Cherimoya "Custard Apples"

Name: Cherimoya
Genre: Fruit
Nickname: Custard Apple, Bull's Heart

Admittedly, this recession has been tough. (Not helped by the fact that I left the US just as it was coming out of the worst of the recession and came to England just as it was entering the worst of the recession.) Mostly everyone has had to deal with cutbacks and exercise their frugality skills--it's been tedious and it's been demanding and like all of you, I'll be ecstatic when it's all over.

However, I would be remiss if I did not mention one of the benefits of the recession: it has opened up a whole new world for me in terms of fresh produce.

A vegetarian I am not, but I've always been enamored with fruit and veg--even as a kid. My somewhat expansive tastes have led me to love some rather uncommon fruits and vegetables such as lychees and rutabagas. A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of tasting a fruit I had never even heard of, the reputed "best-tasting fruit in the world", the cherimoya or the custard apple.

This fruit has a distinct taste and odd custard-like texture. True story, it tastes like something Willy Wonka cooked up; something that Heston Blumenthal would incorporate into one of his elaborate dishes. The custard apple is phenomenal. It has a soft flesh, and is eaten entirely with a spoon, avoiding those rather ominous-looking huge black seeds.

History
The history of this odd fruit is as expansive as the history of Europe. It is found growing in most European countries. But, the cherimoya's history deserves a bit more elaboration that that, after all, it's the greatest fruit in the world. Cherimoya's are though to have originated in Ecuador or Peru. It is one of the earliest recorded fruits in the world, appearing in texts dating back to the 1700s.

Cooking
As mentioned, the fruit is best enjoyed as is, slightly chilled and direct from the hull with nothing but a spoon (and a place to spit the huge seeds). Nevertheless, here are some ways to incorporate cherimoyas into your cooking.
Appetizer: Fruit Bread
Main: Fish Sauce (Pair with fish dish)
Side: Salad Dressing (Pair with a simple green salad)
Dessert: Cherimoya Sorbet

Nutrition & Health
1 piece of raw chermioya contains:
231 calories
2 grams of fat
12 mg of sodium
55 grams of carbohydrates
5grams of proteins
0 vitamin A
60% vitamin C
2% calcium
5% iron
Cherimoyas are low in cholesterol and are a good source of fiber, vitamin B6 and potassium.