Sapodilla is one of those fruits that doesn't look like much from the outside: a little brown ball with skin like a potato. But cut a ripe one open and the flesh is soft, honey-colored and sweet, with a flavor most people describe as brown sugar, with a hint of pear and caramel. It's a fruit people who grew up with it tend to miss terribly.
I'm Chris Haynes, and along with our mangoes we grow sapodilla here on Merritt Island. Here's what to know about it, when it's in season, and the easy trick for telling when it's ripe.
What is sapodilla?
Sapodilla (Manilkara zapota) is a tropical evergreen tree native to southern Mexico and Central America. It goes by a lot of names depending on where your family is from: chicozapote or níspero in much of Latin America, naseberry in Jamaica, chikoo in India, and sapota in other places. The tree has a fun piece of history too: its milky sap, called chicle, was the original base for chewing gum.
When is sapodilla in season in Florida?
In Florida, sapodilla is available for a long stretch, roughly November through July (University of Florida IFAS). The trees can flower and set fruit over much of the year, so there's often fruit on them when little else is ripe.
How to tell when a sapodilla is ripe
This is the part that trips people up, because a ripe sapodilla looks almost the same as an unripe one. An unripe sapodilla is hard, full of sticky latex and very astringent, so it's worth getting this right.
- The gentle squeeze: A ripe sapodilla gives to gentle pressure, about like a ripe kiwi. Hard means wait.
- The scratch test: Lightly scratch the skin with your fingernail. If you see green underneath, it's not ready. If it's brown or tan underneath, you're close.
- The stem: On a ripe fruit, the little stem end often pulls away easily.
How to ripen sapodilla at home
- Keep it at room temperature on the counter, out of the sun. They often arrive firm, and that's normal.
- Check daily with the squeeze test. Firm fruit usually softens in a few days to a week.
- Want it faster? Put them in a paper bag on the counter.
- Refrigerate once ripe. A ripe sapodilla holds in the fridge for several days. Don't refrigerate a hard one, or it may never ripen properly.
How to eat sapodilla
- Fresh and chilled: Cut it in half and scoop the flesh with a spoon. Cold sapodilla on a warm afternoon is hard to beat.
- Remove the seeds: There are a few shiny black seeds inside. Pick them out and don't eat them.
- Batidos and milkshakes: Blend the flesh with milk, ice and a little sugar or condensed milk for a classic Latin American and Caribbean shake.
- Ice cream and desserts: That brown sugar flavor is made for ice cream, custards and pies.
Frequently asked questions
What does sapodilla taste like?
Sweet and malty, like brown sugar with a pear-like note. The texture is soft and slightly grainy, like a ripe pear.
Is sapodilla the same as mamey sapote?
No. They're cousins in the same plant family, but mamey sapote is much larger with salmon-orange flesh. Sapodilla is smaller with honey-brown flesh.
Why is my sapodilla sticky and puckery?
It was eaten too soon. Give it more time on the counter until it's soft.
Get sapodilla from our trees
Our Sapodilla (Chicozapote) 4–5 lb box is picked from our own trees on Merritt Island and ships USPS Priority, with shipping included, to the lower 48 states except California. If you grew up eating chicozapote or naseberry and haven't found a good one in years, I hope this box brings back a few memories.
Curious about our winter "chocolate pudding fruit"? Read our guide to black sapote, or browse our mango varieties.
— Chris Haynes, Merritt Island Mangoes