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Sapodilla Variety Box Tasting Notes

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Coconut Cream:
I love Sapodilla. I have eaten a lot of them and already have 5 young trees in the ground (Thomas, Morena, Silas Wood, Alano, and Butterscotch) so my decisions are made. While I wait for those trees to start producing, I couldn't resist ordering a sampler box from Lara Farms. The box contained the Tikal, Morena, Hasya and Molix varieties, an excellent selection. The fruit varied in size from baseball down to chicken egg.

When I eat Sapodilla, I am looking for sweetness with tropical dimension, the way that rum or caramel develops sugar's flavor into a complex and exciting taste. Sweetness level should be moderate but not excessive, and rounded out with some spice. I like a firmer texture when ripe, plus a little grit to complete the illusion that I'm eating a tropical pear. My favorite way to eat them is to peel off the skin with a paring knife and then eat it like a pear. I will start off with Tikal & Hasya.

Tikal Sapodilla Tasting
The first Tikal I tried was overripe with a soft, watery texture. Even when ripe the fruit has less body and bite than the others - it doesn't stand up well to chewing. Tikal lacks much texture but on the plus side for some, it also lacks grit. Moderately sweet with no acid component. The flavor is uncomplicated, tasting almost like granulated white sugar or maybe "sugar in the raw". In a generous mood I might say it reminds me of a weak, low quality maple syrup flavor. Tikal lacks spice and complexity. For most serious tropical fruit growers, Tikal will be a letdown on both texture and flavor. However, the mild flavor might be good for kids or others who avoid exotic tastes? Although decent and enjoyable, there are better options than Tikal.




Hasya Sapodilla Tasting
Cutting open a Hasya Sapodilla reveals a much redder flesh than other varieties. The redness increases with ripeness, as does the flavor. The texture provides some bite and firmness when ripe, along with a satisfying fine graininess. Not soft, squishy, or gritty. The moderate sweetness comes with caramel overtones, adding dimension to the sweetness. The flavor is full of tropical spice with cinnamon, floral notes and even hints of Mamey Sapote. The complex taste is both memorable and outstanding, and not overly sweet. I want to eat more and it has been a struggle to wait for the rest of them to fully ripen. The large fruit has small seeds and I consider this a top selection. I have heard some concerns about low production on trees.

Coconut Cream:
Morena Sapodilla Tasting
I'm not a native Spanish speaker, but I'm pretty sure that Morena refers to a woman with brown hair, a brunette. And the Morena fruit has brown skin and mostly brown flesh (with some red), although I don't know if it's that much more brunette than the others. Nevertheless, it's a very tasty Sapodilla cultivar.

The ripe texture is slightly less than firm with some grit present. I'd prefer a firmer texture and I don't mind the grit, but it is more noticeable than the other varieties and might put some people off. Moderately sweet but not candy sweet. The sweetness takes on the exciting characteristics of sugar caramelizing with hints of roasted marshmallow highlighting a distinct brown sugar and honey foundation. This is classic Sapodilla flavor but I wish it was more intense. For my palate, I prefer more spice and complexity. As an everyday Sapodilla with wide appeal Morena is an excellent choice and I don't think you can go wrong if you choose to plant this variety. While not my top choice I would happily eat it every day.

Coconut Cream:
Molix Sapodilla Tasting
The Molix fruit are among the larger ones and also have a reddish tinge to the flesh when ripe. You can tell when the fruit is ready as the skin sheds it's rough texture and becomes smooth and papery. Biting into a ripe Molix Sapodilla reveals adequate firmness with some grit present. The moderately sweet flesh has a robust brown sugar taste. My palate detects lots of exciting flavors, predominantly cinammon graham cracker with a faint hint of Maraschino cherry in the sweetest/ripest parts. The taste is absolutely delightful and very similar to Hasya, I think I like the Molix just a little better. Of the four varieties, Molix is probably my top choice, just edging out Hasya. Make sure you try this one.

simon_grow:
Thanks for the detailed reviews!

I wish you had a Butterscotch, Thomas and Alano to compare.

DavidBYE:
Thank you! Looking forward more varieties.

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