Cherimoya: what it is, taste, benefits and how to eat it

What is it?

The cherimoya is one of the most exquisite and aristocratic fruits of the American tropics, considered by many botanists and gastronomes to be one of the best fruits in the world: a heart-shaped or oval fruit of six to fifteen centimetres in diameter, with a thin green skin covered in flat or slightly prominent raised scales, and inner pulp that is white, incredibly creamy, sweet and aromatic, with flat black-brown seeds distributed among segments. Its flavour is one of the most complex and delicious in the fruit kingdom: sweet, slightly acidic, with notes that combine ripe banana, pineapple, strawberry, vanilla, apple and a touch of pear. The texture is exceptionally creamy, similar to a natural mousse, which has led it to be known in English as custard apple along with its relatives. It is eaten mainly fresh, splitting the fruit and eating the pulp with a spoon, as well as in artisanal ice creams, sorbets, jams, milk shakes, atoles and, in contemporary cuisine, in mousses, tarts, signature desserts and cocktails. The main season runs from November to March in Mexico.

Origin and history

The cherimoya is native to the South American Andes, particularly the temperate highland regions of Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia and Colombia, where its cultivation is documented from pre-Inca times. The Spanish chronicler Bernabé Cobo, in his Historia del Nuevo Mundo of the seventeenth century, describes the cherimoya as one of the most excellent fruits of the Indies. The name comes from the Quechua chirimuya, where chiri means cold or frozen and muyu, seed, translating as cold seed, in reference to the plant's preference for temperate highland climates. It arrived in Mexico during the colonial period or perhaps earlier, via pre-Inca and New Spain trade routes, and found ideal conditions in the temperate highland regions of the central and mountainous states. It belongs to the genus Annona of the Annonaceae family, the same as the soursop, the anona and the atemoya. After the conquest, the Spanish took the cherimoya to Europe (Spain, Italy, Portugal) and to North Africa, where it is widely grown: Spain is today one of the world's leading producers, with the Costa Tropical of Granada as the main area. In Mexico, the main producing regions are Michoacán, Puebla, the State of Mexico and Guerrero, in temperate highland areas. CONABIO documents several Annona species in Mexico, including Annona cherimola as an introduced but fully integrated crop.

Characteristic ingredients

The cherimoya is Annona cherimola, a semi-deciduous tree of the Annonaceae family that can reach nine metres in height, with bright green elliptical leaves and large yellow-green flowers with three fleshy outer petals. The plant prefers temperate highland climates (between 1,500 and 2,500 metres above sea level), with cool temperatures and well-drained soils, which sets it apart from the soursop, which thrives in the warm lowland tropics. The fruit is harvested when it has reached its full size and begins to soften; it ripens fully at room temperature in one to three days. It is ready when the skin yields to gentle pressure and the raised segments appear slightly separated. To prepare, it is split in half and the pulp eaten with a spoon, spitting out the flat black-brown seeds (which are not eaten and contain acetogenins in high concentrations). The pulp contains vitamin C, vitamin B6, iron, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, dietary fibre and antioxidants. The distinctive flavour combines sweet sugars with a subtle acid touch and a complex aromatic profile of volatile esters that generate the notes of banana, pineapple, strawberry, vanilla and apple. The texture is notably creamy, similar to a natural mousse or pudding. The main culinary uses include fresh consumption; artisanal ice creams (one of the most prestigious for its aromatic profile); sorbets; jams and mousses; milk shakes; traditional atoles; and, in contemporary cuisine, gourmet mousses, tarts, signature desserts, dessert sauces and tropical cocktails.

Cultural significance

The cherimoya is gastronomic heritage shared between South America, Mexico and the Mediterranean, an example of the circulation of crops between the Andes and the New World during the colonial period. In Mexico it is grown in temperate highland regions of Michoacán, Puebla, the State of Mexico and Guerrero, contributing to fruit diversity and regional cuisine. Traditional Mexican cuisine, inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2010, includes the tropical and temperate fruits grown in Mexico among its cultural components. Economically, the cherimoya supports rural producers in mountainous Mexican areas, contributing to crop diversification. SADER (gob.mx) highlights its potential as a high-value-added export crop, although Mexican production is modest compared with Spanish production (which leads the world market with the denomination of origin Chirimoya de la Costa Tropical). The writer Mark Twain praised the cherimoya as 'deliciousness itself' in his travel chronicles, while botanists such as Hugh Popenoe have described it as one of the best fruits in the world. In contemporary cuisine, chefs such as Margarita Carrillo Arronte, Elena Reygadas and Enrique Olvera incorporate it into fine dining menus, giving it visibility as one of the great lesser-known tropical fruits of the world gastronomic catalogue.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between cherimoya and soursop?

Both are annonas but different species. The cherimoya (Annona cherimola) has green skin with flat raised scales and no spines, creamy pulp with a sweet and mild flavour (notes of banana-pineapple-vanilla), and thrives in temperate highland areas. The soursop (Annona muricata) has green skin with soft curved spines, more fibrous pulp with a more intense bittersweet flavour, and thrives in the warm lowland tropics. The cherimoya is generally smaller and sweeter.

What does cherimoya taste like?

It has an exceptionally delicious, sweet, slightly acidic flavour, with notes that combine ripe banana, pineapple, strawberry, vanilla, apple and a touch of pear, forming one of the most complex aromatic profiles in the fruit kingdom. The texture is exceptionally creamy, similar to a natural mousse or pudding. The aroma is intense and very fragrant, easy to identify. It is considered by many to be one of the best fruits in the world.

How is cherimoya served?

Fresh, it is split in half and the pulp eaten with a spoon, spitting out the flat black seeds. It is also prepared in artisanal ice creams (one of the most prestigious for its aromatic profile), sorbets, jams, mousses, milk shakes and traditional atoles. In contemporary cuisine it appears in gourmet mousses, tarts, signature desserts, dessert sauces and tropical cocktails. It is ideal for dairy-free preparations for its naturally creamy texture.

Where does the cherimoya come from?

It is native to the South American Andes, particularly the temperate highland regions of Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia and Colombia, where it has been grown since pre-Inca times. The name comes from the Quechua chirimuya. It arrived in Mexico during the colonial period, becoming integrated into the temperate highland regions of Michoacán, Puebla, the State of Mexico and Guerrero. Today Spain (Granada) is the world's leading producer, with the denomination of origin Chirimoya de la Costa Tropical.