CANISTEL

Common Name: Canistel
Vernacular Name: Eggfruit, Yellow Sapote, Zapote amarillo
Botanical Name: Pouteria campechiana
Specimens From: The Philippines
Specimens Weight: 70 gm [2.47 oz] (average weight per fruit)

The canistel is native to Mexico and the nothern part of Central America countries. It has also been introduced into several tropical countries.

This fruit may be almost round, oval or ovoid with a pointed or curved apex. It is bright yellow or yellowish-orange and usually glossy and smooth when it is ripe. The skin is thin and the pulp takes on the same colour as the skin. There may be one or more seeds and it is shiny reddish-brown on the outer side and dull brown on the other side.

The flesh is firm and not juicy but softer towards the center of the fruit. Texture is almost identical to a boiled egg-yolk. The taste is slightly sweet, similar to a baked sweet potato. It will turn too mushy when it is overripe. The skin may be thin but gummy and it is usually not eaten.

Canistel's pureed pulp can also be baked, used in pies, pudding or mixed with ice cream and milkshake etc. This fruit is rich in nutrients, especially in carotene and niacin but in many countries, it is still unknowned, unavailable or underrated.


Fruit: Canistel; Pouteria campechiana; Sapotaceae.


Other fruit in the same family: Sapodilla


Click here to view other fruits in thumbnail images


Click here to have a say in your favourite fruits

SAPODILLA

Common Name: Sapodilla
Vernacular Names: Naseberry, Ciku, Chiku, Chikoo, Chico, Sapoti, Sapota, Lamoot, Hồng xiêm, Chicosapote
Botanical Name: Manilkara zapota
Specimens from: Vietnam
Specimens Weight: 164 gm (average wgt per fruit)

Sapodilla is a common tropical fruit. It goes by many different vernacular names, depending on the language of your country. This fruit originated from Mexico and a few surrounding countries.

The fruit is either round, oval or conical, due to the various cultivars. Greenish-brown(fruit on the left in the first photo above) is still unripe and hard but will turn brown and soft when it is ready to eat. Flesh is yellowish-orange to earthy-brown, with a grainy texture. The taste is extremely sweet and juicy. The kind of sweetness is similar to the taste of caramel or brown sugar syrup and that is why I call it "Mr. Brown Sugar"

The easiest way to eat it, is to cut it into half and scoop it with a spoon but be careful of the seeds as the flattened dark brownish-black seed is toxic. Make sure you get rid of the seeds before putting it into your mouth, as to avoid swallowing it accidentally. Due to the curved shape at one end of the seed, similar to a small hook, it can easily lodge inside your throat. Seeds count are usually between two to four but if you are lucky, some are seedless


Fruit: Sapodilla; Manilkara zapota; Sapotaceae.


Other fruit in the same family: Canistel


Click here to view other fruits in thumbnail images


Click here to have a say in your favourite fruits