Robbie Sigona’s Produce Tips: Cherimoya

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  We have the Bay variety of cherimoya in stores now from the Santa Barbara hills.

  When selecting a Cherimoya, keep in mind that a ripe fruit will be heavy for its size and have a slight give (yet shouldn’t feel too soft or squishy).

• Surface scars are ok – they’re likely from the branches, twigs and leaves surrounding the cherimoya while it grew on the tree. Avoid fruits that have large dark areas that have a more bruise-like appearance.

• A cherimoya that has a slight give near the stem end will be perfectly ripe in a day or two.

• Store cherimoya at room temperature until soft…similar to how you’d store a not-quite-ripe avocado.

• When ripe, you can store cherimoya in the fridge for up to 5 days – be gentle with them, though.

• The Bay variety is a great eating variety, known for its sweeter/less-acidic flavor and juicy, creamy texture.

• There are several ways to eat cherimoya (here are a few recipes), but if you want to keep it simple, serve chilled cherimoya in the half-shell and use a spoon to scoop out its creamy flesh (scooping around the seeds, of course!).

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Robbie Sigona is our produce buyer. He works with local farmers and scours the market for the very best in fresh fruits and vegetables — some you won’t find anywhere else.