Mamey Sapote

Yesterday I told you all about the rambutan, a new fruit I tried over the weekend. As I mentioned in that post, my family and I tried another new fruit for the Rosh Hashanah holiday — the Mamey.

When I saw this fruit at Fairway, a fabulous supermarket in my neighborhood, I had no idea what it was. It didn’t look so appealing to eat — it had a brown, sandpaper-like skin, and no aroma to speak of. I didn’t even know what it was called! But I decided to take a chance and try it anyway.  I found out what it was called from my receipt after paying for it, and immediately went home to research it.

The mamey sapote (not to be confused with the Mammee apple) is a tree native to southern Mexico, although today it can be found in Central America, South Florida, and the Carribean. Sapote means “soft, edible fruit,” and the mamey is just that. Although it is hard on the outside, the texture on the inside is soft and creamy like an avocado. On the inside you will find a very large brown pit with a hard, shiny surface, and a vibrant orange color, like that of a sweet potato.

Supposedly the mamey also has the flavor of sweet potato, pumpkin, and maraschino cherries combined; however, no one in my family experienced it that way. Unfortunately, for us the mamey was quite bland. Perhaps it wasn’t ripe enough. I would be open to trying this fruit again, possibly in a smoothie, which is a recommended way for it to be enjoyed.

Nutritionally, the mamey is high in potassium, vitamins A and C, and dietary fiber — much like a sweet potato’s nutritional profile!

Have you ever had a mamey before?