Zapotes

Zapotes is a common name used in Spanish for several tropical fruits grown in the Americas. The term is applied to edible fruits that come from different species across the Sapotaceae family and related groups, united mainly by their use and local names rather than by strict botanical relation. Zapotes are cultivated primarily in Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and parts of northern South America, where they are consumed fresh, used in desserts, or blended into beverages.

Among the best known zapotes are the sapodilla (Manilkara zapota), which has a brown, rough skin and gritty, sweet flesh with a malty flavor; it is eaten fresh and also dried or processed into beverages. The white sapote (Casimiroa edulis) produces green to yellow fruit with pale, creamy flesh and a mild, sweet taste reminiscent of pear or banana. The black sapote (Diospyros digyna) features a greenish to brown exterior and dark, chocolatey flesh when ripe, often described as dessert-like. Mamey sapote (Pouteria sapota) offers a large fruit with orange flesh and a rich, creamy sweetness used in shakes and desserts. Yellow sapote, or canistel (Pouteria campechiana), yields golden flesh with a dense, custard-like texture and flavors ranging from pumpkin to sweet potato. Red sapote refers to related varieties with reddish-orange flesh and is grown in similar tropical regions.

Etymology-wise, the name zapote derives from indigenous languages of the region and has come to designate these diverse fruits in everyday usage.