Cherimoya
{Exotic, complex and luscious}
Generally heart-shaped with what looks vaguely like the skin of a reptile with regular spaced thumbprints, the cherimoya is native to the Andes and now cultivated in California. Once peeled, the fruit reveals creamy white flesh dotted with a mess of inedible hard black seeds. Highly aromatic when ripe (the outside of the fruit will yield when pressed lightly), this fruit will reward you with its exotic and complex perfume, tasting somewhat like a melange of pineapple, banana and strawberry, with subtle notes of vanilla and the texture of a fine pear. Once peeled and seeded, it makes the most sublime smoothie when blended with a frozen peeled banana. No ice cream needed here, just pure low-fat flavor, luxury in a glass.
