Mamey Sapote

Mamey Sapote

Mamey Sapote, or simply “Mamey” to beloved fans, has a rough brown skin that surrounds a reddish-orange flesh with a large black pit. The “meaty” flesh is creamy and sweet with a flavor that has often been described as a combination of pumpkin, sweet potato and maraschino cherries.

Mamey sapote must be harvested at the proper state of maturity to ripen satisfactorily. It takes experience to harvest the mamey sapote at maturity. A method commonly used to test fruit maturity is to make a small scratch on the skin surface to remove just the outer, scurfy layer. The fruit is mature if the newly exposed layer has turned from green to pinkish-brown, orange, or red.

Mamey is hard when unripe and becomes softer as it ripens. Gently squeeze the fruit till the skin collapses to know it is ready to eat. This should take anywhere from a few days to a week. Once ripe, you may place it in the refrigerator for up to a week.