Nance: what it is, taste and uses of the fruit

What is it?

The nance is one of the most distinctive tropical fruits of south-eastern Mexico and Central America: a small spherical drupe of one to two centimetres in diameter, with a thin skin of intense yellow or orange when ripe, fleshy whitish-yellow pulp, slightly fibrous, and a large hard central seed in proportion to the fruit. Its flavour is bittersweet and very aromatic, with distinctive notes reminiscent of fermented cheese, soursop and tropical pear, giving it a very peculiar profile that polarises those who try it: some love it and others find it strange. It is one of the most representative fruits of Guerrero, Oaxaca, Chiapas, Veracruz and Tabasco, and also of Central America where it is widely grown. It is eaten fresh as a dessert fruit, in syrup (one of the most popular traditional sweets), in artisanal liqueur or cream (the famous curtido de nance or nance liqueur), in aguas frescas, ice lollies, ice creams and jams. Its harvest season runs from July to October.

Origin and history

The nance is native to Mesoamerica and the tropical Central American basin, where its use is documented from pre-Hispanic times. The name nance comes from the Nahuatl nantzin or nantxocotl, where nan means mother and xocotl sour fruit, translating as mother fruit or original fruit. The Maya knew it by various names and grew it both for consumption and for medicinal and ritual uses. Francisco Hernández in his Historia natural de la Nueva España (sixteenth century) documents the nance among the important fruits of Mesoamerican cuisine. The tree grows both wild and cultivated in the dry tropical climates of south-eastern Mexico and Central America, where it is a characteristic feature of rural cultural landscapes. After the conquest, the nance spread to parts of the Caribbean and South America, where it became naturalised. During the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, the nance has kept a central role in the traditional cuisine of south-eastern Mexico and Central America, especially in Guerrero (the Costa Chica region is one of the largest producers), Oaxaca, Chiapas and Tabasco. In Honduras and Nicaragua, nance liqueur (known locally as crema de nance) is an emblematic drink, while in Yucatán and Tabasco syrup preserves are traditional. CONABIO highlights Byrsonima crassifolia as a species of ecological and cultural importance in the Mexican tropical lowlands.

Characteristic ingredients

The nance is Byrsonima crassifolia, a tree of the Malpighiaceae family that can reach ten metres in height, with oval toothed leaves and small yellow flowers that turn orange as they mature (a characteristic dimorphic change). It grows well in poor soils and dry tropical climates, which makes it common in the coastal savanna of south-eastern Mexico. The fruits are harvested when they have fallen to the ground, already fully ripe, or are picked from the tree when they have acquired their intense yellow colour. The pulp contains vitamin C, vitamin A, iron, calcium, dietary fibre and volatile aromatic compounds that give it its characteristic perfume. The distinctive flavour of the nance comes from specific esters that generate notes some describe as fermented blue cheese, which polarises opinion. To preserve the fruit, one of the most used techniques is syrup: the nances are boiled with piloncillo or brown sugar, cinnamon and clove for an hour, until the liquid concentrates and the fruits become impregnated; they are bottled and last for months. Another very popular use is nance liqueur or cream, made by macerating the fruits in aguardiente or rum with sugar for weeks, obtaining a sweet drink with the characteristic flavour. In contemporary cuisine, it is incorporated into artisanal ice creams, ice lollies, jams, sauces for white meats and signature desserts. In indigenous traditional medicine, the bark, leaves and fruits have been used to treat digestive complaints.

Cultural significance

The nance is biocultural heritage of south-eastern Mexico and Central America, an identity ingredient of the traditional cuisine of Guerrero, Oaxaca, Chiapas, Veracruz and Tabasco. It is the star of regional festivities such as the nance fairs in coastal towns and is associated with summer–autumn celebrations. In Guerrero, nance liqueur is a traditional drink offered to visitors and prepared by hand on the Costa Chica and Costa Grande. In Tabasco, syrup preserves are a typical product sold in markets and regional shops. Traditional Mexican cuisine, inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2010, includes native fruits such as the nance among its cultural components. Economically, the nance supports rural producers in dry tropical areas where other crops do not thrive, and the artisanal production of liqueurs, preserves and ice creams generates income for local communities. Mexican researchers have documented the potential of the nance as a prebiotic, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory ingredient. Chefs such as Margarita Carrillo Arronte, Alejandro Ruiz (Casa Oaxaca) and Pablo Salas (Amaranta) have revalued the nance in contemporary cuisine, incorporating it into fine dining menus and showing its versatility beyond traditional preparations.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between nance and kumquat?

Although both are small yellow fruits, they are botanically very different. The nance (Byrsonima crassifolia, Malpighiaceae family) is tropical American, with fleshy pulp and a central hard seed, and a bittersweet, very aromatic flavour with notes of fermented cheese. The kumquat (Citrus japonica) is an Asian citrus, with an edible sweet skin, acidic pulp, and a concentrated orange flavour. Their culinary uses and aromatic profiles are completely different.

What does nance taste like?

It has a bittersweet, very aromatic flavour with distinctive notes that some describe as a mixture of fermented cheese, soursop, tropical pear and passion fruit. The aroma is very intense and polarises opinion: some love it and others find it strange. The ripe pulp is juicy but slightly fibrous, with the skin providing slightly more acidic notes and the central hard seed that is discarded when chewing.

How is nance served?

It is eaten fresh, consuming the fruits whole and discarding the seed. It is very popular in syrup (cooked with piloncillo, cinnamon and clove), in artisanal liqueur or cream made by maceration in aguardiente with sugar, in aguas frescas, artisanal ice creams, ice lollies and jams. In contemporary cuisine it appears in sauces for poultry, in sorbets and in signature desserts. In Guerrero, nance liqueur is served as a traditional drink.

Where does the nance come from?

It is native to Mesoamerica and the tropical Central American basin, where its use is documented from pre-Hispanic times. The name comes from the Nahuatl nantzin. Today it is grown and grows wild in south-eastern Mexico (Guerrero, Oaxaca, Chiapas, Veracruz, Tabasco) and throughout Central America, as well as in parts of the Caribbean and South America where it became naturalised after the conquest. It is an identity ingredient of the tropical cuisine of southern Mexico.