Jocote? Mombin? What it tastes like – how to eat it – and facts
Jocote, Mombin, Ciruela, Spanish Plums, Red Hog Plums – we’ll just call it Jocote
These fruits are a species of the cashew family. It’s usually called jocote (a derivation of the Nahuatl word: xocotl, which means sour fruits). They are just making their way to Miami. Which is a good thing, because they are tasty.
What does the jocote taste like?
When they are ripe, they are creamy and taste like a cross between a plum and a mango with a spot of Granny Apple to it. Think sweet and sour. If they aren’t ripe, they are tart! You can still eat them, but get ready to pucker your mouth! Think sour sour sour!
How do I eat jocote?
When it is ripe, you can eat the skin and the flesh just as you would a plum (ignoring the big seed inside). To tell if it is ripe, the fruit will be dark yellow to red when it ripens (depending on the kind) When it is unripe, the fruit is light yellow to green and usually eaten with some salt and lime juice or pickled in vinegar.
A good jocote recipe
The Nicaraguan dessert called Almibar – where jocotes, papaya, mangoes and currents meet peppercorns and cinnamon. Think heavy syrup, hips-growing good! Oh. My!
Fun Jocote Fact
Macerated in rum, they make delicious punches.
It can be used as an appetite suppressant. (Eat one before a meal!)
Young leaves, acidic, can be cooked fresh or as a vegetable.
In Mexico, unripe fruits are made into a tart, green sauce called Chamoy (think Siracha for weaklings – but still, oh, so tasty), or are pickled in vinegar and eaten with salt and chili peppers.
Where to find Jocote / Ciruela / Mombin / Spanish Plums in Miami?
Learn about other exotic fruits in Miami
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Learn about other exotic fruits in Miami
- Guanábana? Soursop? How to eat it – what it tastes like – and facts
- Paypaya? How to eat it – what it tastes like – and facts
- Mamey? Mamey Sopate? How to eat it – where to find it – and facts
- Dragon Fruit? Hot to eat it – what does it taste like
- Jocote? Mombin? How to eat it – what it tastes like – and facts
- Loquat? How to eat it – what it tastes like – and facts
Share the jocote fruit love by offering up your own delicious or creative ways of enjoying this fruit!
Photo credit: Adriana Nascto, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credit: Leoadec, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons