Herb. No. 230 · Annonaceae
Andean valleys; a cool-tropical orchard from Peru to Spain to New Zealand.
Native · South America
Native Also grown
LegalGentleplant
Cherimoya
Annona cherimola
An Andean custard apple — spoon the ripe white flesh, spit every black seed, and leave the leaf off the kettle.
Cherimoya is an Andean Annona. Traditional use is as ripe creamy flesh. Culinary ripe fruit is the path. Seeds are toxic if crushed and not food. Leaves are not a tea. Mark Twain called it delicious; grocery fruit is often underripe and then bruises. Ripe yields to a thumb and smells floral.
Flavor
Banana, pineapple, custard, a little mango. Underripe is hard and pointless. Overripe is ferment.
Parts used
Ripe flesh
Helpful
- A true custard if ripe
- A highland tropical — some types take a little chill
Cautions
- Seeds are not food
- Bruises in the mail
- Leaf tea is a no