Sapote

Sapote is an erect evergreen tree that contains white latex in all parts of the plant. It‘s native to the region that stretches from southern Mexico to Nicaragua, but sapote is grown throughout tropical America and in some countries in Southeast Asia.

The fruit is round to elliptic with rough skin and creamy, soft, and sweet pulp that’s said to taste like a mix of sweet potatoes and pumpkin. The pulp is enjoyed fresh or made into smoothies, ice creams, and milkshakes. Pieces of sapote are often added to green salads or made into jams and jellies.

In Mexico, there’s a dessert called dulce de sapote, consisting of ripe sapote, rum, sugar, and either orange juice or lime juice. The name of this fruit is derived from the Nahuatl language, meaning soft, sweet fruit. It is believed that it was sapote that kept Cortez and his army alive when he had famously marched from Mexico City to Honduras.