Mamey Sapote

This member of the Sapodilla family (Sapotaceae) is so delicious! Not only does Mamey Sapote taste good, but it is also so good for you.

The Mamey Sapote is an incredible fruit that is native to the Caribbean and tropical parts of the Americas. It is also known by its different names, such as Mammea Americana, mammee apple, Santo-Domingo apricot, red mamey, or Pouteria Sapote.

The seeds within the Mamey Sapote are not even a waste, they can work as an anti-parasitic agent with their bitter resinous seed body.

Fun fact: the skin-infesting chigoe fleas can actually be destroyed with the acrid resinous gum obtained from the Mamey tree.

Now that we have covered the outer parts, what is remaining behind is the fruit itself, which is also the main part that is consumed. Let’s dig deeper into the details!

Check out Papaya, Ripe Jackfruit, and Dragon Fruit.

What does Mamey Sapote look like?

The large tree of Mamey Sapote is a tropical fruit tree and is native to Central America. It’s an uncommon fruit in the US, but it can be easily found in Latin America and the Caribbean. Mamey’s origin links back to Mexico. When it is cut, it appears almost like an avocado, but with reddish-orange flesh. It usually grows to be about 3-6 inches big, and in the core lies 3-4 large and rough seeds.

Mamey Sapote taste?

The texture of Mamey is very rich and creamy and actually tastes a lot like a baked sweet potato. The fruit appears as an avocado when cut into halves, and you can use similar methods to cut it safely.

The flavor is said to be a blend of pumpkin, peach, and hints of apricot. It has a firm yet smooth texture.

Make sure to only eat ripe Mamey fruit, since the unripe ones are very bitter and astringent.

Mamey Sapote nutrition:

Mamey is getting fame because of its powerful punch. This incredible fruit has so much to reveal. The health benefits are ample enough to make the eater grab it all. Mamey is a power package of nutrients like vitamins, and minerals.

• The fiber in Mamey is so rich, which improves colon health.
• A sound source of carotenoids, which makes it help tissue growth and maintenance.
• It provides enough Iron to avoid anemia.

Is Mamey an expensive fruit?

Mamey is an expensive fruit because of the nature of its identification as ripe fruit. The fruit needs to be plucked from the stem to determine whether the fruit is ripe or not.

It is also usually pricey when found in the US since it has to be imported.

How to grow a Mamey Sapote tree?

Growing a Mamey tree will need your patience, as it will need 13 to 24 months to start blooming flowers. The trees that grow from seedlings start producing fruit within 7 years, while the grafted ones take about 3 to 4 years to produce fruit.

Here’s how you can grow yours.

• Take a ripe mamey fruit and cut the seed out of it.
• Now crack the coating over the seed.
• Sow the seed in a well-prepared compost soil that can retain moisture.
• Keeping the plant in a small container and shifting it to a larger one later can work better for the water needs of plant growth.
• Watch out for the germination while watering that will take place within 40 to 70 days of the planting. 
• Keep the container in partial shades.

How to store Mamey Sapote fruit?

Mamey sapote needs to be kept at room temperature until they are tender enough to your touch that they seem to soften. The room temperature is good enough to keep mamey from ripening and let that be softened.

If you want to store these mango-shaped fruits for longer, then just put them in an airtight bag or paper bag and put them in the refrigerator. It will work for more than 2 weeks.

What seasons you should look for the Mamey Sapote?

Mamey Sapote can be chased in local markets as it is available in the spring through fall. That means that usually in Florida it is harvested from May through July. Although it’s available all year round in the market.

How to eat Mamey fruit?

There’s a range of Mamey that goes from the firm, tough and hard to super soft and creamy in texture. The best is to buy between the ranges, not too hard, but not so soft that it is nearly gone bad. 

Your fruit should be soft to the touch, but not breaking or instantly bruising. 

Just cut the mamey as you do with an avocado. The seeds should be taken out and the inner flesh to be eaten.

How to use Mamey?

If you get tired of eating this delicious fruit raw, try adding it to any recipe where you would use sweet fruits. My favorite is in a fruit salad, or in this smoothie:

Mamey Smoothie:

Add Mamey to your blender with cubes of mangoes,  coconut yogurt, and maple syrup.  The sweet creamy texture of Mamey will make this smoothie incredibly yummy. You can customize it by adding any berries or fruit of your choice.

Conclusion:

The list of cuisines using this delicacy is long and surprising. There are beverages and sweets that include Mamey Sapote in a variety of ways. But it can be eaten straight out of hand if you found a softer one. Just cut out the seeds and scoop out the creamy flesh texture straight to your mouth. A perfect sweet-creamy delight on the go!

More tropical fruits:

Guava

Rambutan

Durian

Kiwi Berries

Makrut Lime

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