Cherimoya: creamy fruit of temperate climates

What is it?

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 six to fifteen centimetres across, with thin green skin covered with flat or slightly raised scales in relief, and inner white flesh, incredibly creamy, sweet and aromatic, with flat black-brown seeds distributed in 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 is why in English it is known as custard apple along with its relatives. It is mainly eaten fresh, halving the fruit and scooping the flesh with a spoon, as well as in artisanal ice creams, sorbets, jams, milk-based smoothies, 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

Cherimoya is native to the South American Andes, particularly the temperate highland regions of Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia and Colombia, where its cultivation has been documented since pre-Inca times. The Spanish chronicler Bernabe Cobo, in his Historia del Nuevo Mundo of the 17th century, describes 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, which translates 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 Spanish trade routes, and found ideal conditions in the temperate highland regions of central and mountainous states. It belongs to the genus Annona of the family Annonaceae, the same as soursop, anona and atemoya. After the Conquest, the Spaniards took cherimoya to Europe (Spain, Italy, Portugal) and North Africa, where it is widely grown: Spain is today one of the world's leading producers, with the Granada Costa Tropical region as the main zone. In Mexico, the main producing regions are Michoacan, Puebla, the State of Mexico and Guerrero, in temperate highland zones. CONABIO documents several Annona species in Mexico, including Annona cherimola as an introduced but fully integrated crop.

Characteristic ingredients

Cherimoya is Annona cherimola, a semi-deciduous tree of the family Annonaceae that can reach nine metres in height, with shiny 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 distinguishes it from 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 relief segments appear slightly separated. To prepare, halve it and scoop the flesh with a spoon, spitting out the flat black-brown seeds (which are not eaten and contain acetogenins in high concentrations). The flesh 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-based smoothies; traditional atoles; in contemporary cuisine, gourmet mousses, tarts, signature desserts, dessert sauces and tropical cocktails.

Cultural significance

Cherimoya is shared gastronomic heritage 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 Michoacan, Puebla, the State of Mexico and Guerrero, contributing to fruit diversity and regional cuisine. Traditional Mexican cuisine, inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2010, includes tropical and temperate fruits cultivated in Mexico among its cultural components. Economically, cherimoya supports rural producers in mountainous Mexican areas, contributing to crop diversification. SADER (gob.mx) highlights its potential as a high-value-added and export crop, although Mexican production is modest compared with Spanish (which leads the world market with the Cherimoya of the Costa Tropical Denomination of Origin). Mark Twain praised 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 haute-cuisine menus, giving it visibility as one of the great less-known tropical fruits of the world gastronomic catalogue.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between cherimoya and soursop?

Both are annonaceae but different species. Cherimoya (Annona cherimola) has green skin with flat relief scales without spines, creamy flesh with a sweet and mild flavour (notes of banana-pineapple-vanilla), thrives in temperate highland zones. Soursop (Annona muricata) has green skin with soft curved spines, more fibrous flesh with a more intense sweet-and-sour flavour, thrives in the warm lowland tropics. 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 perfumed, easy to identify. Considered by many to be one of the best fruits in the world.

How is cherimoya served?

Fresh, it is halved and the flesh 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-based smoothies, 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 because of its naturally creamy texture.

Where is cherimoya originally from?

It is native to the South American Andes, particularly the temperate highland regions of Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia and Colombia, where it has been cultivated since pre-Inca times. The name comes from the Quechua chirimuya. It arrived in Mexico during the Colonial period, integrating into the temperate highland regions of Michoacan, Puebla, the State of Mexico and Guerrero. Today Spain (Granada) is the main world producer, with the Cherimoya of the Costa Tropical Denomination of Origin.