Cherimoya
Estimated Inventory, lb : 0
Description/Taste
Cherimoyas are egg-shaped, globe-shaped or heart-shaped with an unusual velvety, thin, light green skin. When ripe the fruit will have a few brown spots and the skin will give slightly when touched. Cherimoyas can weigh from 6 oz to 6 lbs depending on variety. The flesh contains large, black, inedible seeds and should not be consumed. The white pulp offers a mild flavor likened to a blend of banana, vanilla, mango, papaya, pineapple and coconut. The refreshing texture is soft, smooth and melting almost custard-like, hence its other name Custard Apple. Some varieties of Cherimoyas, though not all, produce scaly depressions on their skin, where the more depressions will indicate a seedier fruit.
Seasons/Availability
Cherimoya season starts in late fall and runs through winter and spring.
Current Facts
The Cherimoya, pronounced cher-uh-MOY-uh, is a subtropical fruit also known as Custard Apple or Chirimoya. Botanically classified as Annona cherimola, it is a fast-growing evergreen tree native to the mountains of Ecuador and Peru. The name "cherimoya" is derived from the Quechua (Incan) word, "chirimuya", meaning "cold seeds" as the seeds will germinate in altitudes up to six thousand feet. A new hybrid, atemoya, pronounced ah-teh-MOH-ee-yah, is a cross between the Cherimoya and the sugar apple also known as Sweetsop.
