Day 27 - Cherimoya fruit

8:30 A.M. Breakfast - Open Faced Egg Sandwich w/Peaches Cherimoya (recipe #2)
1:50 P.M. Lunch - Black Bean Tacos w/Cilantro Jalapeno Guacamole (recipe #4 and pg 133)
5:30 P.M. Snack - Pineapple Avocado Tacos (pg 110)
9:30 P.M. Dinner - Chicken Satay Pita (pg 123)

While picking up a few things at the grocery store, we ran into more Cherimoyas and decided to bring one in again this weekend.  The first time we used this fruit, we mixed it in with cherries over a waffle, but this time we wanted to just let the cherimoya be the solo act.  Dee-licious! 

Lunch was a repeat, another favorite -- though now that I think of it anything with avocado seems to be a favorite with us.  Including our snack... pineapple, feta cheese and avocado...  oh so good :0)

In sharing our new finds, I decided to take a few pics of our Cherimoya before cutting it up this time.  Forgive the quality of the pics, I generally use my cell phone for all the pics you see because its convenient but I may just start using my digital camera for better resolution.

The cherimoya is a large tropical fruit with a soft flesh.  The outer skin is textured with thumb print like impressions.  Not very "pretty" but definitely sweet... in my own words I'd say its consistency is like that of a soft banana.. only slightly wet and mushier.   From what I've learned most people cut them in half, remove the seeds and simply spoon out the flesh for their enjoyment.  The seeds are fairly large, as you can see.. and plentiful.  I pulled out about 20 seeds in one half alone.   And because I like to be complicated I scooped them all out and then cut the flesh as best as I could into pieces -- discarding the green skin of course.

The taste is a nice subtle sweetness reminiscent of banana, papaya, pear and pineapple.   

The caloric equivalents fall around 115 calories per cup, and though they aren't as low calorie as other fruits, they are still a great source of potassium, fiber, Vitamin C and B-complex vitamins.

While looking up the benefits of this fruit I came across a site declaring the seeds and skin to be poisonous if eaten but further investigating declared it to be an exaggerated fact.   The seeds do contain several alkaloids and are often crushed up to be used as pesticides and even as lice treatment but accidentally swallowing a seed or two will do you no harm.

I'm not sure how easy it is to "accidentally" swallow one but it can happen.  Just something thats good to know and keep in mind.

Either way its not enough to keep either my fiance or I away from this delicious new fruit.