Even if I hadn’t read testaments of the cherimoya’s deliciousness, I would have been intrigued enough to put it in our cart based on its appearance alone!

Here you can see what it looks like on the outside and inside. The big black seeds are supposedly poisonous, but they are easy to avoid, so do not fear!

After researching on the internet, I found out that you can tell a cherimoya is ripe when it has a little give, like a ripe mango or avocado. Some people recommended shaking it; if you hear a rattling sound, there is a good chance it is ripe. The cherimoya is a good source of Vitamin C and antioxidants.

YUM! Healthy and delicious!

To eat, slice it open and use a spoon to scoop out the soft, custard-like insides.

I was surprised by the texture most of all. The taste is hard to describe … definitely reminiscent of a banana to me. Next time I try one, I want to let it ripen even more!

Anyone else tried the cherimoya? What did you think?

Happy summer!
– Dallas