Capulin: the Mexican cherry of the highlands

What is it?

Capulin is one of the most beloved and ancient fruits of the Mexican highland cuisine: a small spherical drupe one to two centimetres in diameter, similar to a cherry but smaller, with thin skin that is dark purple or almost shiny black when ripe, fleshy reddish flesh that is slightly fibrous, and a hard central seed that is large in proportion to the fruit. Its flavour is sweet-and-sour, slightly astringent, with notes reminiscent of wild cherry, sloe and a subtle noble bitterness. It is mainly eaten fresh, in small portions because of its size, and in a variety of traditional preparations: capulin tamales (typical of the State of Mexico and Tlaxcala), capulin atole, jams, preserves, artisanal liqueurs and traditional sweets. The season runs from May to July, brief and much anticipated in the towns of the Mexican highlands, where wild and cultivated trees produce abundant harvests that are used as they ripen.

Origin and history

Capulin is endemic to central and southern Mexico, particularly the Mexican highlands and parts of Central America, where its use has been documented since pre-Hispanic times. The name capulin comes from the Nahuatl capulli, meaning small covered thing, probably in reference to the rounded shape of the fruit. Sahagun in the Florentine Codex and Francisco Hernandez in his Natural History of New Spain, both of the 16th century, document capulin among the important fruits of Mexica cuisine, attributing food and medicinal uses to it. The tree belongs to the genus Prunus, the same as the cherries, plums and peaches of the Old World, making it a botanical relative of European stone fruits. The Mexican subspecies, Prunus serotina subsp. capuli, is distinguished from its North American relative (Prunus serotina subsp. serotina, the black cherry) by its larger and sweeter fruits, the result of centuries of selection by pre-Hispanic peoples. After the Conquest, capulin lost prominence to introduced European cherries and other fruits, but remained alive in traditional rural cuisine of the highlands. In the 20th and 21st centuries, chefs and anthropologists such as Cristina Barros and Marco Buenrostro have documented and revived its use, and CONABIO highlights its importance as part of Mexico's biocultural heritage.

Characteristic ingredients

Capulin is Prunus serotina subsp. capuli, a deciduous tree of the family Rosaceae that can reach up to twenty metres in height, with dark bark and serrated elliptical leaves. It flowers in spring with clusters of white flowers and produces fruit in summer. The leaves and seeds contain hydrocyanic acid (in small amounts), so the seeds must not be consumed and the leaves are used in cooking with moderation (in small quantities to flavour tamales and atoles). The flesh, by contrast, is safe and nutritious, rich in anthocyanins (powerful antioxidants that give the purple-red colour), vitamin C, iron, calcium and fibre. The fruits are eaten fresh, whole and spitting out the seed, similar to cherries. Traditional culinary uses include capulin tamales, originally from the State of Mexico and Tlaxcala, where the pulp is mixed with maize masa and wrapped in maize leaf; capulin atole, a thick and sweet drink; jams and preserves in syrup; artisanal liqueurs by maceration in alcohol; and traditional sweets such as jellies. In some towns such as Tepetlaoxtoc (State of Mexico), capulin is the annual star of festivities and fairs. The leaves are used as a flavouring in some regions, especially to perfume atoles and tamales, in small quantities. CONABIO lists capulin among the native fruits of priority for conservation and agroforestry development.

Cultural significance

Capulin is part of the biocultural heritage of the Mexican highlands and one of the most symbolic fruits of the May-July season in towns of the State of Mexico, Tlaxcala, Puebla, Hidalgo and Michoacan. It is an essential ingredient of capulin tamales, typical sweet preparations of highland cuisine that are made especially during Lent and at rural patron-saint festivities. The Capulin Fair in Tepetlaoxtoc (State of Mexico) and other similar celebrations keep the fruit tradition alive, with competitions of tamales, atoles, jams and sweets. Traditional Mexican cuisine, inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2010, includes native fruits such as capulin among its essential components. Economically, capulin is harvested mostly from wild trees and family backyards, without major commercial cultivation, which supports small rural and seasonal economies. Contemporary chefs such as Enrique Olvera, Elena Reygadas and Margarita Carrillo Arronte have rediscovered capulin, incorporating it into haute-cuisine menus as one of Mexico's great forgotten fruits. The wood of the tree is also traditionally used for furniture and rural construction, and the leaves as a medicinal remedy for respiratory conditions in traditional indigenous medicine.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between capulin and cherry?

Both are fruits of the genus Prunus, but the Mexican capulin (Prunus serotina subsp. capuli) is smaller than the European cherry (Prunus avium), with darker skin and more acidic and astringent flesh, with a proportionally larger seed. The cherry is sweeter, juicier and has firm flesh. Capulin has a more complex, sweet-and-sour flavour with noble bitter notes, and is endemic to Mesoamerica.

What does capulin taste like?

It has a sweet-and-sour and slightly astringent flavour, with notes reminiscent of wild cherry, European sloe, elderberry and a subtle noble bitterness. The ripe flesh is juicy but slightly fibrous, with sweetness concentrated near the skin and more acidic notes towards the seed. Its aroma is delicate and herbal. The dark skin contributes anthocyanins with a very characteristic metallic-mineral touch.

How is capulin served?

Fresh, it is eaten whole, chewing around the central seed which is discarded. In traditional cuisine it is prepared in capulin tamales (maize masa with the pulp, wrapped in leaf), sweet atoles, jams, preserves in syrup and artisanal liqueurs by maceration in alcohol. In contemporary cuisine it is used in ice creams, sorbets, sauces for meat and signature desserts. The leaves, in small quantities, flavour tamales and atoles.

Where is capulin originally from?

It is native to central and southern Mexico, particularly the Mexican highlands, as well as parts of Central America. Its use has been documented since pre-Hispanic times in sources such as Sahagun and Francisco Hernandez. The name comes from the Nahuatl capulli. Today it is distributed from the State of Mexico, Tlaxcala, Puebla, Hidalgo, Michoacan to Oaxaca and Chiapas, generally in wild trees and family backyards.