Black Sapote

Like its cousin the persimmon, the black sapote can be dioecious — meaning some trees only produce male flowers, while other trees have female flowers and fruit.

While ripe fruit is safe and nutritious, very unripe black sapotes are so bitter and caustic that they are sometimes used as fish poison in the Philippines.

The fruit was spread throughout the tropics by Spanish colonists, who brought it from Mexico to the Pacific. Today it grows in Indonesia, the Philippines, the Caribbean, and limited U.S. regions.

Because ripe black sapotes are extremely delicate, the fruit is almost never found in U.S. supermarkets. Where it is available, it is often sold slightly underripe. Fruits start out green and firm and turn black and mushy as they ripen.

While a perfectly ripe sapote may look a little past its prime — with soft spots and darker areas — avoid fruit with broken skin. Much like the persimmon, black sapotes are extremely bitter when unripe, leaving the mouth with a dry, "puckered" feeling.

Look for them at farmers' markets in Puerto Rico, Hawai'i, and Southern Florida during the winter months through early spring.

Fruits are often picked and shipped when still firm and will need to ripen for several days at room temperature before being eaten. The ripe fruit is extremely soft and delicate, so it should be consumed as quickly as possible.

However, ripe fruit can be stored in the refrigerator for a few days if needed. The ripe flesh can be pureed and frozen as a pulp that will keep for several months in the freezer.

Scoop out the flesh directly, avoiding the skin and seeds. The black sapote is delicious eaten fresh with a spoon, right from the skin.

Because of its soft texture and mellow flavor, it goes well in many desserts. In baked goods, it can often replace bananas, as in banana bread. It also freezes well, making a rich, deeply flavored ice cream. In Mexico, the flesh is often mixed with orange juice and enjoyed as a cold drink or popsicle.

Freezing Pulp: The ripe fruit can be pureed and frozen as a pulp that will keep for several months in the freezer. This is an excellent way to preserve the delicate flavor for later use in baking, ice cream, or beverages.

Ice Cream: Because the fruit freezes well and has a rich flavor, homemade black sapote ice cream is extraordinary — the natural sweetness and creamy texture require minimal additional ingredients.

Black sapotes are very high in Vitamin C — they contain about three times as much per serving as an orange. This remarkable concentration makes them an excellent immune-boosting fruit.

The fruit is also a good source of calcium, phosphorus, and fiber. The combination of vitamins and minerals, plus the creamy texture and sophisticated flavor, makes black sapotes a nutritional and culinary treasure.

Pesticides: Some growers may lightly fertilize their trees, but because the fruit is often grown casually in backyards, this isn't always the case. The tree suffers from few insect pests, so insecticides and other pesticides are not a concern for black sapotes.

Seasonality & Geography: Black sapotes are only grown on a very limited scale in the U.S. — Puerto Rico, Hawai'i, and Southern Florida are the only areas where the fruit is grown and available at farmers' markets. Buying from local growers in these regions supports tropical agriculture and reduces environmental impact.